The race start for the majority of competitors taking on the 28km course was first away from 7am before the 56km and second wave 28km start group that was to get away fifteen minutes later.
The start of the course was a steep climb of over 2km on a winding road up to the start of the Two Bays Trail with the climb continuing on the trail to the very top of Arthurs Seat. The weather conditions were perfect for running as it was overcast and cool for the first 5 hours.
In the approach to the half way mark or the finish line for many there were a number runners hot footing it behind me making it a little unnerving and it was at this time that I was to take a pretty bad fall at the 24km mark.
A little ruffled I continued on and was even more conscious to keep my eyes firmly fixed on the ground so as to not lose my footing again when - "smack" a low lying tree that had fallen across the track came into contact with my head. WOW! Did this hurt ... Not only did I have a headache for a little while after this but my favourite Rudy Project sunglasses that were resting nicely on my cap were completely smashed!
I continued on to the 28km with many runners continuing to the finish and with some runners on the way back very nice in passing on support and a few others who were more interested in smashing past you ... This poor form really is not appreciated guys! I seriously understand what it is like to be in the zone though sometimes you have to really wonder. It was great to make it to the half way point under the 3:30 target arriving in just over 3:20 before heading back to the start.
There were a number of magic times along the return course when surrounded by butterflies to keep me company. With the terrain challenging and the weather heating up, I did get a little dehydrated as I had been relying primarily on a hydration pack to see me home without taking any time to stop at the drink stations. Mistake!
I was powering along at the 7km to go mark and swept past two competitors who made the drinks stop only to charge across and then slow to a crawl at the start of the more than 1km climb straight up a crazy mountain that would zap any last remaining power. After the seemingly never ending climb and the concentrated downwards focus I found myself having arrived in the middle of the forest with no track markers in sight - after a few cooees and attempting another track I was clearly out of my mind and not thinking straight. I eventually made a call to the Race Director Rohan Day and was soon back on track. It was not too much longer before I missed another turn and a couple running behind me reassured me I was going in the right direction before a crew member then directed us all back on track. It was later to be discovered that the two key areas on the return leg were also missed by a number of competitors. Maybe a good reason to have these two key turns crewed next year as it is pretty challenging to have to think more than putting one foot in front of the other at this stage of the adventure.
It was great relief to finally kiss the Two Bays Trail goodbye and start the run home downhill towards the finish line with the orange fluro flags replaced by orange fluro cones along the road. The sight of the ocean was beautiful and the finish line even sweeter. On crossing the line I was soon on my way back to Melbourne Airport to be ready for returning to work the next morning. The 56km course may well have ended up closer to 60km in the end although it was a great adventure for my first ultra marathon in Victoria.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
2011 - Marathon Man Race Plans
Well here we go again all ready to embark on another exciting year ahead.
In preparation for the adventures ahead I am now looking at the following confirmed race plans for 2011:
January 2011
Two Bays Trail Marathon
Mornington Peninsula
March 2011
Siz Foot Track Marathon
Blue Mountains
April 2011
Canberra Times Marathon
Canberra
July 2011
Gold Coast Marathon
Gold Coast
September 2011
Sydney Marathon
Sydney
October 2011
Melbourne Marathon
Melbourne
Auckland Marathon
Auckland
This schedule is likely to change with one major ultra marathon project planned for the year and a number of other exciting events set to spring up - Watch this space for further news!
It would be awesome to meet up with you during the year ahead.
All the best for a very happy, healthy and successful year.
Happy running in 2011 :-)
In preparation for the adventures ahead I am now looking at the following confirmed race plans for 2011:
January 2011
Two Bays Trail Marathon
Mornington Peninsula
March 2011
Siz Foot Track Marathon
Blue Mountains
April 2011
Canberra Times Marathon
Canberra
July 2011
Gold Coast Marathon
Gold Coast
September 2011
Sydney Marathon
Sydney
October 2011
Melbourne Marathon
Melbourne
Auckland Marathon
Auckland
This schedule is likely to change with one major ultra marathon project planned for the year and a number of other exciting events set to spring up - Watch this space for further news!
