Decided to give the Sydney Blackmores a miss today. I've been struggling with lingering (aka chronic) foot soreness since August and felt that 21.1km of concrete plus my competitive tendencies equal 6 months out on a stress fracture.

Logically of course, I did a 2.5 hour long-run from Artarmon to the Bay Run (with a 7km loop) at a more manageable 4:35min/km pace. The Bay Run is a 7km dead flat loop that circles Sydney's trendy inner west suburbs: Drummoyne, Haberfield, Lilyfield and Rozelle. Last visit here was when I got married last year along the water.

Despite some unforgiving climbs (including the Gladesville bridge), wrong turns and my longest run in three weeks I felt fine by the end.

As per my usual long-run routine, no breakfast, no nutrition and no water. 'Depletion style' seems to help me through the second half of my marathons.

Covered 33km in 2:29 in total.

Weekly total: 106km with 2km elevation gain.