Friday...almost there!

Went for easy 6k. Bit of a hill in there. Legs are now feeling really good. Feels like they have a spring in them.
Weather still quite good. Was coolish today but not too bad. We made our way back to Auckland today & went via Hellensville. Stopped at a bakery & they had the most tasty sausage rolls & pies I've ever had! I got a sausage roll with proper meat for $1.70 & a chicken & cranberry pie for $2.50. This pie had chunky pieces of bbq chicken in there!
Thats about all today.
Tomorrow I'll go over to Victoria park & pick up my race gear, then head over to Davenport on the ferry

Thursday...another great trail!

Got up just after 7:30 & was out running to Haruru Falls then back. Ran around 12k. Magic trails for about 6k then this small water fall. Got kinda lost back stuck to the roads on the way back
We went for drive back there.
Later we got on a ferry & went over to Russell. It's an island on the Bay of islands. So peaceful & again the locals are heaps cool! We got this fast ferry back. It took about 15min to get over on the slow one & 5min on the fast one.Drove around a few other towns & relaxed back home. The water a bloody freezing! Have also found the meat cost alot extra over here.
Did buy the best tasting burger from this little takeaway. Man it was just...just...just mmmmmm....yummy!
Tomorrow we go back to Auckland.
I guess I'm in the carbo loading stage now with only 3 days to go

Wed off to Paihia

The blue line is where I ran today

I'll try to run this trail tomorrow

Our motel. Thats our room down the bottom. Right opposite the beach

Went for an easy 8.9k around Auckland. Got slightly lost! Good run. Found some trails in the city.

Later we got a hire care & made our way to Paihia. It's this really cool town in the Bay of islands.

We found this cool motel....(the people over here are so friendly) the owner greeted us with welcome arms!

Tomorrow we plan on getting on the ferry to Russell & having a look over there.

Weather has been good. About 19deg with a bit of cloud. I think it's ment to be cold & shit for the race on Sunday. The cold I can handle, just hope it doesn't decide to rain

Tuesday...Brisbane AM......Auckland PM

An Island half way between Australia & NZ. Looks pretty cool!

The spare doona in the cupboard in the room we had in Auckland!

Motel in Clayfield Brisbane

This was our accom in Gold Coast


Our rental beast in NZ




Today I got up early and went for a run in Brisbane before the flight. Now it wasn't hard to get up. I was out running at 5:20am & the sun was so bright. You would think it was bloody lunchtime!
We then made our way to the Airport. On the plane a couple of hours later....a few more hours we are in Auckland. The first thing I notice about this place is how green it is. I've never seen green that bright before!
We get through customs in about 45min then on the bus to the city. A short walk we made to our room. This place was cheap & I now know why!
Let's just say it's not the Hilton!
I then go for another run. This time 10k. I ran to the Harbour, around Victoria park then noticed a big group of runners. I go join them then notice I'm running in a 5k race! I get outa there and head back to the motel.
We then head out to the city to find a bite to eat. I get this greasy hamburger. It was the most yuckiest thing I've put in my gut for a long time. It was a burger called the "big boy's burger" from their hamburger place called wendy's. Our wendy's sell ice cream. This place is 10 times more greasy than Hungry Jacks. My gut's didn't enjoy it one bit.
Well that's a run down on my first night in Auckland.
Tomorrow we hire a car and going to The bay of Islands.

Cant wait!

Monday......rest day

No running today. Just made our way up to Brisbane. Staying at Clayfield

Pretty relaxing day

Last long run...........1 week to go!

