Psyched up to run marathon faster thanks to clinics

I joined the Lake City Athletic Club last year to try and stay active and to achieve something on my bucket list - to run a marathon.

After completing the Rotorua Marathon last year I then wanted to improve my time, as I felt I had a lot more to achieve.

The Lake City Athletic Club really helped me with my training last year.

I learned there are no short cuts and lots of hard, yet satisfying, work is needed to run a marathon.

So this year, I returned to the Lake City marathon clinics.

The core bunch of my running pack were returning as well, along with some new faces.

This makes training very enjoyable as there is a mixture of people to get to know. It feels like our running pack are all the best of mates as we attend social gatherings regularly and have great fun together.

Training so far has been going well with vast improvements compared to last year, and I am feeling relatively confident ahead of the marathon next weekend.

During the Lake City marathon clinics, I have also attended athletics sessions on a Wednesday night which have added a bit of variety to my training.

My goal for the Rotorua Marathon next Saturday is to shave about 20 minutes off my time from last year and finish around the four-hour mark.

I hope this will also keep me fit enough to have another injury-free season on the rugby field, representing Marist St Michael's seniors.

I would also like to thank my considerate wife, Katrina, who allows me to take part in the Lake City marathon clinics.

- The Lake City Athletic Club marathon clinics help people prepare for the various distances at the Rotorua Marathon each year.