Melbourne Marathon 2019

After f#@king up Adelaide Marathon earlier in the year by running a double on the Sunday 3 weeks before (with a LR and then a faster MLR in the evening making 59.5km for the day) it was great that another 18 week Pfitzinger program wasn’t put to waste and I ran sub2:45 in Melbourne. Now Melbourne Marathon has become a favourite race again with this achievement although there were many demons to overcome from the last race there in 2014. Firstly though Melbourne was dear to me in 2013 when I broke sub3 for the first time. Then I had a blow up in 2014 and still remember Erika passing me at 25km with encouraging words and all I could think of was “BIATCH!!”. Come to think of it my last race report was Melbourne 2014 when I became the running “Jesus” with fallen disciples joining my mission to get to the end in 3:14. But that is another story already told in Sydney Striders Blister edition 124 page 12.

 

Lead up & Training

Anyway back to 2019… After a disappointing result in Adelaide I decided to join Dazzle for another attempt in Melbourne. Following 2 weeks recovery from Adelaide there was enough time in the calendar to squeeze in another 18 week program.  Starting the program again was tough, but after the first week of 87km I was then able to string together four +100km weeks, then a 90km recovery and then nine consecutive +100km weeks, before another 90km and two weeks taper.  During the training block I posted a 10km PB at Striders North Head 34:42 in August and a half PB in September at Sydney Running Festival 76:13 so I knew it was either the training working or the new Next %ers giving me a boost or a combination of both.  Whilst the marathon race itself signifies an individual result it really is a team sport. Not only that, I see the result as just a destination of a journey with many others. And it is the journey shared that I remember most and need to thank people for being a part of that journey. During the 18 week program there were many easy runs, MLRs, LRs and sessions. Most memorable were the marathon pace tempos during LRs. I had a 12km chasing Lauren, Chris & Hamish along the beach front, a 16km around Narrabeen Lake with Sammy, Barts, Ian, Chris, Jamie and again Lauren for part before we were too slow for her and she sped off, 19km North Head loops solo and finally a 23km North Head loops with James and again with Ian. I had many LRs, MLRs and sessions with Dazzle; and countless easy runs with whomever wanted to talk about my favourite subject… “me!”.  Also a week out from the race I ran poorly at Striders Lane Cove and the legs were smashed. Thankfully some great advice from Tommy to ease up was actually implemented and race day and destination took care of itself.

Pre-Race

The trip down was marred by small logistical problems with cancelled flights by QANTAS but the usual OCD pre-race banter kept me sane… or as sane as an OCD marathon runner can be. So Dazzle and I finally got to Melbourne late Friday evening and eventually found our respective hotels. Saturday morning I went out for 7km easy run and ran the reverse Tan so I could get a feel for the 35 to 37km hill at the back end of the marathon course, but mainly as a “f#@k you!” to Melbourne demons of past and as nobody in Melbourne seems to run the Tan anti-clockwise there were many a strange look coming my way so I got to practice my “f#@k you too!” stare back from behind my sunnies.  With my anger management and “f#@k yous!” out the way I decided to head to the expo to get my bib and found a new Steigen race singlet of 39grams that I well needed. Back to the hotel and I noticed that my bib hadn’t registered on the live tracking app so back to the expo to ask questions plus I forgot to ask about the preferred start procedures too.  Back at the expo a volunteer assured me that my bib details would be uploaded that night and it would be good to go in the morning and also if I had the preferred start my name would be on the list to get in the area.  Back to the hotel to tell Dazzle about the race singlets as he obviously needed one too! His response was a message and photo “Assume we will look the same.”  While back at the hotel pinned the bib and layout race gear for Sunday and then researched where to eat lunch. Messaged Dazzle again and asked if he was up for a couple of tram rides to Lygon St, Carlton to eat some Italian food.  We headed over ate some great authentic Italian food. We shared garlic bread, I had Tortellini Alla Panna and Dazzle went for a Chicken Parmigiana. Then it was back on the trams to the hotels to relax. Dazzle rearranged his socks, gels and ran up and down his corridor; I played video games and found most of the mystical daggers in Oceanhorn 2. I still wasn’t registered on the live tracker. So I wrote down my race plan.

