{"id":11352,"date":"2012-11-10T10:10:27","date_gmt":"2012-11-10T10:10:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.alananna.co.uk\/blog\/?p=11352"},"modified":"2012-11-10T07:13:37","modified_gmt":"2012-11-10T07:13:37","slug":"rangitoto-and-the-sky-tower-new-zealand-day-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alananna.co.uk\/blog\/2012\/11\/rangitoto-and-the-sky-tower-new-zealand-day-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Rangitoto and the Sky Tower – New Zealand Day 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

Auckland was in full triathlon mode today and the place was alive. Triathletes everywhere, most of them getting in some last minute training so the streets were full of runners and cyclists. I hadn’t run for the past 10 weeks or so due to a suspected stress fracture<\/a> and wasn’t about to start running now just a few days before the big race. I wanted to check out the run course though so instead I went for an early morning walk around the course. There were loads of people out running it, I was passed by a large group of Team GB athletes that included Graham and although I wanted to run and join in with them I stuck to my guns and had an easy stroll around the flat course. It may have been completely flat but there were lots of twists and turns, some cobbled areas and at 5.3km it was a little long too.<\/p>\n

As I came back towards the start \/ finish line Auckland really was triathlon central. All the roads were now closed for the start of racing, there were barriers up everywhere, the grandstands were ready, the big screens were on and it was all beginning to feel a little too real. My race was just a couple of days away and there was nothing I could do now other than rest and get ready for it. It surprised me just how many people were still out running, cycling and swimming though and some of them looked as though they were going pretty hard too. It’s hard not to think that maybe I should be out there doing something as well, but my plan had been to rest now, so rest I would. No more swimming, no more cycling and no running for me until the race\u00a0itself, so instead I headed back to the hotel for breakfast with Anna and Morgan.<\/p>\n

\"Ferry<\/a>

Ferry to Rangitoto<\/p><\/div>\n

We then headed back down to the waterfront for an early morning ferry across to Rangitoto Island. Today was going to be a touristy day. As we sat waiting for the ferry it looked as though we had picked the right day. Until now, Auckland had been grey, windy and sometimes wet. Today was a complete contrast, the wind had dropped, the waters of the harbour were calm and blue and the sun was shining. Despite being only 8:30am it was already beginning to get hot so we slapped on some sun cream and boarded the Fuller’s boat to Rangitoto. It went via Devonport and we were amazed at the speed,\u00a0efficiency\u00a0and punctuality of the whole procedure. As we sped across the harbour we had some amazing views of the impressive Auckland Skyline with the SkyTower rising above the other skyscrapers. We also got a glimpse of some of the early morning races going ahead in the waters of Queens Wharf. Racing had begun and I was off to a volcanic island for some much needed R&R.<\/p>\n\n\t\t