It would be awesome to meet up with you during the year ahead.
All the best for a very happy, healthy and successful year.
Happy running in 2011 :-)
Hello 2011 - New Years Day Run
It was a great start to the year following a magic New Year's Eve at the Sydney Opera House and there could be no better way to celebrate the start of a new decade than by embarking on a 30km run from Centennial Park to Manly Beach!
There were still a number of people working hard to bring down the security barriers and structures mid morning around the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Sydney Opera House from the largest night of the year.
It was no great surprise to see a number of people walking a little slower taking in the incredible scenery. This did prove a little challenging to pass safely across the Harbour Bridge with people lined across the walkway.
The weather proved to be increasingly warm and energy sapping between the Milsons Point and Military Road with no coastal breeze. It was the perfect beach weather and the enticement of the eventual lunch and swim planned for Palm Beach later in the day made the run to the beach a little easier.
It was great to arrive at Manly Beach and see thousands of people taking advantage of the beautiful day. Following a very rewarding journey it was time to enjoy a relaxing afternoon picnic on Palm Beach and a swim.
Hello 2011 - Live Life to the Fullest Every Day!
There were still a number of people working hard to bring down the security barriers and structures mid morning around the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Sydney Opera House from the largest night of the year.
It was no great surprise to see a number of people walking a little slower taking in the incredible scenery. This did prove a little challenging to pass safely across the Harbour Bridge with people lined across the walkway.
The weather proved to be increasingly warm and energy sapping between the Milsons Point and Military Road with no coastal breeze. It was the perfect beach weather and the enticement of the eventual lunch and swim planned for Palm Beach later in the day made the run to the beach a little easier.
It was great to arrive at Manly Beach and see thousands of people taking advantage of the beautiful day. Following a very rewarding journey it was time to enjoy a relaxing afternoon picnic on Palm Beach and a swim.
Hello 2011 - Live Life to the Fullest Every Day!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Honolulu Marathon 2010
The final event of 2010 was a great opportunity to venture across to paradise to take on a new event in the Honolulu Marathon.
This would be the third time in Honolulu and the marathon would prove to be another great adventure on my travels to Hawaii. The morning of the race in Honolulu had competitors lined up for buses to the start line with more than 20,000 entrants. The Honolulu Marathon was a real international event with many nationalities represented including 13,000 from Japan. It was a magic atmosphere on the start line with fireworks lighting the skies for the early 5am start.
Following getting caught at the back of the back in Singapore, I managed to make my way close to the starting line for the Honolulu Marathon leading out with the 3 hour group.
It was great to run past the Honolulu Lights Experience in the opening stages and then run back past Ala Moana Shopping Centre and into the centre of Honolulu all while dark. The course did not take in as many sweeping views of the beaches as expected due to the run being primarily in the dark for the opening hours.
I had been feeling strong until close to half way when I noticed a twinged in the corner of the right knee causing some concern so was careful not to push too hard to maintain a decent pace and make it home.
It was at the 25km stage that I met up with Mohan from Singapore who was in fine form blowing the pee out of a whistle while running. At first this was a little too much although over time it was fun to see the competitors and spectators reactions in general were really positive. I really appreciated the support and motivation Mohan provided so as to help me towards the final stages of the race.
In the home stretch I ran through the final drinks station and asked the kids to drench me in water to cool me down over the last stages. I was soaked and strode out to pass a number of others to cross the line in 4:38:47.
Now it was time to recover and relax in paradise with travel plans to Maui and a little more time in Honolulu planned over the days ahead.
Race Splits:
10km - 56:38
21.1km - 2:04:13
30km - 3:04:43
40km - 4:25:26
42.195km - 4:38:47
35-39 Male Category Place - 368/1,229
Race Position - 2,653/10,586
This would be the third time in Honolulu and the marathon would prove to be another great adventure on my travels to Hawaii. The morning of the race in Honolulu had competitors lined up for buses to the start line with more than 20,000 entrants. The Honolulu Marathon was a real international event with many nationalities represented including 13,000 from Japan. It was a magic atmosphere on the start line with fireworks lighting the skies for the early 5am start.
