Here is this week’s update from race-walker Robert Hardy. Hardy will be providing us with regular updates on his progress and marathon training. Here is what Hardy has to say:

What started as a catastrophe, turned promising; last Sunday, April 15,  I strained my lower back which resulted in horrible pain and discomfort. By Monday I could hardly move and on Tuesday I made an emergency trip to the Oriental Medical Centre, here in Alexandria which in itself was a very uncomfortable experience but it worked.

On Wednesday I canceled my  30-km time trial because of the back problem, which I have now rescheduled for Wednesday, May 2.

By Friday, my back was feeling reasonably good with just a twinge of pain and so I decided to head off to the Tim Horton’s Dome, in Alexandria and attempt some walker racing.  I didn’t want to overdo it, so my chosen distance was 7 kilometres, which I race walked at 9-km/h. Good news. Feeling good.

On Sunday, April 22,  I chose a 10-km distance and completed the first 8-km at 9-km/h and completed the final 2-km at 10-km/h, feeling great.

With only a week before my first race, I feel really lucky that I didn’t have to cancel, thanks to Oriental Medical Care.

My first race is the Run To End MS, in Cornwall on April 29, it is a 10-km race.

My last 10-km race was here in Alexandria on September 30, the Community Run. I finished in 1 hr, 4 min., 8 sec. I’m feeling good and intend to take a home a first place medal and finish in one hour, or less.

On Tuesday, April 24, I am presenting my premier presentation of my multimedia Motivational Musical Madness at North Glengarry Restaurant, Main Street, Alexandria at 7 pm. The cost is only $5 to attend.

Robert Hardy’s April/May schedule:

April 18: 30-km time trial at Tim Horton’s Dome, Alexandria. (Now postponed until May 2).

April 24: Presentation of Motivational Musical Madness, Alexandria.

April 29: The first 10-km race of the season, Cornwall Run to End MS.

May 5: Alzheimer’s Walk for Life. Make Memories Matter

May 19: Longueuil Marathon, a special 3.5-km race with a lady who has Ataxia, racing HUGO race walkers.

May 27: The full Ottawa 42.2-km marathon. (5 hr, 15 minutes full, 42.2-km marathon)

Race walking is an Olympic sport. Walker Racing is not… yet!