Nev's Race Report

HOT OFF THE PRESS -

Great Ocean Road Marathon (45km) 16 MAY 2010

I woke at 4.45am very, very excited to be running another marathon after a break of 21 years. Jill and I caught the bus to our respective start lines at 6.00am. My ride from Apollo Bay to Lorne took 1 hour. Jill’s half-marathon started around half way from Kennett River. I wonder how she was feeling. The starter’s pistols went at 8 o’clock. 600 runners set off on their own marathon battle. Almost 1500 runners in the half marathon.

I thought the first hill one km after the start was easy, although I knew it was going to be rolling hills all the way to about the 7th drink station (35km). I sensed that I had settled into a good rhythm and pace in the first few km’s. At the first few drink stations I walked and drank water, in no hurry to push too hard. I kept saying to myself “keep the pace, stay to plan”. There were drink stations every 5 kms.

I reached the 5th drink station in 2hrs 2min still feeling good, 5 mins better than my target 2h 7m (5 m/km pace). The next target - 35 km was after the next and last ‘big’ hill. No problems - a long 1 km steady climb, BUT going down hill was tougher than the going up? Bloody tough. I now wanted the cool breezes that drifted down the gullies. I could not stride out. I was cramping. I had to stop and stretch. I felt like an arthritic slug.

The 5 kms to complete 42.2 km felt agonisingly slow - a mix of walk and shuffle. Runners whom I had chatted with much earlier now passed me; they proved smarter than me. With great encouragement from road side spectators I finally went over the 42.2 km pad for a marathon time of 3hr 34.00min. It then took a further 20m 12s to complete the last 2.8 km!! Jill was there to see me finish. I was elated to have finished in less than 4 hours, but I was exhausted and could hardly walk back to the motel. Jill had run very well – ½M in 2hr 14.35 and 23km in 2hr 28.39.

A fantastic event. Well organised. Great atmosphere. Not a course for a marathon PB, but a challenge. There were amazing views of the ocean and cliffs all the way as the road hugs the cliffs and ocean. Apollo Bay is also a lovely town to enjoy.

Nev Madden