Following getting caught at the back of the back in Singapore, I managed to make my way close to the starting line for the Honolulu Marathon leading out with the 3 hour group.
It was great to run past the Honolulu Lights Experience in the opening stages and then run back past Ala Moana Shopping Centre and into the centre of Honolulu all while dark. The course did not take in as many sweeping views of the beaches as expected due to the run being primarily in the dark for the opening hours.
I had been feeling strong until close to half way when I noticed a twinged in the corner of the right knee causing some concern so was careful not to push too hard to maintain a decent pace and make it home.
It was at the 25km stage that I met up with Mohan from Singapore who was in fine form blowing the pee out of a whistle while running. At first this was a little too much although over time it was fun to see the competitors and spectators reactions in general were really positive. I really appreciated the support and motivation Mohan provided so as to help me towards the final stages of the race.
In the home stretch I ran through the final drinks station and asked the kids to drench me in water to cool me down over the last stages. I was soaked and strode out to pass a number of others to cross the line in 4:38:47.
Now it was time to recover and relax in paradise with travel plans to Maui and a little more time in Honolulu planned over the days ahead.
Race Splits:
10km - 56:38
21.1km - 2:04:13
30km - 3:04:43
40km - 4:25:26
42.195km - 4:38:47
35-39 Male Category Place - 368/1,229
Race Position - 2,653/10,586
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Singapore Marathon 2010
It was a great opportunity to travel across to Singapore and meet up with my family. My brother, his wife and my niece were in town from Vietnam along with my Dad and his wife also making the journey over from Sydney to share in the Singapore Marathon adventure and enjoy an early Christmas catch up.
Following registering for the marathon on the Saturday morning and then purchasing supplies it was an early night with a small spaghetti room service meal ensuring the right preparation. It was a very early morning in preparation for the 5.30am race start.
I managed to share a taxi with a fellow competitor in town from Hong Kong who was running in his first marathon and we soon arrived at the start area to find a sea of people heading in different directions. It was a serious mission to find the baggage area with little clear communication and direction provided. I managed to find a way through the crowds to drop my bag and then had minutes to find the correct starting position.
There seemed to be no clear time allocations for runners to enter on the start line and I ended up in the back of the back making my way through the crowd to start well after the 6 hour back of the pack runners with more than 20,000 competitors in front! There was little point of looking for a way out and I decided to stay and make my way through the crowds.
The challenge was not only to make my way across the start line almost 7 minutes after the gun but then through thousands of runners along narrow streets over the opening 10km. This was extremely frustrating and most certainly proves that it is wiser to start a little ahead of projected finish time as opposed to well after.
The new Marathon Man suit proved to be extremely painful and seriously cut up my chest during the run due to the new stitching. It was made even more painful when passing the medical stations there was little interest in anything other than providing "Tiger Balm". Now having previously sold the brand for 4 years I understand the significance of Tiger Balm more than most in Singapore although would have hoped that there was a little more on offer such as Vaseline although this was not to be and after three strikes I decided to deal with the pain and push on to the finish.
The humidity and heat did make the journey significantly more challenging and the sports drink ice blocks provided by the friendly local running support crew were very much appreciated over the closing stages. The addition of sponges would have been a great addition and perhaps would be great to include in the 2011 event.
It was around 10km prior to the finish when the marathon race collided with the 10km run and all effort to pick up speed ground to a halt as competitors were walking across the stretch of a bridge and it was practically impossible to pass with slowing marathon runners grounding to a crawl in one of the most crucial parts of the race. This did not clear until the separation of the 10km walkers with around 3-4km remaining. Not real impressed...
With around 1km remaining it was great to see my little brother cheering me on. I was focused on making it home by this stage so he jumped the fence and ran alongside me to give me the Australian flag although by this stage all I really wanted to do was make it across the line. This was as close as my brother has ever come to running a marathon and hope remains that one day he will join me to run the distance for what would sure be a life changing experience.
