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
Sunday, December 12, 2010
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
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Brisbane Marathon 2010
Having lived in Brisbane back in 1999 and spent a number of mornings training along the Brisbane River it is always great to get away to my home away from home. It was a great opportunity to meet up with family for a tasty pasta meal the night before the Brisbne Marathon.
Like all marathon race starts it was a very early morning preparing for the 42km adventure ahead. It was a beautiful Brisbane morning with runners meeting in Southbank for the official race start.
Following the Half Marathon gun the Marathon group stepped up to the start line. It was great to star with some legendary Brisbane running legends such as Digger over the first 15km. It was fascinating to listen in to discussions on future race plans to continue similar marathon pacing for another 10 years. It was mentioned that looking at the previous marathon times over the years that similar finish times have been maintained for close to 20 years - incredible effort!
Having not fully recovered from the Gold Coast Marathon a few weeks earlier I was pleased with the opening to the marathon although approaching the 10km stage there was a alarming pain in my lower calf. There were few options at this time other than to attempt to stretch out and there is no reason to ever give up!
In pushing on I was pleased to pass the half way point in 1:57 and with the calf not helping the challenge would be to see out the remainder of the marathon. It is always a little more challenging taking on a loop course simply due to the fact that there is more of the same and no real change in scenery.
There was a great atmosphere provided at the water stations with teenage girls screaming and creating lots of fun for runners. It turned out later that there was $1,000 on the line for each water station team to win.
I finally made it across the line in 4:27:28 and struggled to pick up the ice pack to treat my calf before stumbling back to the hotel for a well deserved shower and then the return flight home to Sydney.
Like all marathon race starts it was a very early morning preparing for the 42km adventure ahead. It was a beautiful Brisbane morning with runners meeting in Southbank for the official race start.
Following the Half Marathon gun the Marathon group stepped up to the start line. It was great to star with some legendary Brisbane running legends such as Digger over the first 15km. It was fascinating to listen in to discussions on future race plans to continue similar marathon pacing for another 10 years. It was mentioned that looking at the previous marathon times over the years that similar finish times have been maintained for close to 20 years - incredible effort!
Having not fully recovered from the Gold Coast Marathon a few weeks earlier I was pleased with the opening to the marathon although approaching the 10km stage there was a alarming pain in my lower calf. There were few options at this time other than to attempt to stretch out and there is no reason to ever give up!
In pushing on I was pleased to pass the half way point in 1:57 and with the calf not helping the challenge would be to see out the remainder of the marathon. It is always a little more challenging taking on a loop course simply due to the fact that there is more of the same and no real change in scenery.
There was a great atmosphere provided at the water stations with teenage girls screaming and creating lots of fun for runners. It turned out later that there was $1,000 on the line for each water station team to win.
I finally made it across the line in 4:27:28 and struggled to pick up the ice pack to treat my calf before stumbling back to the hotel for a well deserved shower and then the return flight home to Sydney.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Hunter Valley Marathon 2010
It was a very early start rising at 3am to drive from Sydney to the Hunter Valley to join up with 124 competitors in the marathon field. Having driven through the dark I arrived in the vineyard just prior to sunset to find people arriving to create a true country carnival atmosphere in the wineries district.
I previously completed the Hunter Valley Half Marathon in 2008 and had been looking forward to returning to take on the full marathon event in the Hunter through a mix of trail and outback roads.
This was a great learning experience for me as having completed loop course marathons this course confirmed the extent to my dislike of the race format. I managed to put in a good first half and then struggled to hold this together in the second half by which time I was content to see it through to the end and was not too concerned in relation to the time. The muscle tightness was primarily due to the fact that I had not had a massage treatment since the Gold Coast Marathon and was really feeling it in the right calf with this freezing up and not allowing me to fully stretch out.
There is nothing worse than having to run around a oval and watch the Half Marathon competitors being cheered across the finish line when you are confronted with spectators running across your path before you are then sent out again to do the same course.
I understand that there are restrictions placed on race organisers with the availability of roadways and time restrictions in place although will always prefer to run a new course than do two laps of the same. Let's just say that this is extremely boring and uninspiring and I will select to take on a new adventures in the future.
