Well i've been lurking for a while now so thought it was about time to join up! I am runnning my second marathon in 6 weeks time Christchurch New Zealand. I'm a back of the packer and my goal is just to be faster than last time - 4.52. That was my first marathon a year ago and I had a training buddy. She isn't running this one so it's hard not having a buddy, hence my presence here! Training going ok although i have a niggly foot pain that i hope does not come to anything in the next 6 weeks. It sidelined me for the Auckland marathon last year and lowering the mileage and physio seemed to fi it at the time. The hardest thing at the moment for me is the boredom of the long runs. 28k tomorrow. All my runnnig buddies are out of town or don't want to get up early on a Sunday morning to run (can't blame them really!) I'm getting really excited about the event. Christchurch is a lovely city and the course follows a river although its a 2 loop course which i'm not looking forward to. It is very flat so hoping i can better my last run time. It isn't a big marathon so it will be very lonely for the second half when all the HM''ers have fininshed. I'm a bit anxious about the weather. I live in Auckland which has a temperate climate but Christchurch is further south and in the middle of winter can be bitter. Not sure how to dress if it is cold. Lots of polypro i guess. Anyway that's me. I will jump on the weekly logs for that moral support.

Glad to have you here! The 28k will go by before you know it. Have fun with it!

Higa, Welcome. I enjoy an occassional run with friends but mostly train by myself. Makes pit-stops easier. Hope your foot pain is nothing serious. I hurt my arches last year about this time and trained through it. Was stressful, but managed.

thx for the welcome evanflein. yes central otago is beautiful, i spent all my holidays as a child at queenstown. They used to have a marathon there but in the last 2 years it seems to have disappeared which is a real shame. Yes i have 2 x 20 milers coming up, well 1 x 30k and 1 x 32. compared to many i am what might be called a 'recreational marathon runner'. No more than 4 runs a week and not too fast. I guess it is reflected in my times. Foot feels fine at the mo. I have had it assessed and had physio - not plantar faciatis, just inflammation (the pain is on the top of the foot). thx for the advice