Sunday 4th November - Kayak Race - Pilots Beach

24km Kayak race from Pilots Beach at Tairoa Heads down the harbour to finish at Vaxuhall Yacht Club. The race was hld on the incoming tide so this was of a good assistance. The first 30min i was feeling a little average until i got inot the rythmn of things. I paddled hard the whole way to finish 4th in the line placings in a time of 1hr43min. The fastest time of the day was 1hr 32min. I am unsure of my placing relating to time. below are the reslts from the ODT Paper

Kayaking OTAGO Results of the final race of the winter/spring kayak series from Pilot’s Beach to Vauxhall (24km) held yesterday.– Handicap placings: G Swanson, 1hr 45m 15s, 1; G Ramshaw, 2; D Wilson, 3; A Sloan, 4; B O’Neill, 5; G Newton, 6; F O’Connor (fastest time), 7; S Thomas, 8; D Allan, 9; C Neiper, 10; J Revie, 11. Series winners — Men: D Wilson, 1; S Thomas, 2; G Newton, 3; B O’Neill, 4. Women: J Revie, 1.

Sunday 14th October - Outram Hill Free Half Marathon

Well I brushed off the most of the cold/cough last week and went out to Outram on and ran the R&R colours around the roads in the Half marathon which incorporated the Otago Half Marathon champs race. Feeling ok but not 100% I had an ok run.
The race was completely flat so I anticipated a quick time but there was a massive southerly wind with rain just pouring down so it was cold windy and wet!! Running in a group of 4 pushing along the first 10-15km went well and held onto 4min ks for this but the cold had my chest gasping a little and the last kms were a little slower, finishing a windy course in 1hr30min41sec, not my fastest but the winning time of 1hr18min was down a little on expected times possibly due to wind and weather.

Overall a good hard run which will all help in build up for summer multisport racing.

I finished 5th Open man and 14th overall from about 70 runners.

Thursday 11th October - Rest

Rest day today, feeling little chesty and tired this week back at chool, take it easy before half marathon race this Sunday

Wednesday 10th October - MTB

Well the new road bike hasn't arrived yet, so it was a ride home from Dunedin to Waikouaiti via the Karitane Coast Road. Well i had almost forgotten how painful a ride on tar seal on the MTB can be, a bit slower than the roadie and the fact i was a little low on food before i started made for a hard grind home!! Feeling pretty flat for the last 10km of the ride having trouble keeping a good cadence up. Good hard efforts.

MTB 2hrs 45km?

Tuesday 9th October - Rest

REST day, body still got last bit of cold from last week in system.

Monday 8th October - Run

Home from work and a short sharp run from home down to the beach tot he Matanaka end and return, up tempo pace , focus on leg speed and posture. Hard efforts, Had Paris(dog) chasing along for the run.

Run 25min

Sunday 7th October - Run

Ran from home out Bucklands road, good undulating rises and then onto McGrath road around to Hawksbury village and returned home via the main road. Had Cherie along side on the bike. Running at a moderate to hard pace the whole way. Hard eforts and focus on leg speed and posture. good run

Run 60min

Saturday 6th October - Rest

Still feeling a few effects of cold, bit snotty in nose.

Friday 5th October - Run

Short sharp run down along beach and back home, feeling good at high pace.

run 25min

Sunday September 9th - Dunedin Marathon 2007

Well the Dunedin Marathon has been and gone. The race started out at Otakau which is at the end of the Otago Harbour. Starting at 8am we ran from here along the harbour edge towards Dunedin before heading back out the other side of the harbour to the finish in Port Chalmers.

As this was my 4th Marathon I am becoming wise to some of the strategies in running this distance... Start slow and build into it, the race and the effects of the distance don't really take effect until after the 30km mark!!

Heading from the start inot town I settled into a comfortable pace, running about 5min/k's which was a nice easy pace to hold onto. I saw a few eager punters steaming along puffing at about the 10km mark, as they passed me I thought to myself "I'll be seeing you later on down the road". Along the way I was very lucky to have Cherie cheering me on and providing drink and motivation, a big help in a run this length. As I neared Dunedin I had to make a quick stop at the Vaxuhall Yacht Club Loos - a very welcome relief.

Passing along the head of the Harbour and around to Logan Park past the 30km mark I was still feeling fine and maintaining a comfortable pace. It was here we met up with the half marathon walkers and started to pass them, it was here also that I started to see and pass other marathon runners who had gone out too hard in the first part and they were walking and cramping up, a lesson I had learnt in previous marathons.

Still with the support of Cherie I made my way towards the end, the last 5-7km were pretty painful as my muscles were now pretty fatigued. Up over the Roseneath Hill with Cherie running alongside and over to give it all I had left for the last 2km to the finish, the last km you always seem to get a little spike of energy from somewhere.

Anyway along the road and down the finish shoot to finish in 3hrs35min. Not the fastest time I have done, but by far the best I have felt, managing to run strong and steady for the whole duration. More learnt now for next time!

Placed 22nd Open man and 46th overall from the 132 runners. for full results you can go to http://www.moromarathon.co.nz/


Run 42.2km, 3hrs35min