I previously completed the Hunter Valley Half Marathon in 2008 and had been looking forward to returning to take on the full marathon event in the Hunter through a mix of trail and outback roads.
This was a great learning experience for me as having completed loop course marathons this course confirmed the extent to my dislike of the race format. I managed to put in a good first half and then struggled to hold this together in the second half by which time I was content to see it through to the end and was not too concerned in relation to the time. The muscle tightness was primarily due to the fact that I had not had a massage treatment since the Gold Coast Marathon and was really feeling it in the right calf with this freezing up and not allowing me to fully stretch out.
There is nothing worse than having to run around a oval and watch the Half Marathon competitors being cheered across the finish line when you are confronted with spectators running across your path before you are then sent out again to do the same course.
I understand that there are restrictions placed on race organisers with the availability of roadways and time restrictions in place although will always prefer to run a new course than do two laps of the same. Let's just say that this is extremely boring and uninspiring and I will select to take on a new adventures in the future.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Gold Coast Marathon 2010
Following the successful completion of the 90km Comrades Marathon in South Africa - the next challenge was to return to take on the Gold Coast Marathon for the third straight year.
The excitement and adrenalin rush of the marathon build up was to again get the better of me as I managed to hold 5:15km for the first half of the race. This achievement was to prove meaningless as it was always going to be unsustainable over the back end of the race.
At the 25km stage I hit the wall and started to tighten up and find the lactic acid kicking in to the point where I could not stretch out. I was then a little more concerned when I started to notice a strain on the lower left side although this was later to prove to be nothing serious.
SPLIT TIMES - Five Kilometre Splits
split time distance pace
5KM 00:25:09 RUN 5.00 05:01
10KM 00:25:23 RUN 5.00 05:04
15KM 00:26:15 RUN 5.00 05:15
20KM 00:27:47 RUN 5.00 05:33
25KM 00:30:48 RUN 5.00 06:09
30KM 00:34:09 RUN 5.00 06:49
35KM 00:38:44 RUN 5.00 07:44
40KM 00:43:54 RUN 5.00 08:46
Finish 00:16:38 RUN 2.20 07:34
Half Way Splits
Half Way 01:50:55 RUN 21.10 05:15
Finish 02:37:56 RUN 21.10 07:29
While pleased to improve on the 2009 race time I will have to learn the art of preparing for the 42.195km distance and pacing myself in the first half of the race to help ensure I have something left in the tank for the run home to the finish line.
The excitement and adrenalin rush of the marathon build up was to again get the better of me as I managed to hold 5:15km for the first half of the race. This achievement was to prove meaningless as it was always going to be unsustainable over the back end of the race.
At the 25km stage I hit the wall and started to tighten up and find the lactic acid kicking in to the point where I could not stretch out. I was then a little more concerned when I started to notice a strain on the lower left side although this was later to prove to be nothing serious.
SPLIT TIMES - Five Kilometre Splits
split time distance pace
5KM 00:25:09 RUN 5.00 05:01
10KM 00:25:23 RUN 5.00 05:04
15KM 00:26:15 RUN 5.00 05:15
20KM 00:27:47 RUN 5.00 05:33
25KM 00:30:48 RUN 5.00 06:09
30KM 00:34:09 RUN 5.00 06:49
35KM 00:38:44 RUN 5.00 07:44
40KM 00:43:54 RUN 5.00 08:46
Finish 00:16:38 RUN 2.20 07:34
Half Way Splits
Half Way 01:50:55 RUN 21.10 05:15
Finish 02:37:56 RUN 21.10 07:29
While pleased to improve on the 2009 race time I will have to learn the art of preparing for the 42.195km distance and pacing myself in the first half of the race to help ensure I have something left in the tank for the run home to the finish line.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Comrades Marathon Success!
Comrades Marathon - The challenge of a lifetime
It had been a sleepness night prior to the 2010 Comrades Marathon as I was on edge in the lead up to the start of the big race with the massive challenge that lay ahead.