It was a great feeling to cross the line in 5:00:20 and I was feeling extremely dehydrated and ready to have much needed massage. Following the event I sought out a large "Finishers" shirt in the correct area only to later find out that it was in fact a medium shirt. Apparently this was not an isolated. I was feeling very light headed and could not find any medical attention so made my way to the massage tent to get a rub down.
Now following the massage the search for my bag started and with not too many people aware of where the baggage collection area was this soon became a mini marathon in itself where we were to be informed that the bags were being stored at the F1 Pits seemingly around about 4km away. Now with shoes off and clothes wet this was not the best planning. The race organisers must address this for the marathon starters next year as this simply was not good enough!
Following a little rest and hydration I was lucky enough to find a taxi and make my way back to the hotel where I was greeted in the lobby by my family to find my Christmas presents waiting. Next a shower and a fresh seafood lunch before bed for some much need rest. I managed to sleep right through until early in the morning when I was up at 5am to catch a morning return flight to Sydney before returning then returning to work and the final 2010 marathon in Honolulu.
Following registering for the marathon on the Saturday morning and then purchasing supplies it was an early night with a small spaghetti room service meal ensuring the right preparation. It was a very early morning in preparation for the 5.30am race start.
I managed to share a taxi with a fellow competitor in town from Hong Kong who was running in his first marathon and we soon arrived at the start area to find a sea of people heading in different directions. It was a serious mission to find the baggage area with little clear communication and direction provided. I managed to find a way through the crowds to drop my bag and then had minutes to find the correct starting position.
There seemed to be no clear time allocations for runners to enter on the start line and I ended up in the back of the back making my way through the crowd to start well after the 6 hour back of the pack runners with more than 20,000 competitors in front! There was little point of looking for a way out and I decided to stay and make my way through the crowds.
The challenge was not only to make my way across the start line almost 7 minutes after the gun but then through thousands of runners along narrow streets over the opening 10km. This was extremely frustrating and most certainly proves that it is wiser to start a little ahead of projected finish time as opposed to well after.
The new Marathon Man suit proved to be extremely painful and seriously cut up my chest during the run due to the new stitching. It was made even more painful when passing the medical stations there was little interest in anything other than providing "Tiger Balm". Now having previously sold the brand for 4 years I understand the significance of Tiger Balm more than most in Singapore although would have hoped that there was a little more on offer such as Vaseline although this was not to be and after three strikes I decided to deal with the pain and push on to the finish.
The humidity and heat did make the journey significantly more challenging and the sports drink ice blocks provided by the friendly local running support crew were very much appreciated over the closing stages. The addition of sponges would have been a great addition and perhaps would be great to include in the 2011 event.
It was around 10km prior to the finish when the marathon race collided with the 10km run and all effort to pick up speed ground to a halt as competitors were walking across the stretch of a bridge and it was practically impossible to pass with slowing marathon runners grounding to a crawl in one of the most crucial parts of the race. This did not clear until the separation of the 10km walkers with around 3-4km remaining. Not real impressed...
With around 1km remaining it was great to see my little brother cheering me on. I was focused on making it home by this stage so he jumped the fence and ran alongside me to give me the Australian flag although by this stage all I really wanted to do was make it across the line. This was as close as my brother has ever come to running a marathon and hope remains that one day he will join me to run the distance for what would sure be a life changing experience.
It was a great feeling to cross the line in 5:00:20 and I was feeling extremely dehydrated and ready to have much needed massage. Following the event I sought out a large "Finishers" shirt in the correct area only to later find out that it was in fact a medium shirt. Apparently this was not an isolated. I was feeling very light headed and could not find any medical attention so made my way to the massage tent to get a rub down.
Now following the massage the search for my bag started and with not too many people aware of where the baggage collection area was this soon became a mini marathon in itself where we were to be informed that the bags were being stored at the F1 Pits seemingly around about 4km away. Now with shoes off and clothes wet this was not the best planning. The race organisers must address this for the marathon starters next year as this simply was not good enough!
