Sue Wells

Age 30
Sport Played Basketball (Running,Triathlon & Lacrosse)
Years Played 20 (and 5, 2, 3) years

Tell us about yourself

I have played ABA and Reserves Basketball since I was 17 years old. It is the elite competition in the SA, and sits one grade below the NBL/WNBL. This year for the first time in many years, I have had to make some choices about my sport and will only be playing reserves. I do this, because I want to further my running, and aim to complete a half marathon, and eventually a half ironman triathlon. The physical stress that basketball puts on my body, combined with the training needs for distance running and triathlon just won't allow me to do both at that high level. Reserves, being still extremely competitive, but with less time on court will mean I can manage both of the things I love to do! I currently train once weekly and play 1 - 2 games per week for basketball, and will shortly begin training for a half marathon. This will be a minimum of 4 running sessions per week, combined with 2 swimming sessions and a daily commute to work on my road bike.

Proudest Sporting Achievements

I am a very all round sporting person, having won various MVP trophies for Basketball, but most recently at age 30 I won the MVP for my ABA Club, Woodville Warriors Basketball, which was a real honour and very flattering. In only my second year playing Lacrosse I won the B Grade Women's Trophy for entire league MVP. I am proud to have completed the City to Bay run (Adelaide) in 57.55 for 12km. Breaking that always challenging 60 minute mark. Probably what will shortly be my proudest moment, is receiving life membership for Flinders University Basketball Club where I have been a member/coach/committee member/player for 10 years. Commitment to something like this is something I will treasure!

What are you hoping to achieve

I am hoping to complete the half marathon, and potentially a marathon, but due to injury in 2008, I was unable to participate in, despite having run my full distance 4 weeks before the race! I would also like to compete in a half ironman (1.8km swim, 90km ride and 21km run) and complete this race too. I work in a University, and run sporting programs and clubs, and love to lead by example. I really hope that by competing in these things I can inspire other people to take on personal challenges, that extend them, and mean they participate in a healthy lifestyle and physical activity.

How does LineBreak help

With the wide range of activities I undertake, and being the age that I am, I am a firm believer of looking after your body, and it will look after you. Many of the activities that I do, require significant recovery not only physically, but mentally and nutritionally. I believe that the LineBreak products are perfect to assist with this. LineBreak products are perfect for the physical, by putting my mind at ease and let me worry about the other two!

My Blog

Read Sue Wells's full blogspot on Head-Space

22/6/2010
Getting the itch...
My pooch is getting older. He's now 9 months old, and over 30kg... gone are the days of a 3 month old 13kg staffy cross something...

However Im getting the itch. Walks really don't cut it for the "little" bloke - as much as I walk him every day, without fail, and he LOVES it, I can tell that both he and I would just love to go for a run.

They say you're not supposed to run with puppies until they're 12 months old right... however Im quite convinced of the fact that he runs himself ragged, and would deadset run circles around my injury riddled body.

Im seriously getting the itch. I want to take my pup out for a run, nothing long - I can't manage it physically - but just a k or two... would that be so bad?? :-)

Scratch away Suey... scratch away!

3/5/2010
MY SLACKNESS!!
Right, so to be completely blunt I have been the slackest of slack on this front... its terrible of me, but Im just going to have to suck it up and realise that I need to do better.

As it seems I haven't written since January....

I could go back and start all over, but you don't want to hear that, and to be blunt, I don't have the time!

So, something to share. Given that I am injured at the moment, I have been doing things really really intermittently. I do want to pass on a couple of things for those people out there who are in the same boat!

I know, and we all probably do, that motivation becomes really tough when you have a long term injury. I keep getting wonderful invitations to run this, ride that, play here, go there for sport. I love them all, and have to keep ignoring, saying no and deleting. It sucks.
I see registration dates coming and going and I see me not able to participate all due to a stupid ankle injury.

However, I suppose there are a couple of things which I have taken to doing while injured and battling on to still do what I love, and I think they are something which will continue on past this time once I am again fit and well.
I made a new years resolution to complete a food and exercise diary for 1 year. My christmas present of a runners world subscription (yes it does tease me...) came with a food & exercise diary. Each day I fill in everything I ate for the day, I take my resting pulse, and I write down my day's exercise. Twice a week I get on the scales... this can be scary, but its a great tracking tool!
I religiously wear my Linebreak compression gear whenever I do exercise. I am a perfectionist when it comes to my recovery as well. I find that wearing my compression gear, and ensuring that I do stretch, and I do ice (love hate relationship here...) means that I can do at least some of the things I still love. It is for this that I am forever grateful.
I came to Linebreak as an athlete with dreams, aims and ambitions. Marathons, IronMan races and more, and they all came to a skidding halt when I found out my ankle needed a full reconstruction, a ganglion removal and an arthroscopy and clean-out. However it is now due to Linebreak compression gear that those goals remain in place, and that those dreams remain alive for the short term, and that I can keep my now long term goals as realistic, tangible and achievable.

Don't give up on what you do, hurdles are placed in your path not only to frustrate you, but also to make you a stronger, better person in the long term. Use them to your advantage and ensure that you own them, they don't own you!

20/01/2010
A week of basketball & here comes the tour!
So I survived my 7 games in 6 days. Not bad for a cripple!! Seriously, it was ok. Managing injuries is really not so bad, as long as you commit to doing the right thing. I iced after every game, I did my rehab in the pool (heated - yeah right!!) and LIVED in my Linebreak gear. Im fairly certain after the week my full length tights would have stood up on their own... not nice, but saved me worlds of pain. :-)

We finished 2nd overall, which was a good effort, but losing a Grand Final by 3 points always hurts. Losing to WA hurts more!  Still now my focus changes...

After nearly 3 weeks of inconsistent riding due to 43 degree weather, basketball carnivals and the like Im about to face my first 100km+ ride. The Tour Down Under brings out a whole new world of lycra clad beasts... there are middle aged men showing off body parts that they can't even see due to the size of their bellies, but you know what? No-one cares. Its great. I love to see every get enthused and involved in such a healthy, active, social pursuit such as cycling... and Im right there on the bandwagon.

In a move that may yet prove fatal, we have decided to stay overnight in Goolwa after the TDU ride, and then back up the following day with another 100km back home. The ride from Goolwa to Willunga is just over 40km, and the ride from Willunga to home is more than that again. Fingers crossed I get there! Quite honestly, if it wasn't for stopping at Willunga to watch the pro's go round a few times, Im not sure I would, but a stopover then, and my pride (damn pride!) should ensure I finish it without any kinds of collapse, seizure or general softing out.

Im always up for a challenge to be honest, and in the back of my mind, I will keep telling myself that if I want to get my 1/2 ironman and marathons done after my surgery that this kind of endurance is required. Don't be so soft Sue, suck it up.

3/1/2010
THAT time of year
So today is my first day back at work, its tough. I was on my bike riding the wee little 5.1km up here and all I wanted to do was keep riding south, not stop at work. It was a perfect day, I needed to do the k's for my tour ride, and the first day back at work is never an exciting time, lets be honest!!
Oh, and the size of my belly after Christmas and New Years celebrations certainly left something to be desired. I think my sweet tooth (think?? know!!) got the better of me, despite telling people to give a miss to the mince pies, honey biscuits, apricot balls etc, saying no is a skill Im yet to develop.
So the ride was definately appealing. That said.... 4 more days of work after this little fella and I get another week of leave before playing a week of basketball. Now THATS a good arrangement. Melbourne, basketball and SALES shopping... bring it on.