There was a great atmosphere on the start line in Pietermaritzburg despite the initial chaos in dodge through the crowds and be in the right starting group. I managed to make my way through the eager crowds and break through some barriers to find myself one group ahead from where I was meant to be. On a dark and cold monring the temperatures were hovering around 4 degrees with the atmosphere building with a mix of anticipation and concern about the challenge that confronted us all. In helping to keep warm I decided to wear a colourful hoodie with fluro skulls being hard not to miss.
The pre-race rituals included the traditional Zulu mining son "Shosholoza" and the South African National Anthem with all 16,500 runners now ready to take on the long road ahead. During the build up I found myself standing next to the 11 hour pacer and mentioned that should he see me struggling on the course to help pull me along for the ride on his bus. Only a few moments later the starting cannon fired and the long awaited 90km journey to Durban had begun.
The colourful hoodie proved great fodder for a number of comments and I was really pleased to have the extra warmth over the opening 20km while the sun was still down. It was cloae to the 20km mark that I spotted a local family on the side of the road and I caught the eye of a little girl and passed my hoodie to her so as to reveal the Marathon Man!
There were large crowds and a party atmosphere at a number of points along the course and it was great to see my girlfriend Susie twice along the way and on one occassion flying the Aussie flag on a large stick for all to see.
The decision not to check out the course prior to the event proved to be valuable. The extent of the hills were more like skyscrapers in many ways as at some points there seemed to be no end to the climbs. Now on many occassions prior to the race I had been told that the down run was harder than the up run - well if this was a down run then I could not cconsider the up run.
It was great to see a number of familiar faces from Australia in the race and as I approached the marathon distance I met up with Mari-Mar Walton from Tarvelling Fitness. I was struggling a little on another steep hill at this time and I could only continue to put one foot in front of the next to get to the top.
Approaching Cowie's Hill there was a large group approach and this time it was the 11 hour bus with the leader that I had met on the start line lending a few words of encouragement to stay with the group. At this stage I had little to give and was doing my best to maintain my steady pace to make it across the finish line. It was disappointing to lose touch with the 11 hour bus although I was simply keen to run my own race at this time rather than push it too hard and take any major risks.
On reaching the final 7km it was very inspiring to find the majority of the run down hill. This was where I really enjoyed the journey home with the majority of the distance now behind me and the finish line close by I was confident that I could make it home and pushed hard to pass more than 300 people on this final adventure into Durban.
The most magical experience of the day was to catch up to the 11 bus on the approach to Kingsmead Stadium and run in with the runners to achieve a sub 11 hour time and collect a Bronze Medal. It was a true honour to complete the distance and join the Comrades Marathon finishers club.
Split Race Time Time of Day Dist. Done Dist. To Go Speed
Camperdown (62kms to go) 2:49:17 8:19:20 26.77 62.4 6.32
Drummond (halfway) 5:06:35 10:36:38 44.97 44.2 6.82
Winston Park (31kms to go) 6:56:52 12:26:55 58.27 30.9 7.15
Cowies Hill (18kms to go) 8:35:42 14:05:45 70.97 18.2 7.27
Mayville (7kms to go) 10:08:13 15:38:16 82.17 7 7.4
Finish 10:57:39 16:27:42 89.17 0 7.38
It had been a sleepness night prior to the 2010 Comrades Marathon as I was on edge in the lead up to the start of the big race with the massive challenge that lay ahead.
There was a great atmosphere on the start line in Pietermaritzburg despite the initial chaos in dodge through the crowds and be in the right starting group. I managed to make my way through the eager crowds and break through some barriers to find myself one group ahead from where I was meant to be. On a dark and cold monring the temperatures were hovering around 4 degrees with the atmosphere building with a mix of anticipation and concern about the challenge that confronted us all. In helping to keep warm I decided to wear a colourful hoodie with fluro skulls being hard not to miss.
The pre-race rituals included the traditional Zulu mining son "Shosholoza" and the South African National Anthem with all 16,500 runners now ready to take on the long road ahead. During the build up I found myself standing next to the 11 hour pacer and mentioned that should he see me struggling on the course to help pull me along for the ride on his bus. Only a few moments later the starting cannon fired and the long awaited 90km journey to Durban had begun.
