Chased the 6:30am group in the distance around the Golf Course and only caught them within CP at 7am. Knew we were in for a tough run when the sports gels came out ... 6km.

4:30s to start but this was early days. Today's verbal entertainment was Frenchman's magical NZ trip and then Timmy vs. Enda's latest high stakes bets.

Up the Woolahra Gates hill saw step-change in pace and a few spat out the back. A few inner laps to go with Timmy asking for 4:00s and getting exactly that. Next lap 3:45s, in effect splintering the group with just Frenchman, JFen and Neil in a comparable proximity. Poor Champ looked absolutely spent at this point some 300m back.

Mentally done, but short of 30km so I found an ever-so-patient Lambert set for another loop and more. Great relief being back at 4:30s for another 6km and even better was re hydrating with coffees back at the Kiosk with the team.

Well done to the squad for kms banked this early in Jan. The below shot says it all. Unfortunately, it's at 6km and not 30km.



34km in 2:30 at 4:26 min/km ave pace. First km 6:00s, km 27 3:30. Nicely progressive.

Plan from here is 120km base, 1 speed pw and a bit of short race cob-web brushing over Feb and March.