Following a little rest and hydration I was lucky enough to find a taxi and make my way back to the hotel where I was greeted in the lobby by my family to find my Christmas presents waiting. Next a shower and a fresh seafood lunch before bed for some much need rest. I managed to sleep right through until early in the morning when I was up at 5am to catch a morning return flight to Sydney before returning then returning to work and the final 2010 marathon in Honolulu.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Auckland Marathon 2010
Well after almost running in the 2009 Auckland Marathon I am now really looking forward to competing in my first Auckland Marathon this Sunday 31st October.
Now I must admit that it is a little daunting to travel across to New Zealand after a massive week in the office arriving in New Zealand at 12am on Saturday morning.
It may be necessary to miss the Bledisloe Cup between the Wallabies and All Blacks from Hong Kong due to the time zone and the fact that I must be up from 3.30am on Sunday morning to prepare and make my way to the start line by ferry across Auckland Harbour.
There will be little time to take in the sights in Auckland with most sight seeing to be enjoyed during the Marathon.
Looking forward to seeing my Kiwi friends and sharing the 42km adventure ...
Now I must admit that it is a little daunting to travel across to New Zealand after a massive week in the office arriving in New Zealand at 12am on Saturday morning.
It may be necessary to miss the Bledisloe Cup between the Wallabies and All Blacks from Hong Kong due to the time zone and the fact that I must be up from 3.30am on Sunday morning to prepare and make my way to the start line by ferry across Auckland Harbour.
There will be little time to take in the sights in Auckland with most sight seeing to be enjoyed during the Marathon.
Looking forward to seeing my Kiwi friends and sharing the 42km adventure ...
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Melbourne Marathon 10.10.10
The Melbourne Marathon provided many lessons for me in 2010.
It is often a challenge to ensure the best pre-race meal is tracked down when not in a familiar city with well known restaurants at your door. Following a little research I decided to head across to a gourmet Italian restaurant and selected my favourite meal with a main size lasagne take away. Now in the past I have learnt the hard way that it is not very smart to drink Coke Zero the night before a early morning marathon start particularly if you wish to get some sleep. The latest lesson was that it is not very wise to eat lasagne and then have to rise early to run a 42.195km race. The meal left me feeling very heavy and full for the evening and this was unfortunately to continue during the race.
The rush to the start line was far from ideal as it was very challenging to find a taxi to take me to the start line. The next challenge was for the taxi driver to find a way to get close to the start line with a number of road blocks in place around the Melbourne area. I was fortunate to arrive with just under 30 minutes to the start of the race and had to find a way to get through the crowds, check in my bag and then return to the start line for the big race. It just so happened that with all the excitement it was also now that I urgently needed to find a toilet. Now this was pretty much impossible with the clock ticking down and the large crowds.
OK - so it was finally race time and it was great to be on the start line ready to run. I had been making good pace leading up to the 10km mark although my stomach was not feeling great and I decided to make a short pit stop at the stage to look to make life a little easier over the next 32km. While this certainly did help - it was very clear that things were not quite right in terms of my stomach and it would turn out that this would make the challenge all that much tougher over the closing stages.
The next lesson was in relation to my shoes. The ongoing search for the right footwear is a continued frustration with Size 14 Width 4E Asics previously giving me issues in a training run I made the call to return to a New Balance running shoe that was a little larger and would hopefully not create any further issues. Well was I wrong! Following limited training runs in the New Balance I thought that all would be fine although it turned out that the shoes although a little larger created new issues with a large blister forming on the inside of the left heel and the large right toe more painful than ever with every step forward. Now I would have normally stopped to assess the damage although when in a race to the finish there are few options and I had to simply continue and deal with the damage after the finish line.
I had been keeping good pace all considered for the opening half marathon stage and it was at the 25km stage that I spotted a older gentleman in a Superman outfit that I had noticed during the pre-race warm ups.
The final 25+km was extremely challenging and the closing stages were more of a shuffle than anything else with many moments spent walking the Tan rather than running as I simply had nothing left in the tank with the stomach and feet issues now backed up with the warm Melbourne weather.