The colourful hoodie proved great fodder for a number of comments and I was really pleased to have the extra warmth over the opening 20km while the sun was still down. It was cloae to the 20km mark that I spotted a local family on the side of the road and I caught the eye of a little girl and passed my hoodie to her so as to reveal the Marathon Man!
There were large crowds and a party atmosphere at a number of points along the course and it was great to see my girlfriend Susie twice along the way and on one occassion flying the Aussie flag on a large stick for all to see.
The decision not to check out the course prior to the event proved to be valuable. The extent of the hills were more like skyscrapers in many ways as at some points there seemed to be no end to the climbs. Now on many occassions prior to the race I had been told that the down run was harder than the up run - well if this was a down run then I could not cconsider the up run.
It was great to see a number of familiar faces from Australia in the race and as I approached the marathon distance I met up with Mari-Mar Walton from Tarvelling Fitness. I was struggling a little on another steep hill at this time and I could only continue to put one foot in front of the next to get to the top.
Approaching Cowie's Hill there was a large group approach and this time it was the 11 hour bus with the leader that I had met on the start line lending a few words of encouragement to stay with the group. At this stage I had little to give and was doing my best to maintain my steady pace to make it across the finish line. It was disappointing to lose touch with the 11 hour bus although I was simply keen to run my own race at this time rather than push it too hard and take any major risks.
On reaching the final 7km it was very inspiring to find the majority of the run down hill. This was where I really enjoyed the journey home with the majority of the distance now behind me and the finish line close by I was confident that I could make it home and pushed hard to pass more than 300 people on this final adventure into Durban.
The most magical experience of the day was to catch up to the 11 bus on the approach to Kingsmead Stadium and run in with the runners to achieve a sub 11 hour time and collect a Bronze Medal. It was a true honour to complete the distance and join the Comrades Marathon finishers club.
Split Race Time Time of Day Dist. Done Dist. To Go Speed
Camperdown (62kms to go) 2:49:17 8:19:20 26.77 62.4 6.32
Drummond (halfway) 5:06:35 10:36:38 44.97 44.2 6.82
Winston Park (31kms to go) 6:56:52 12:26:55 58.27 30.9 7.15
Cowies Hill (18kms to go) 8:35:42 14:05:45 70.97 18.2 7.27
Mayville (7kms to go) 10:08:13 15:38:16 82.17 7 7.4
Finish 10:57:39 16:27:42 89.17 0 7.38
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Comrades Marathon Race Day
The Comrades Marathon Race Day is here and I am very pleased to report that fortunately this is the best prepared I have ever been for a run. With all final details having been signed off and completed prior to race morning this has been a blessing and one that simply could not have been achieved if not for the incredible work from my girlfriend Susie.
I would like to take this occassion to express my gratitude and appreciation to Susie for putting up with me through all the months of training and preparing for this amazing adventure to South Africa. Now is the time for the performance of a lifetime to make it through to the finish line and complete the 90km adventure.
In being one of only 144 competitors representing Australia from more than 23,000 competitors this is a special honour and one that I intend to use as a motivating force to help me take one more step closer to the finish line.
See you all on the other side ...
I would like to take this occassion to express my gratitude and appreciation to Susie for putting up with me through all the months of training and preparing for this amazing adventure to South Africa. Now is the time for the performance of a lifetime to make it through to the finish line and complete the 90km adventure.
In being one of only 144 competitors representing Australia from more than 23,000 competitors this is a special honour and one that I intend to use as a motivating force to help me take one more step closer to the finish line.
See you all on the other side ...
Friday, May 28, 2010
Comrades Marathon Build Up
On arrival in South Africa we first set out on a great adventure through Johannesburg where we were to tour Soweto, Orlando Stadium, Hector Pieterson Museum and the Apartheid Museum providing a valuable insight into the nations challenges of the past. There certainly have been some significant changes in South Africa with the country preparing to unite for the eyes of the world to be watching the Football World Cup soon to start.
Next we made our way by twin propeller aircraft to Pietermaritzburg so as to settle in and prepare for the Comrades Marathon start line. Now Pietermaritzburg certainly is a change of pace from Johannesburg and it feels more like a small country town in comparison. The first stop was to the Comrades Museum to offically register for the race and collect the race number and find out a little more about the history of the race. This was a magic experience although the scale model of the course sure did freak me out a little!