Got up really early and ran 24k in around 1:46. Then when I got back it was almost time to leave for the airport. Good trip but when we got to the Gold Coast my brother was spose to pick us up & we were staying with him at Hope island for the night.....well we waited & waited then find out he gone to bloody Brisbane to pick us up!....so we wait for him to come get us....and we wait.....and we wait.....he end's up stuffing us around so we just jumped in a cab & stayed at Coolangatta instead. We got this motel room right on the beach.
Met up with a friend for lunch

Tomorrow off to Brisbane

No run tomorrow

Brooks hill time trial

Got up just after 5am. Had to have some toast as I was starving!
Ran to trotters for a warmup then ran some more when I got there.
Didn't really feel like running fast but off we went
splits were
3:44 felt hardish but good
3:42/7:25 still feel good
3:49/11:14 first little rise but come good on the downhill
4:23/15:37 hard hill on oceanview dve. Always stuffed at the top of this one
4:22/19:59 just try not to pass out! Legs burning now but going down hill now.Brooks hill not far away!
4:33/24:32 OUCH! Brooks hill and it just HURTS! Damn I hate hills. I look back when I get to the top & see another runner not to far away
3:54/28:27 Trying to pick up the pace & recover the same time. I can see I'm gaining on Ian
3:24/31:51 Love the down hills! Pass Ian here and want to slow down but keep on going. Only 2k to go. Starting to feel sick
3:50/35:41 This just hurts now. I wanna stop! 1k to go. Try to go faster
3:39/39:19 All over! Try to breathe. Feel slightly sick in the guts

4th overall.

Go for a 2k warmdown then after jog home

Happy with this today

Recovery friday

Just set out on this fine sunny morning for a moderate/easy 6k.

Later did a cycle class

Tomorrow i'll have a go at the Brooks hill time trial

Thursday

Got up & done an early moderate 14k running around the Haven then doing the Brooks time trial run in reverse in around 4:56 pace. Legs felt good. Still a slight tight hamstring but all good.
Still got to get em fresher but getting there!

easy running today!

First time in ages I've only done 1 run on a Wednesday. In taper mode now that's for sure
It was cold, windy & rainy todayso I headed off to the gym. got on the t'mill and ran a very easy 6k. That took just under 30min
Hamstring was pretty good........still tight but good

Not long now!

Tuesday

After having yesterday off running my legs felt pretty good this morning. I just took it easy running 7k

Later we did 5x laps of the track (2km). These were done running the bends easy & the straights hard
We did that 3times all up so 6k of speed work (well 3k of speed & 3k of easy)
Hamstring was slightly tight tonight
9.3k done tonight

16.3km done today

Sunday......only 2 weeks to go!

Ran 28k. This was bloody hard!...hot & humid. I was out the door running at 6:45am. I ran from Terrigal to Long Jetty for 14k then turned around. I felt pretty good untill about 17k. Then it got hard really quick! Every hill was now a mountain..........It was the humidty that got me. Still I ran the second 1/2 almost 2min than the first 14k.

Still happy with the run.
Hamstring was just slightly tight

Later did a cycle class

Tomorrow off running

Sat....trotters erina bush run

Got down to Terrigal about 5:45am. Felt good but it was really humid. Set off easy then as we went along I picked up the pace. Got a bit lost going in Kincumber mtn & had a bloddy massive hill to deal with!
That shattered me. Got back in one piece though.

14k all up with the run from home the trotters run then back home again

Friday....no pain & feeling good

Felt fresh in the legs today.
Just easy 10k from Terrigal to Wamberal & back

Thursday

Just ran easy again. Felt good throughout the run. Got 13k done in 4:53/km pace.

Wednesday

First run was easy 10k
Next was 6@6. I got a 7k warm up done running to Adcock park & back then a lap of the course. I ran this slightly faster than marathon pace. I managed 4:01/km. Did 23:43. Felt good through run.
Laps were 4:45, 4:43, 4:44, 4:47 & 4:40

14k tonight

24km today

Tuesday

I had yesterday off running. Today was 10k easy in the morning, then later at Duffy's oval we did 5x 600m. I did these in 2:12, 1:58, 2:01, 2:05 & 1:55. I just started off easy and went a moderate pace as I still had HEAVY legs from Sunday

Sunday....3 WEEKS TO GO!

