I did not stop completely but apart from the occasional run on a weekend, I have not seen a gym from the inside nor put on my runners during the week for the last 2 months now. It was very nice to enjoy a rest, some good wine and food for a while.
Unfortunately it shows with the 4 kgs I put on during that time and the coming festive season won't help to shed them quickly either. Another 3 weeks of enjoying the good live and then on the 11 Jan 10 it is all back to business.
My training plan is set, my goals clear and my determination strong.
I have 8 weeks to get ready for the 100km Coast Trek from Palm Beach to Coogee Beach first weekend in May, then a week to recover before attempting the 45 km of the 6 ft Track in the Blue Mountain. Followed by some more hard training for another 8 weeks before my final test - the 50 km of Canberra.
After that it is all fine tuning for South Africa - The Comrades 2010, here we come. Having ran the best ultra in the world in 2003 I will make next year's race an extra special challenge - running 89km and guiding Francois, my blind South African buddy to the finish line.
Over the last few weeks I started to learned how to guide visualy impaired runner with the Achilles Club in Sydney.
Of course the whole next year is again used to raise as much needed fund for The Fred Hollows Foundation - helping them to reach their goal of eliminating avoidable blindness by 2020!
I very much hope you can be part of my journey again, as only with your generous support I will be able to reach my goals and help The Fred Hollows Foundation reaching theirs.
Wish you and your family a peaceful festive season and a very happy and injury free 2010!
Markus