The next adventure was to Durban to check out the Comrades Marathon Expo. Following the N3 Express Way so as to avoid the majority of the Comrades course and save the best for race day we were greeted with traffic chaos with many streets closed around the city in preparation for the Football World Cup. The Expo was quite large and it was great to walk straight into a free massage area to have a rub down within minutes of arrival. It was nice to see a few familiar faces and meet Stephen Muzhingi who had previously won the 2009 event posting the second fastest time in history with 5:23:27.
Now as we approach the final hours the anticipation is building and the nerves really setting in with the realisation that the 90km adventure very close ...
Next we made our way by twin propeller aircraft to Pietermaritzburg so as to settle in and prepare for the Comrades Marathon start line. Now Pietermaritzburg certainly is a change of pace from Johannesburg and it feels more like a small country town in comparison. The first stop was to the Comrades Museum to offically register for the race and collect the race number and find out a little more about the history of the race. This was a magic experience although the scale model of the course sure did freak me out a little!
The next adventure was to Durban to check out the Comrades Marathon Expo. Following the N3 Express Way so as to avoid the majority of the Comrades course and save the best for race day we were greeted with traffic chaos with many streets closed around the city in preparation for the Football World Cup. The Expo was quite large and it was great to walk straight into a free massage area to have a rub down within minutes of arrival. It was nice to see a few familiar faces and meet Stephen Muzhingi who had previously won the 2009 event posting the second fastest time in history with 5:23:27.
Now as we approach the final hours the anticipation is building and the nerves really setting in with the realisation that the 90km adventure very close ...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
South Africa Here We Come!
OK - Well finally after many months of preparation and hundreds of kilometres training completed it is now time to board the V Australia flight today and head across to South Africa for the challenge of a lifetime.
While I am sure there will be a massive World Cup fever in the air there is also sure to be a number of international runners heading across to join more than 20,000 entered in this 85th Anniversary year of the Comrades Marathon.
Please be sure to follow my progress this Sunday 30 May on www.comrades.com and send your messages of support by email to trent@marathonman.com.au
Here we go kids - this is it!!!
While I am sure there will be a massive World Cup fever in the air there is also sure to be a number of international runners heading across to join more than 20,000 entered in this 85th Anniversary year of the Comrades Marathon.
Please be sure to follow my progress this Sunday 30 May on www.comrades.com and send your messages of support by email to trent@marathonman.com.au
Here we go kids - this is it!!!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Six Foot Track Marathon 2010
The Six Foot Track Marathon is recognised as one of the best ultra marathon events in Australia. What has been described as "the toughest marathon in Australia" is held each March in the Blue Mountains, Katoomba, NSW, Australia, between the brutal bush fire season and Easter. With more than 25 years of experience under its belt, this is the premier trail Marathon in Australia, and it is expected that the full quota of 850 runners will start each year's event. The runners will run along the Six Foot Track, a bridle trail originally cut in 1884 starting from the Historic "Marked Tree" at Katoomba to the Jenolan Caves, a distance of 45 kms.
The gruelling race was launched in March 1984 to mark the centenary of the opening of this historic track. Since the first race, which fielded a mere seven runners, the event has attracted much acclaim for its toughness, its stunning scenery, challenging conditions and great camaraderie. The event now attracts a field of local, national and international entrants who travel from as far as Germany, New Zealand, Japan, Ireland, England and the USA.
They come from all walks of life - business people to triathletes with many runners returning year after year. Females account for 15% of the field and this is increasing yearly. There are steep hills to go up and down, and the mighty Cox's River to cross. There is dirt and dust, and heat and humidity, as the event is at the tail-end of the long hot Australian summer.
Following completion of the event for the first time in 2009 it was always important for me to return in 2010 to test myself on both feet after seriously rolling my left ankle in the opening stages last time around.
This race started cautiously with the priority to take the opening 5km steadily to ensure success over the 45km distance. Starting out with Doug, Michael and Dennis we were later to run our own race.
