I last raced a marathon 12 years ago on four weeks of training and no nutrition. It went about as well as you’d expect. Finally got around to having another go.

Training ostensibly started sixteen weeks out on 18th March, following a solid month of recovery (some physical, but mostly mental) after DNF’ing Hut 2 Hut, a mountainous 100K. At this point I had no intention of actually racing, but needed to get back on a training plan. The only way I know to cure a running rut: more running.

yeah body feels ok, struggling a bit on motivation. am thinking maybe training for gold coast mara. just get started on something – email to coach, 9th March

I was excited to run a bit faster after so much slower trail training.

For three weeks of April I was travelling internationally. First two weeks in the US mostly for work I kept overall decent volume but didn’t fit in any long runs. The final week I was in the Galapagos which was awesome … but terrible for running. On my return I spent a weekend in Warburton tooling around trails, which I needed most of the next week to recover from. I don’t feel like I’m seriously training at this point, but I’m back running again and it feels good.

Eleven weeks out my coach caught me at a vulnerable moment:

Have you thought about your next race option? I had someone offer an entry to the Gold Coast Marathon if you were still looking to chase a ticket there. You’ve got a lot of fitness at the moment and your workouts have been good quality. – email from coach, May 9

I bought flights and accommodation that day.

From there I had a solid build, averaging about 80K a week over five runs. Typical week was easy run Monday, workout Tuesday, medium-long Thursday, long Saturday, easy Sunday.

I was trying to squat on Wednesday and Sunday, with minimal accessory work, but it wasn’t until the last four weeks that I was able to make this consistent. Work sets typically in the 6-8 @ 80kg range.

The Weekend

Flew in late Friday night. Shake-out run Saturday morning, caught the winners finishing the Half. Weather was on-and-off raining and not great for exploring. Bounced around the expo and cafes eating and reading for the rest of the day, catching up with some other Hunters for afternoon pizza.

Early to bed around 7:30pm and went to sleep easily. Was very tired from all the food!

Race Day

A-goal: don’t blow up. Don’t race for time. This is only the first one.
B-goal: don’t injure myself.

My plan was to go out with the 3:10 pacer (4:30/k pace), and if I felt good coming through 32K, push to the finish. Given the temperature, drink at every aid station, electrolytes where available. Eat 100C every 45 minutes, which probably isn’t enough but I hadn’t trained on enough to target more.

And that’s pretty much how it went.

Woke before alarm at 4:20am which was great to get everything moving. Was staying 700m from start line. Short warm-up to get the legs moving, but thankfully didn’t need to worry about staying warm.

Was a comfortable enough temperature in a singlet – about 14C, with a gentle breeze from the south (Beaufort 3). Unlike the day before, there was no rain immediately before or during the race. While the temperature only climbed about 3C throughout, there was a noticeable difference between sun and shade. And much warmer than the 5C I’d been training in!

Pacers deliberately went our a little on the fast side, coming through 5K in 21:49 (4:23/k), and it felt really comfortable. Heart rate sitting around 150, low end of Z3.

My watch spasmed through 12K, showing an early incorrect 4:00/k. I re-lapped it manually at the 13K marker to line it back up.

Probably drank too much early, as I needed a bathroom break just before the half way mark. I jumped a little ahead of the pacers 2k out from the aid station, figuring I’d get a small recovery and wouldn’t have to make up as much. Total stop time: 55s, and now behind pacers. I was still under 3:10 pace, but judged I’d be better off sitting in a group so increased pace to 4:15/k for next 6K to get back on the bus. This pushed HR to 155 – still comfortable but as high as I wanted to go until much closer to the finish.

I can’t remember exactly when I floated ahead of the pacers again, but it was not long after the race came back through the start line, so about 32K as planned. I didn’t find another gear, but was feeling alright to untether myself. I gained some ground but my legs really started hurting. I hadn’t blown up, but I was dragging: kilometre 37 was my first slower than 4:30 (excluding bathroom break), followed by :32, :33, :38, :38. (This was also into a headwind, and the sun had come out. Can’t imagine that helped.) Pulled it together for a 4:27 followed by a kick down the chute to finish.

Final time: 3:08:34. A-goal achieved!

Nutrition Analysis

Thought about a proper breakfast, but hadn’t trained it and also was too disorganised to actually sort anything out. I really don’t like breakfast when I wake up. Can try eating more next time, since I didn’t stitch up or anything.

Bonus: Bullshit I Bought At The Expo

AKA things I forgot to pack.

• OOFOS. What if Hokas but thongs? “NFL trainers make their athletes wear them for recovery, we don’t even need to sponsor them!” which I don’t believe for a second but I will say they were exceptionally comfortable and I wore them the rest of the weekend.
• Nerd belt. This is actually a thing I needed, currently only have a flip belt which really only works for my phone but not food or fluid. Didn’t use for the race but intention is to do so next time.
• Bodyglide, only to be handed a free sample of a competitor literally 15s after.

What’s next?

Only social things on the calendar so far: a running tour through East Timor in August, then the rebooted GSSR in November with the family. Still early days post-recovery but feeling like I probably want to keep chipping away at the mara towards a sub-3, so might try and find something to slot in later in the year.

Thanks Tim at The Distance Collective for the continued coaching support, Hunter and SPRC for always being legends to run with, Dad for being my number one fan, and Jodie for putting up with supporting it all.