Rat race

I've signed up for some extra sekrit training, which has included a Pilates reformer session once a week to try and sort out my dodgy core stability. Also have gone back to the future with interval work in a move to try and (re)improve leg speed. Flat sections of terrain around home are few and far between, great for hill work, but not good for leg speed and so back to the gym. Have had a few sessions now with a very dodgy first session cut short due to expectations far exceeding capabilities. Since then though steady improvement, culminating today with 6 1km reps @ 4:08 pace with a 90 sec jogging recovery @ 6:00 pace. Much more to come there!

Also have now added on top of the pilates session the start of a weights program, specifically targetting the body areas not used by running. Lower and upper back in particular with an eye on the fact that I'll have to lug a 5-6kg camelbak on the GNW. The trainer laid out a good program, included some leg stuff, heavy going after the intervals and pilates session but I think I surprised him. No surprise that upper body strength was pretty pitiful, but at least I still had good technique from all that gym work 20 years ago when I was track cycling!

So, the additional goal is to blog on a regular basis, maybe with mostly drivel but we'll see.

Flake, I don't think my marathon PB is in danger in a few weeks, just not enough prep I think.

Ewen, I should be clearer, it is not just sugar but sucrose in particular that I am avoiding. The good news is that the sugar/sucrose in most wine & beer gets transformed in the fermentation process, into alcohol! (well thats what the book says, and who can argue with that!). The main thing is I am pretty much completely wiping out my previous habit of usually a muffin for morning tea and a bottle/can of coke with lunch, every day.....