There are seventeen aid stations and logistics support is ably carried out by the NSW Rural Fire Service. They do a great job, and all proceeds of the race go the NSW Rural Fire Service Brigades in the Blue Mountains and the Six Foot Track Heritage Trust with approximately $40,000-$50,000 being raised each year.
The course is always challenging and with the recent rain Cox's River was flowing strongly with no other way across other than swimming across. Now after 15km I may not have been paying close enough attention to the fact that my new ipod around my waist was soon to be submersed in the River! Oh well - I had not had the chance to even test it out and would never get the chance.
The remaining 30km would be a test although compared to the previous year on one leg I was driven to succeed in the lead up to the ultimate human challenge over twice the distance of the Six Foot Track with the Comrades Marathon in South Africa soon approaching.
It was great to meet up with other runners along the course and share stories and the challenges of the adventure. There was nothing sweeter than hearing the roar of the crowd as I approached the Jenolan Caves finish line crossing in 6:24:24.
The gruelling race was launched in March 1984 to mark the centenary of the opening of this historic track. Since the first race, which fielded a mere seven runners, the event has attracted much acclaim for its toughness, its stunning scenery, challenging conditions and great camaraderie. The event now attracts a field of local, national and international entrants who travel from as far as Germany, New Zealand, Japan, Ireland, England and the USA.
They come from all walks of life - business people to triathletes with many runners returning year after year. Females account for 15% of the field and this is increasing yearly. There are steep hills to go up and down, and the mighty Cox's River to cross. There is dirt and dust, and heat and humidity, as the event is at the tail-end of the long hot Australian summer.
Following completion of the event for the first time in 2009 it was always important for me to return in 2010 to test myself on both feet after seriously rolling my left ankle in the opening stages last time around.
This race started cautiously with the priority to take the opening 5km steadily to ensure success over the 45km distance. Starting out with Doug, Michael and Dennis we were later to run our own race.
There are seventeen aid stations and logistics support is ably carried out by the NSW Rural Fire Service. They do a great job, and all proceeds of the race go the NSW Rural Fire Service Brigades in the Blue Mountains and the Six Foot Track Heritage Trust with approximately $40,000-$50,000 being raised each year.
The course is always challenging and with the recent rain Cox's River was flowing strongly with no other way across other than swimming across. Now after 15km I may not have been paying close enough attention to the fact that my new ipod around my waist was soon to be submersed in the River! Oh well - I had not had the chance to even test it out and would never get the chance.
The remaining 30km would be a test although compared to the previous year on one leg I was driven to succeed in the lead up to the ultimate human challenge over twice the distance of the Six Foot Track with the Comrades Marathon in South Africa soon approaching.
It was great to meet up with other runners along the course and share stories and the challenges of the adventure. There was nothing sweeter than hearing the roar of the crowd as I approached the Jenolan Caves finish line crossing in 6:24:24.
Sydney Half Marathon 2010
Following the recent Comrades Marathon training schedule I originally signed up for the Sydney Half Marathon as a training run for the adventures that were ahead in South Africa.
Little did I realise this would be a very important run following rolling my left ankle quite badly the previous Sunday. In preparation I had picked up a new pair of calf compression socks that were to prove brilliant. With the major race plans only a matter of two weeks away it was important test the ankle in race conditions and be sure that all would be fine for May 30 across in South Africa.
I love turning out in my home city to see a number of familiar faces and run around the same streets that I get to train over many weekend training runs. It is such a magic city to live in and with beautiful weather and Raelene Boyle behind the starters gun we were away.
There was no chance of running too hard in this Half Marathon and it was always a matter of go out and see how the ankle holds up and should all be feeling fine then maybe push a little harder towards the back end.
The first half of the run was feeling good and I managed to hold myself back from the usual excitement of pushing ahea with the faster runners and then paying for it towards the end. The ankle was holding up fine and I was feeling great about having the pain killers before heding out in the morning. It was interesting to note that one side was a real dryness of the mouth and with the water stations spread out every 5km or more there was not much relief. Gotta say that the days of drinking water and sports drinks out of cups in major events surely must not be far away. It is almost impossible to get much liquid down when on the go and I am pretty sure most would welcome the introduction of the water and sports drink sachets next year!