It sure was a very low key welcome to the awesome MCG and I pushed it around as hard as possible to simply make it across the line. While not feeling in such good form as previous years it is always special to cross the finish line. The end result was that I was feeling very poor in the stomach before, during and after the marathon. This would be the first and last marathon run in the New Balance shoes as I ended up with my second large black toe that would eventually drop off and a large blood blister on the left heel. All up some war wounds that would heal and provide me with a little more motivation to improve my results in 2011.
10k Race Time - 0:56:35
21k Race Time - 1:55:09
Finish time - 4:25:59
Net time - 4:25:28
It is often a challenge to ensure the best pre-race meal is tracked down when not in a familiar city with well known restaurants at your door. Following a little research I decided to head across to a gourmet Italian restaurant and selected my favourite meal with a main size lasagne take away. Now in the past I have learnt the hard way that it is not very smart to drink Coke Zero the night before a early morning marathon start particularly if you wish to get some sleep. The latest lesson was that it is not very wise to eat lasagne and then have to rise early to run a 42.195km race. The meal left me feeling very heavy and full for the evening and this was unfortunately to continue during the race.
The rush to the start line was far from ideal as it was very challenging to find a taxi to take me to the start line. The next challenge was for the taxi driver to find a way to get close to the start line with a number of road blocks in place around the Melbourne area. I was fortunate to arrive with just under 30 minutes to the start of the race and had to find a way to get through the crowds, check in my bag and then return to the start line for the big race. It just so happened that with all the excitement it was also now that I urgently needed to find a toilet. Now this was pretty much impossible with the clock ticking down and the large crowds.
OK - so it was finally race time and it was great to be on the start line ready to run. I had been making good pace leading up to the 10km mark although my stomach was not feeling great and I decided to make a short pit stop at the stage to look to make life a little easier over the next 32km. While this certainly did help - it was very clear that things were not quite right in terms of my stomach and it would turn out that this would make the challenge all that much tougher over the closing stages.
The next lesson was in relation to my shoes. The ongoing search for the right footwear is a continued frustration with Size 14 Width 4E Asics previously giving me issues in a training run I made the call to return to a New Balance running shoe that was a little larger and would hopefully not create any further issues. Well was I wrong! Following limited training runs in the New Balance I thought that all would be fine although it turned out that the shoes although a little larger created new issues with a large blister forming on the inside of the left heel and the large right toe more painful than ever with every step forward. Now I would have normally stopped to assess the damage although when in a race to the finish there are few options and I had to simply continue and deal with the damage after the finish line.
I had been keeping good pace all considered for the opening half marathon stage and it was at the 25km stage that I spotted a older gentleman in a Superman outfit that I had noticed during the pre-race warm ups.
The final 25+km was extremely challenging and the closing stages were more of a shuffle than anything else with many moments spent walking the Tan rather than running as I simply had nothing left in the tank with the stomach and feet issues now backed up with the warm Melbourne weather.
It sure was a very low key welcome to the awesome MCG and I pushed it around as hard as possible to simply make it across the line. While not feeling in such good form as previous years it is always special to cross the finish line. The end result was that I was feeling very poor in the stomach before, during and after the marathon. This would be the first and last marathon run in the New Balance shoes as I ended up with my second large black toe that would eventually drop off and a large blood blister on the left heel. All up some war wounds that would heal and provide me with a little more motivation to improve my results in 2011.
10k Race Time - 0:56:35
21k Race Time - 1:55:09
Finish time - 4:25:59
Net time - 4:25:28
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Sydney Marathon 2010
The Sydney Marathon 2010 course route had been re-designed since last year. The changes to the marathon resulted in a new loop course after crossing the Harbour Bridge with the opening 8km remaining pretty well the same out of Art Gallery Road and into Hyde Park along the central pathway and crossing Park Street on a purpose built bridge to avoid traffic congestion in the city. By utilising some bus lanes along Anzac Parade, Driver Avenue and additional kilometres in Centennial Park the course no longer headed all the way down Anzac Parade into Randwick.
