However being male, stupid acts come naturally.
And besides, I had a cunning and evil plan for this event. Having done 5 runs over 42km in training already, I was very comfortable with my pacing and nutrition plan. Unlike my pacing and nutrition plans for ironman triathlons which seem to fail 80% of the time, my marathon pacing and nutrition plan had not failed me once. But all those runs had been done pretty much solo... so I hadn't run with a crowd... so this event was a test that I could be mentally strong enough to do the right thing when there was crowd pressure around.
The weather gods were kind... a windless and sunny and cool day (unlike last year which was wet, cold, windy and generally awful).
About 600 people lined up for the 45km event, which starts at the Lorne Hotel (which you'll be happy to know wasn't open at 6.30am when I arrived to avoid any risk of knocking back a couple to get the heart started in the morning) and follows the Great Ocean Rd to the Apollo Bay Hotel. The road is fully closed for this event.
This event turned out to be a perfect practice run for the Comrades start. In South Africa, because of the large crowd, you need to get to the start and in your group about an hour before the start. And since you start up in the hills, it is usually cold.
Now I hadn't planned on getting to the start 90 minutes before race start time here, but I misread the start time as 7am (when in fact it was assembly at 7am) and the race started at 8am. So hanging around for 90 minutes in 4 degree temperatures turned out to be good practice. Oddly enough it wasn't all that pleasurable though... as I was cold... but there at least was a lovely sunrise to watch!
Eventually race time came, and after the race organisers interviewed last years race winner, and then had a chat to arguably Australia's favourite marathoner (Steve Monaghetti), the gun was fired, and we were off!!
And sneakily placed hiding in the crowd, trying (unsuccessfully) to stay warm.. is me!!
The course itself follows the coastal road for 45km and its just a lovely scenic run, with this year's race conducted in perfect weather. Despite being really cold at the start, after running for only 3 minutes, I felt good.
The run strategy was to treat this as a practice for the first 45km at Comrades, and to make sure I had enough energy in the tank to do another 45km at the end. So I ran until the HR hit 140-142, and then walked. I didnt care how long it took, I had a good sense I would be through the marathon somewhere around 4.35 to 4.50 (depending on how hilly it was).
So I settled back and took photos of the course on my walk breaks. The best photos I have included below for your viewing pleasure!
Trotted through the marathon in 4.36... and felt very comfortable.
It turned out that the hardest thing on the run, wasn't going slow at the start when people race off at a pace that can't sustain, but rather from the 30km mark onwards, while I maintained my steady 6.30 per km pace, and I was catching those that had started too hard and were slowly. The hard part was to keep to my threshold and walk when the HR hit 140-142 and not keep going and pass those ahead of me.
So for 12km I maintained the strategy.... but then at about 43 to 43.5km... I thought bugger it... I fekt great, there was a bit group of stragglers ahead of me so I went for it, and passed about 20 people in the last 1500m of so.
It felt good to let loose a bit and I was still feeling strong at the 45km mark.. so all goals for the run were achieved!! Yay!
Always nice to pass someone in the finish chute....
And still looking ok straight after the race.... but not as good as my beautiful girlfriend :)
And with less with 2 weeks to go.... now its time to freshen the legs up, and what better way to do it that than a stand in the bay!