Following a solid and steady performance I was pleased to come across the line in 1:48:14 which is not too bad an effort considering that I had been conscious of my ankle and did not wish to do too much damge prior to Comrades. The god news is that this was als only 1 minute outside my Personal Best so this gives me confidence for the future that it is possible to set a new benchmark.
I was pleased to wait around the finish line to cheer home a good friend Markus Schar who was guiding Ben a blind runner across the line. In the end they posted a very respectable 2:11:40. This was a tremendous effort for Ben as it was aso his first Half Marathon prior to representing the Australian Blind Cricket team in the West Indies later this year. Congratulations to Markus, Ben and all who completed the event today ... Next challenge - the 90km Comrades Marathon 30 May 2010
Little did I realise this would be a very important run following rolling my left ankle quite badly the previous Sunday. In preparation I had picked up a new pair of calf compression socks that were to prove brilliant. With the major race plans only a matter of two weeks away it was important test the ankle in race conditions and be sure that all would be fine for May 30 across in South Africa.
I love turning out in my home city to see a number of familiar faces and run around the same streets that I get to train over many weekend training runs. It is such a magic city to live in and with beautiful weather and Raelene Boyle behind the starters gun we were away.
There was no chance of running too hard in this Half Marathon and it was always a matter of go out and see how the ankle holds up and should all be feeling fine then maybe push a little harder towards the back end.
The first half of the run was feeling good and I managed to hold myself back from the usual excitement of pushing ahea with the faster runners and then paying for it towards the end. The ankle was holding up fine and I was feeling great about having the pain killers before heding out in the morning. It was interesting to note that one side was a real dryness of the mouth and with the water stations spread out every 5km or more there was not much relief. Gotta say that the days of drinking water and sports drinks out of cups in major events surely must not be far away. It is almost impossible to get much liquid down when on the go and I am pretty sure most would welcome the introduction of the water and sports drink sachets next year!
Following a solid and steady performance I was pleased to come across the line in 1:48:14 which is not too bad an effort considering that I had been conscious of my ankle and did not wish to do too much damge prior to Comrades. The god news is that this was als only 1 minute outside my Personal Best so this gives me confidence for the future that it is possible to set a new benchmark.
I was pleased to wait around the finish line to cheer home a good friend Markus Schar who was guiding Ben a blind runner across the line. In the end they posted a very respectable 2:11:40. This was a tremendous effort for Ben as it was aso his first Half Marathon prior to representing the Australian Blind Cricket team in the West Indies later this year. Congratulations to Markus, Ben and all who completed the event today ... Next challenge - the 90km Comrades Marathon 30 May 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Cadbury Marathon 2010
There is no better way to start the year for the Marathon Man than by taking on the first marathon of the year on Australian soil in Tasmania.
The Cadbury Marathon in Hobart, Tasmania is one of the more scenic events and is gaining in popularity every year. The event is very well put together by Richard Welsh from Athletics Tasmania and R4YL with there being 128 on the start line for the marathon in 2010.
It really was a fly in fly out mission arriving in Hobart early Saturday morning and then taking off on Sunday afternoon. It was magic to spend a little time at the Salamanca Markets with people everywhere. Later that night I enjoyed a great pasta meal with the elite athletes. Mark Tucker, Scott McTaggart and Tony Farrugia joining up with Richard Welsh for a pre-race meal.
It was a very early start with the bus leaving the hotel from just after 4am to arrive at the start line at 5am in preparation for the 6am start. It was great to return to Tasmania and enjoy the beauty of Tasmania and the friendly locals. Like the previous year the Half Marathon competitors were very supportive! Thank you ...
The run itself was strong for the first half with the double loop course taking its toll a little especially towards the final 10km when the cramps started to really hit me. On reaching a hill that seemed more like a mountain in the final stages that a fellow runner provided support and inspiration to push through the pain barrier and step it up another level to approach the mountain leading up to the finish line. In the end crossing the line in 4:11:46 - a respectable time although outside my previous best time secured last year.
