Stairway to heaven....

Last Saturday marked the final time for me at the stairs at Castor Bay for the year. The next couple of months become more specific we will be spending more time at the track. I love the feeling of being absolutely buggered and pushing yourself to your limits. These stairs do this for me. It's an awesome session and the last two weeks we have upped the intensity running with a weighted vest. We have  been running down the stairs too which is all about increasing the eccentric load on our body. Lots of hurt but great.

It's very satisfying to complete another intensive training cycle. I've put a lot of training money in the bank but it is very nice to hit a recovery week. For me that is all about extra recovery work and getting ready for another cycle. So a bit of extra massage work and more emphasis on my rehab exercises.

Mentally it is refreshing having less time at the track in recovery weeks. It has also been perfect timing with my university exams starting on Friday. I've been a boring geek the last couple of days but I do enjoy the stimulation and challenge.

TGIF my friends!!!!

Last night I spoke at the Glenfield College sports awards. There was some outstanding achievements by the students this year and it was great to be able to celebrate with them. All the best to GC for future success on NZ sports fields!

I have nearly completed a three week heavy phase of training. It has been really good to get this block under my belt building towards a more powerful, faster and technically proficient me!!!!! Elena has been cracking the whip which is what I want but as a result I'm having some very early nights :)

I'm loving working with Angus and Mike in the gym. With a big work-on an increase in my power production I've really been able to lift the intensity and focus in the weights room. This is certainly helping transferring it on the track and in the field which is ultimately what we are after!!!! Dan and Ooosh have been a great help as well when Mike has been off round the country looking after other NZ athletes.

Last Friday the National Training Centre at MISH officially opened. Having the President of the IOC, Jacques Rogge here to open the amazing new facility was something pretty special. I've been at MISH since day 1 and to see it grow to what it is now is pretty cool.

So happy Friday people :) I have a big session on the track this afternoon - long jump work, hurdles and a long run. Final two sessions of the week tomorrow morning - stairs at Castor Bay followed by a weights session back at CATZ gym with Mike. Bring it on!!!!!!

RUGBY WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!

Wow!!!! What a weekend for New Zealand!!!! It came down to 1 point in the end with a valiant effort by the French but in the end it was all that was needed. Such an amazing achievement by our boys in black under the weight of our rugby obsessed nation!!!!

I was lucky enough to be given a ticket to the game the day before. It was epic and a weekend that I will not forget for a very long time!!!! The raw emotion of the players, supporters and all of New Zealand really showed how much the ol' William Webb Ellis trophy means to us.

Super stoked and just a great feeling to be a kiwi right now!!!! It's been a huge 6 weeks and I've loved it but it's time now for some earlier nights and certainly a reduction in the blood pressure after Sunday night :)

Congratulations All Blacks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Inspired!!!!!!

Well it's a great time to be a kiwi and to be in New Zealand!!!!! GO THE ALL BLACKS!!!!!!

I was one of the lucky ones to be at the game last night at Eden Park and it was an amazing experience. Walking up from the waterfront up the official fan trail you could feel the electric atmosphere. Faces painted, everyone in black, flags flying high and chanting along the streets made me really proud to be a kiwi.

The pressure the All Blacks are under is intense. They continue to rise above it all with stellar performances. It's nothing but inspiring!!!!

Back on my home track :)

Well I have completed 1 week of training at my home base at the Millennium Institute of Sport and Health (MISH) in Auckland. It is great to be back at the track particularly as there has been a huge amount of construction since I left for Europe at the start of June. So it's very exciting! The indoor sports hall is finished off and there is a brand spanking new gym for carded athletes. It has also been great to see my training partners who have also been off competing round the globe.

We have got a big block of training ahead of us and some key goals that we want to achieve in this time leading into summer. Elena and I got straight into it in my sessions in my first week back which was cool. I had a big jumping session on Wednesday which got the muscles burning. Come Thursday the DOMS factor was pretty nasty in my gluts so Elena was very happy! I finished off the week on Saturday with a good stairs session at Castor Bay with one of training partners. Nothing like the sea air to help the burn of the quads up the 150 awesome stairs :)

It really is rugby fever in NZ at the moment which is awesome. News of Dan Carters freak injury has been a blow for our rugby mad nation but thankfully we all seem to be getting on with it. My heart goes out to Carter and his family in what is a cruel and devastating blow for someone who is on the top of his game. It's an amazing time to be in NZ and a kiwi with an electric feel throughout the country. I've been lucky to be able to attend 4 games with family and friends. It's a real party time in NZ which is only going to intensify leading into the final few weeks of the tournament.

Last night I went to the Massey University Blues Awards dinner. It was a really nice evening and great to be in the room with so many amazing sportsmen and women who are studying as well as competing on the world's stage. I can't say enough about the extra-mural service that Massey provide. It has been great for me and I really appreciate the support the University has given me. They are truly an 'athlete friendly' provider so it was great to meet some of the staff that I always deal with over email rather than face to face.

Happy Tuesday and Go the All Blacks!