After returning back to the City the Surry Hills section of the course was removed with runners returning to the city via Hyde Park and heading north to Circular Quay then following the foreshore around the Park Hyatt and into Hickson Road to the flyover into Ultimo. Turning then just behind Darling Harbour and returning on the same route through the Rocks, around Circular Quay and finishing of course on the Opera House forecourt.
These course changes make up a considerably smaller footprint and were primarily motivated to ease traffic congestion within the city to allow better traffic movement through and around the city, airport, eastern suburbs and the inner west. By removing some of the hills and the often referred to ‘boring’ section of the City West Link organisers are convinced the course is even more scenic and certainly potentially faster. The removal of this 'boring' section was a welcome relief as this was also the hottest section of least inspiring section of the course.
The morning was ideal for marathon running and following the adjustment to the course and the opening half way passed in Centennial Park was well ahead of projections while feeling strong at 1:55. It was around 25-26km that the opening speed started to catch up with me and I decided to pull back a little and stop attempted to keep pace with other runners.
The new course layout certainly was an improvement on heading out west although the pain in Pyrmont was not avoided on this new course. This is one of the more challenging periods of the race when you are searching for the finish line and you must continue to run away from the City around the streets of Pyrmont and up one nice little hill that is sure to test the best of runners closing in on the 42km stage. Following a little water in Pyrmont and time to gather my thoughts I set my sights on heading back in towards the City and down Hickson Road passing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the finish line at the Sydney Opera House.
It was great to pass a number of runners over the closing stages of my home marathon to cross the line in just over 4 hours. All up a big improvement on the previous year and something to work towards smashing the 4 hour barrier in 2011.
First Half - 21.10km
Split time - 01:52:18
Split time rank - 1344
Race time - 01:55:39
Race time rank - 1338
Pace - 05:19
Speed - 11.27
Second Half - 21.10km
Split time - 02:15:20
Split time rank - 1848
Race time - 04:10:59
Race time rank - 1646
Pace - 06:24
Speed - 9.35
Official time - 4:07:38
After returning back to the City the Surry Hills section of the course was removed with runners returning to the city via Hyde Park and heading north to Circular Quay then following the foreshore around the Park Hyatt and into Hickson Road to the flyover into Ultimo. Turning then just behind Darling Harbour and returning on the same route through the Rocks, around Circular Quay and finishing of course on the Opera House forecourt.
These course changes make up a considerably smaller footprint and were primarily motivated to ease traffic congestion within the city to allow better traffic movement through and around the city, airport, eastern suburbs and the inner west. By removing some of the hills and the often referred to ‘boring’ section of the City West Link organisers are convinced the course is even more scenic and certainly potentially faster. The removal of this 'boring' section was a welcome relief as this was also the hottest section of least inspiring section of the course.
The morning was ideal for marathon running and following the adjustment to the course and the opening half way passed in Centennial Park was well ahead of projections while feeling strong at 1:55. It was around 25-26km that the opening speed started to catch up with me and I decided to pull back a little and stop attempted to keep pace with other runners.
The new course layout certainly was an improvement on heading out west although the pain in Pyrmont was not avoided on this new course. This is one of the more challenging periods of the race when you are searching for the finish line and you must continue to run away from the City around the streets of Pyrmont and up one nice little hill that is sure to test the best of runners closing in on the 42km stage. Following a little water in Pyrmont and time to gather my thoughts I set my sights on heading back in towards the City and down Hickson Road passing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the finish line at the Sydney Opera House.
It was great to pass a number of runners over the closing stages of my home marathon to cross the line in just over 4 hours. All up a big improvement on the previous year and something to work towards smashing the 4 hour barrier in 2011.
First Half - 21.10km
Split time - 01:52:18
Split time rank - 1344
Race time - 01:55:39
Race time rank - 1338
Pace - 05:19
Speed - 11.27
Second Half - 21.10km
Split time - 02:15:20
Split time rank - 1848
Race time - 04:10:59
Race time rank - 1646
Pace - 06:24
Speed - 9.35
Official time - 4:07:38
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