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It's simple, I love running and most of all I love running in bare feet!  While I did start in shoes like almost all runners, I quickly moved into barefoot shoes.  Then, after about 5 years of road marathons I took the plunge and threw the shoes away altogether!  Since then I have run two road marathons in bare feet without a scratch.  Rocky trails were much harder and after about a year of trying I couldn't get past 25km without doing damage so I'm now back in minimal Vibrams which seems to be the perfect compromise.  I still do grass oval speed work barefoot which is awesome.  Fast forward a couple years I have completed two 100km ultras in Vibram V-Trails and while my feet were mostly fine for that distance, my goal of completing a 100 miler is not going to happen in such minimal shoes.  Research led me to Altra's Lone Peak shoes, which so far have been amazing.  Zero drop and barefoot feel might be the next compromise I need to reach my goal.  Guess we'll see!

 

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Sunday 26th July 2015
Date:
By JP

I was in really good condition for this event and I desperately wanted to crack a sub 100 minute half marathon, which wasn't out of reach.  My only reservation was, I was already a few weeks into a marathon program so no tapering at all before this half.  I was feeling good so I thought I would just show up and give it everything I

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Category: Road Events
Wednesday 22nd July 2015
Date:
By JP

I don't know what it is but this winter I have really felt the cold.  Perhaps I'm getting soft, or perhaps its been colder.  Either way, it hasn't been pleasant...

 

For the first time in the last few years I have actually been running with a jacket on.  Shock horror, right!  Now, I know that

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Category: Training Runs
Sunday 19th April 2015
Date:
By JP

No matter how many times I have run this event, it always makes me smile.  I'm so fortunate to have such a great home–ground event.

 

As can be typical, I got struck down with the dreaded man flu a couple weeks out from this event, which meant I missed the longest weeks of training.  All good, though,

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Category: Road Events
Sunday 21st September 2014
Date:
By JP

Running over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and then a few nights in the club lounge at the Sofitel...  Doesn't get much better than that, as far as I'm concerned!

 

After running a half marathon PB up the Hunter Valley I was pretty excited to build up for a full marathon PB.  I was also equally excited to run

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Category: Road Events
Sunday 20th July 2014
Date:
By JP

I was pretty excited ramping up for this event as I wanted to run my first half under 1:45:00.  It didn't help that I fell ill with the man-flu two weeks prior.  In any case, my training was on track enough that I should have been able to get close.

 

Lining up on the start I planned to get away quick and try

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Category: Road Events
Sunday 6th April 2014
Date:
By JP

I knew I was doomed for this event before I started.  Wrong attitude or realistic expectation?  I'm going with realistic expectation...

 

After a year long battle and a few near misses, I finally purchased my first house.  Unfortunately for me, the settlement date landed around six weeks out from

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Category: Road Events
Saturday 28th September 2013
Date:
By JP

Six months ago my mate Wom came to me and said he was signing up with a running coach in preparation for a marathon he was training for.  It was no surprise this trainer's focus was on proper form and running efficiently.  The surprise was, he recommended a good dose of literal barefoot running, which until this point, I hadn't

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Category: Training Runs
Sunday 21st July 2013
Date:
By JP

I was really looking forward to this event, although two weeks out I was struck down with the worst case of man flu I've ever experienced.  It actually resulted in two days sick leave, which was the first two days I've had off sick in years.  Needless to say this obliterated my training program during the most crucial period —

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Category: Road Events
Sunday 14th October 2012
Date:
By JP

This was one of the most amazing experiences of my life!

Up at 3am for a 6am flight, I was on my way.  I arrived at the Novotel Melbourne around 8am, and quite surprisingly, my room was already available.  My room was right up the top floor overlooking the atrium which was a pretty good view of the shops and

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Category: Road Events
Friday 12th October 2012
Date:
By JP

Final training run is now over, which now only leaves the marathon in two days time... 

 

This final training run concluded the gruelling sixteen week marathon training program.  In my opinion, as a very unprofessional runner, it has been a bloody long sixteen weeks!

 

In two days time

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Category: Training Runs