Slept pretty well and headed away relatively early (for us) to head to Sydney for the SMH Half Marathon. We had a great opportunity to talk during the drive and catch up on news and plans for the next few months. Bob was quite supportive of me planning to do the Sydney Marathon in September, despite some reservations of it being only a fortnight before the World Duathlon Champs in Newcastle. Bob is fairly confident that I shall make the team, although I know that I shan’t be competitive. Bob has won his age group at a past Worlds (Alpharetta, USA 2002), and has the potential to do equally well again this year on a good course at Newcastle. However the Team Management role is taking up a great deal of time and energy at this early stage (prior to the team being announced), and this shall only increase as the Champs draw closer. Hopefully he shall have some time for extensive training as well upon his return from his cycling odyssey in Vietnam.

We managed to get to the city fairly easily, and I jumped out of the car at the corner of Elizabeth and Park Streets to head down to the Town Hall to pick up our race packs. He managed to find a parking spot in Liverpool St, and I felt as though I had done at least a little exercise today dashing from one place to another.

Then, across the bridge to our hotel, ‘Vibe’ at Milsons Point. It is in an excellent location, a fairly short walk across the bridge to the race start tomorrow morning. I shall inquire about staying here for the Marathon in September and may make an early booking. My sister and her two daughters live nearby in McMahon’s Point, however with young adult social schedules and the taxing schedule of an academic we are only hopeful of grabbing a coffee together on Monday morning.

As I am ‘on the juice’ Bob went to a pasta place early this evening on his own for a plate of pesto, and another of arriabiriata. Whilst eating he caught up with a bit of reading of the Lonely Planet Cycling in Vietnam guide, and came back even further enthused about his upcoming trip.