Contesting the Otago cross-country championship at Waikouaiti on Saturday was all part of Sam Wreford's master plan of building a base for a fast marathon.
Coached by Rome Olympic marathon bronze medallist Barry Magee, Wreford (24) has kept a low-key approach since his record-breaking run in the Dunedin marathon two years ago.
Spending the past New Zealand summer training in Kenya, 2400m above sea level, has freshened the Timaru runner's approach to achieving qualifying standards for the Commonwealth Games marathon in 2014.
Since his return from Kenya in April, Wreford has already shown the benefits of altitude training and associating with some of the world's top distance runners.
He won the Christchurch marathon convincingly at Queen's Birthday Weekend.
His goal on Saturday was to use the event as part of his strength and conditioning and lower his marathon time to between 2hr 10min and 2hr 15min.
Wreford set a steady pace over the first 2000m, and only defending champion Dougal Thorburn (Ariki) and Peter Meffan (Caversham) matched his pace.
But the pace became too much for both Thorburn and Meffan shortly afterwards, as Wreford began to extend his advantage with virtually every stride, completing the 12,000m course in 38min 30sec.
"Very tough underfoot," Wreford said of his run.
"It was slow going.
"I'm reasonably happy with my time, considering the conditions.
"You'd run it at a minute and a-half quicker with better conditions."
Wreford said afterwards he did not notice the heavy shower of rain that swept the course in the middle stages.
"You're working so hard, you don't notice it."
Wreford is registered with the Canterbury centre, so was ineligible for the Otago title.
That was awarded to second-placed Meffan, who became the first representative of the Caversham club to win the individual title since Geoff Anderson in 1993.
Meffan stopped the clock at 39min 53sec, followed by third-placed Thorburn in 40min 37sec.
Anderson, who also won the senior title in 1987, added to a successful day for the Caversham club when he won the masters men's 50 title and a rising star in the Caversham ranks, Jonah Smith, won the junior men's title.
Smith (17), a year 12 pupil at Kings High School, turned the tables on Joe Beamish, who earlier last month beat him to win the Otago secondary schools title.
The heavy conditions underfoot were no deterrent for a focused Rachel Kingsford (Hill City-University), who won her third consecutive senior women's title in a convincing manner.
Kingsford (24) buried the threats posed from 10-time champion Shireen Crumpton and five-time Edmond Cup champion Kirsty O'Sullivan.
She shot into the lead right from the start of the 8000m event and retained the title in a smart time of 29min 46sec.
It was almost a minute faster than her winning time last year, run on a firm track, but was a time comparable with that two years ago in similar conditions when she went on to represent New Zealand at the world cross-country.
While the manner of her victory took Kingsford by surprise, she was pleased with her strength and pace throughout.
"I needed a good blat," she said afterwards.
"I've been and had a look at the nationals course and the ground looks pretty similar to this.
"It will be good to run strong on that kind of ground."
A factor that could assist Kingsford at the national event at Minogue Park (Hamilton) on August 4 will be the even-paced nature of the course, as it will not have the hill climb associated with the Waikouaiti course.
While Kingsford appeared to have the senior women's title sewn up early, a battle for silver and bronze took place between O'Sullivan and Crumpton.
O'Sullivan drew away in the final kilometre to clinch second place in 31min 48sec, from third-placed Crumpton in 32min 11sec.