 

Racing Notes:

3:53min/km even splits

Gel every 7km, 1 before 7, 14, 21, 28 & 35

19:30 5km

30 to 35km – 19:30

Hills

30 to 31km

35 to 37km

Dinner was organised for 6pm at the Spaghetti Tree, an old favourite for pre-race dinners, and we watched Kipchoge’s Ienos159 as Amy, Lauren, Dazzle and I ate our pre-race meals. I changed it up this time Penne Carbonara. (For the record Alla Panna is prosciutto or ham & cream; Carbonara is bacon or pancetta and cream). Back to our hotels walking this time as Amy & Lauren jinxed our free tram travels for the weekend with the only inspectors in Melbourne being on the tram we wanted to catch back.  Quick good lucks to everyone, a review of my race plan and it was off to sleep.  Still not registered on the race tracker app!

 

Race Day…

Up usual time 5am, again not registered on the race tracker app… oh well sort that out another time.   Usual breakfast of a cold shot of coffee, Sammy inspired rolled oats with chia seeds and cold water, and then a big glass of water, Andy’s berries (Curranz) and my last hit of Maltodextrin which I’ve “borrowed” from Justin for about the last five marathons.  Out the door at 6am to meet Dazzle at 6:15am, I was a little early hence did a few circles waiting for him.  We both jogged down to the preferred start with the masses commenting how good the conditions were.  Once in the preferred area, Dazzle went to the bathroom one last time; I visited the coffee cart just outside the preferred start for another espresso to justify the $760 upgrading to the Garmin945 for the GarminPay.  Quick hello to Tim and before you knew it we were lining up to start the race. Good lucks all round. Gun goes and away we race, Dazzle is away and I just try to settle into my race plan of 3:53min/km.  First km a little quick… it always is… and first 5km I’m through in 19:15, I settle down and watch many runners pass me right up to 20km and then I start reeling most of them back. Very even splits through to half way and tried to work with another couple of runners, but they were closer to 3:48-49 pace which was too quick hence I let them go.  I was through half in about 81mins ahead by about a minute.  It was great to see Dazzle and Tim on some of the switchbacks and acknowledge each other that we were going strong. 25km to 30km I was starting to pass people and feeling stronger and preparing myself for the business end of the marathon and the only split that really counts 30 to 35km.  I knew if I hit 19:30 for that 5km then I would be on to achieve my goal especially as there was a small rise for the first km of this section back up to St Kilda Rd.  I ran that 1km passing a couple of runners and just after my second to last gel looking at my watch showed 3:54 which I was stoked that I only lost a second up the first hill section.  Along St Kilda Road with half marathoners I became cranky and yelled at slow runners to keep left, finally got away from the half mob at 35km. My watch had a sub19 and finally after sorting out my bib timing officially was 19:09 for that 5km split (my fastest 5km of the course). Did well to keep it together on the second hill section 2km climb up the reverse Tan and saw Dazzle on his loop back and it was the only time he didn’t acknowledge me and then when I got to that pinch hill section I knew why, it was hurting.  Back down hill and less than a Park Run to finish I just didn’t push it any harder than needed and maintained an eye on heart rate not to f#@k it up now.  I had a guy run passed at 40km but let him go as again I just needed to maintain my plan to get my goal.  Into the G and I looked at my watch and there was no chance of 2:42 so I soaked up the atmosphere and maintained my constant pace over the line in 2:43:24 for a 3minute PB. An embrace from Dazzle, then Lauren and Amy quick couple of team photos and letting our achievement and destination of this journey sink in. So happy that everyone got a PB!

 

Post Race

Again the race tracker and result were not up.  Back to hotel for a shower and then off to meet a mate from high school Steve who ran my first city 2 surf with me in 2000. Steve was a middle distance state champion at school and it was great to catch up with him.  Another logistical problem yet another QANTAS cancelled flight for the homeward bound leg albeit with a quick change of booking we had that sorted.  Steve and I walked to the pub where we met the others had a meal and then headed back to the airport.  Monday after a couple of emails finally and thankfully get my results and official splits up on the results page.

A great weekend of running PBs: Amy 80mins half, Lauren 72min half and 3^rd place, Jeet 74min half, Dazzle ROTD 2:37, Tim 2:33 and my 2:43! Dazzle & I both went 10minutes faster than Adelaide in May. And more memorable as these occurred on the same weekend that Eliud Kipchege ran 1:59 unofficial WR and Brigid Kosgei ran 2:14 for a WR at Chicago.

Already planning to go faster and looking forward to the next journey!  Who’s in?