My congratulations to Scott, Dave, Tony, Larry and Mark on posting some incredible results:
Marathon
1 Scott McTaggart - 2:23:39 * New course Record
2 David Criniti - 2:29:52
3 Anthony Farrugia - 2:31:35
7 Larry Blaylock - 2:40:08
Half Marathon
1 1002 Mark Tucker - 1:05:35 * New Course Record
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Hobart and recommend that there is few better ways to start the running calendar than by taking on the Cadbury Marathon in Hobart in early January.
The Cadbury Marathon in Hobart, Tasmania is one of the more scenic events and is gaining in popularity every year. The event is very well put together by Richard Welsh from Athletics Tasmania and R4YL with there being 128 on the start line for the marathon in 2010.
It really was a fly in fly out mission arriving in Hobart early Saturday morning and then taking off on Sunday afternoon. It was magic to spend a little time at the Salamanca Markets with people everywhere. Later that night I enjoyed a great pasta meal with the elite athletes. Mark Tucker, Scott McTaggart and Tony Farrugia joining up with Richard Welsh for a pre-race meal.
It was a very early start with the bus leaving the hotel from just after 4am to arrive at the start line at 5am in preparation for the 6am start. It was great to return to Tasmania and enjoy the beauty of Tasmania and the friendly locals. Like the previous year the Half Marathon competitors were very supportive! Thank you ...
The run itself was strong for the first half with the double loop course taking its toll a little especially towards the final 10km when the cramps started to really hit me. On reaching a hill that seemed more like a mountain in the final stages that a fellow runner provided support and inspiration to push through the pain barrier and step it up another level to approach the mountain leading up to the finish line. In the end crossing the line in 4:11:46 - a respectable time although outside my previous best time secured last year.
My congratulations to Scott, Dave, Tony, Larry and Mark on posting some incredible results:
Marathon
1 Scott McTaggart - 2:23:39 * New course Record
2 David Criniti - 2:29:52
3 Anthony Farrugia - 2:31:35
7 Larry Blaylock - 2:40:08
Half Marathon
1 1002 Mark Tucker - 1:05:35 * New Course Record
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Hobart and recommend that there is few better ways to start the running calendar than by taking on the Cadbury Marathon in Hobart in early January.
Friday, January 1, 2010
2010 Marathon Man Plans
There are a number of exciting events planned for a big 2010.
Please see a selection of some major Marathon Man plans:
10 January - Cadbury Marathon (Hobart, Tasmania)
13 March - Six Foot Track (Blue Mountains, NSW)
1 May - Rotorua Marathon (Rotorua, New Zealand)
16 May - Sydney Half Marathon (Sydney, NSW)
30 May - Comrades Marathon (South Africa)
4 July - Gold Coast Marathon (Gold Coast, Queensland)
25 July - Sutherland 2 Surf (Wanda Beach, NSW)
1 August - Brisbane Marathon (Brisbane, Queensland)
8 August - City 2 Surf (Sydney, NSW)
15 August - Adelaide Marathon (Adelaide, South Australia)
19 September - Sydney Marathon (Sydney, NSW)
10 October - Melbourne Marathon (Melbourne, Victoria)
31 October - Auckland Marathon (Auckland, New Zealand)
Looking forward to seeing you throughout the year ...
Please come and say hello!
Please see a selection of some major Marathon Man plans:
10 January - Cadbury Marathon (Hobart, Tasmania)
13 March - Six Foot Track (Blue Mountains, NSW)
1 May - Rotorua Marathon (Rotorua, New Zealand)
16 May - Sydney Half Marathon (Sydney, NSW)
30 May - Comrades Marathon (South Africa)
4 July - Gold Coast Marathon (Gold Coast, Queensland)
25 July - Sutherland 2 Surf (Wanda Beach, NSW)
1 August - Brisbane Marathon (Brisbane, Queensland)
8 August - City 2 Surf (Sydney, NSW)
15 August - Adelaide Marathon (Adelaide, South Australia)
19 September - Sydney Marathon (Sydney, NSW)
10 October - Melbourne Marathon (Melbourne, Victoria)
31 October - Auckland Marathon (Auckland, New Zealand)
Looking forward to seeing you throughout the year ...
Please come and say hello!
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