After the HBF run the weather turned sour so training was just in the form of  walking, not as good as running but still beneficial. We departed for our NZ holiday a few days days later, where I had 'visions' of having at least half a dozen endurance improving training runs over the famous undulating terrain.Sadly, it turned out to be two training sessions, one whilst we were visiting the lovelyArt Deco Town of Napier .which is situated on Hawkes Bay on the North Island. It was over a week since my last run & so I didn't expect to feel at all good with it. The day was cool, not cold with a light breeze and I managed to run, with some walking 6 kilometres along the Napier Esplanade this took 39 minutes and I felt pretty exhausted by the end of it! I blamed it on the 5 hour bus journey we endured the previous day from Wellington. Five days later after we had returned to Wellington I thought another run would be advisable as I didn't want to leave it too long between training sessions, particularly at this early part of my 'come back' It was cold and blowing a gale but I wasn't to be deterred!  I left the Hotel and jogged down Lambton Quay to the Waterfront.
 There I was met with a very strong wind with gusts up to 35 knots plus it was only around 8 C not conditions that would encourage one to venture outside, let alone run a along an unprotected waterfront.
 I was feeling very stiff and sore, no doubt the weather conditions didn't help. I walked away from the City in the direction of Oriental bay with the wind behind me. I just kept walking, running wasn't an option as my legs were too cold and I didn't want to risk an injury.I carried on for 2 1/2 kilometres turned round to run back and literally ran on the spot! The wind strength was truly amazing. so strong in fact, that very afternoon an elderly man (not me!) was actually blown into the harbour. He wasn't a swimmer so luckily for him some people walking past saved him from drowning.The end result of this silly foray into a Wellington winters afternoon was a very heavy cold which put a dampener on the rest of my holiday, in fact it took me over two weeks to shake it off completely.We arrived back in Australia mid June and with a heavy cold I didn't feel up to any hard work outs so after a couple of days rest from the journey I jogged for a couple of kilometres and felt terrible. Back, it seemed, to where I was at fitness wise, weeks ago.
 Cheers Michael