Did the Weston ck fun run....6km in 22:46. Thats 10seconds faster than last yr!
I was so stuffed at the end but soon recovered good
Did a 6k warmup then a 6k warmdown. About an hour later after the presentations I went for a run around lake burley griffin doing another 22km

Felt good

40km all up today

Now I can start my taper!

Saturday & feeling good again!

It's a bit like a roller coaster! I ran this morning doing easy 12k & hamstring & glute felt great.
Ran on Lake Burley Griffin.
Tomorrow (Sunday) I'm going to go in the Weston ck fun run....6km. I did this race last yr.

Easy run but again tight hamstrings!

Just a very easy 12k in Terrigal this morning. I could feel my glute & hamstring tight again.
I drove down to Canberra today & that didn't help. Hoping it will loosen up again tomorrow.

Thursday....good solid run

I met Charlie at my place at 7am. We ran to the Haven then along to Wamberal on Oceanview dve. We started off quite slow & easy for the first couple of km's then picked up the pace. Between the 9km & 10km we were running around 3:35 pace. We ran the first 10k in 46:39. Then we ran slow for 600m. Charlie finished then. I kept on going taking it easy until I done 15km

Legs felt pretty good

Wednesday

First up was asy 10.6km

Later it was time for 6@6. I ran to there from Erina via Micheals place at Springfield so I got a good 7.5km warmup & a 7km warmdown. I managed to go 12sec faster than last week. I feel I'm starting to get my speed back. Finished in 22:40
Laps were
4:15, 4:28, 4:39, 4:41 & 4:34
20.5km done tonight

31km done today

Tuesday mingara central coast 3000m

First up I went for an easy 12.1km in Terrigal

Later I went in the 3000m at Mingara. Last year this month I did 10:29. Tonight I did 10:33. Not bad with all the km's I've been doing. Good news I had no pain & legs felt good.
Laps were 00:38, 1:20, 1:22, 1:25, 1:26, 1:26, 1:28 & 1:24
10k done tonight

22.1k done today

Monday = HEAVY LEGS!

Just a very easy 5km. Legs were like lead! Still happy with the training. To be able to do a easy run after a moderate pace 36km is good

Long stormy run

I set out at 5:45am. Just after I left I was running in a thunderstorm. It soon calmed down.

Ran the hilly avoca, copa, Green point back to terrigal run. More hills in that today than there will be in the marathon.

Got 36km done in just over 2:53. I felt great when I finished. Tired but great.......only 4 weeks to go!



Ran 152km this week

Avoca steps & a 1500m

First up was Trotters. We ran the Avoca steps. I just cruised along. I even walked the steps

At 9am I went to Mingara for the 1500m. My speed had gone! Did 5:01
Laps were 00:57, 1:22, 1:22 & 1:19.

24k done today

Friday

Tight hamstrings today. Just easy 11km then a cycle class

Thursday......mini long run

I felt good this morning. Legs were just a bit tight. I can still feel the tightness in the left hamstring/glute but overall it's so much better!
I ran around Terrigal, Wamberal then over to Bateau Bay then home. 23km's on the dot in 1:47:43.
I ran quicker in the 1/2 marathon distance in this training run than I did in my first 1/2 marathon race back in 1999!

Anyway feeling good which makes me a very happy bloke!

Wednesday

Pretty good run this morning. I managed to get in 15 easy km's

Later did 6@6. I was 1 second slower than last week. Time was 22:52. I was happy with this as it was pretty warm tonight.
Laps were 4:23, 4:32, 4:40, 4:42 & 4:32

29km's done today

Tuesday

Started off the morning with a moderate pace 14km. Hamstring was a bit tight

Later I met Charlie & Jono down at Duffy's oval. I got 4x550m in. They were done in 1:50, 1:45, 1:41 & 1:44. Jelly legs at the end! After that I went for a couple of extra k's easy
8k done tonight

22km done today