Macleay River Marathon

What can I say? Mission accomplished and a huge sigh of relief after finally achieving what was until yesterday my biggest running goal. Today started over 2 and half years ago with my first of several unsuccesful attempts at cracking 3 hours.

Without dribbling on too much about what I took out of each effort, the one thing I didnt want to do was to have any excuses.

So onto 2007 and firmly penned into the calendar as a goal was the Macleay River Marathon. For several reasons, one it is in a magic part of the world where I would/could live in a heartbeat, if not for mortgages, family, reality etc!!! Secondly I had heard that the course was relatively fast and I figured that was something high on the priority list after being spat out by Sydney on so many occasions. Last but not least I wanted something low key.

The week leading up seemed to be designed to test the resolve. To say the least we had a very testing and stressful wait as settlement on the sale of our house, already delayed 3 weeks, required a fair amount of emotional energy. There was also the inclement weather that emerged late in the week. I had visions of a swollen Macleay River at the top of fence posts with cows precariously perched on few square feet at the highest point of paddocks.

Thankfully and as the race panned out itself, everything somehow seemed to slot into place just when I needed it to.

We headed up to Port Mac on sat and settled in for the night as an early start was required given the 75 minute trip to South West Rocks. It was very windy that night which didnt auger well for the following morning, in particular not knowing the course too well.

I arrived at Trial Bay in plenty of time and caught up with Ray Wareham for a bit of a warm up and chat. I was glad because Ray had run the course before and I was able to glean a little bit of last minute knowledge from him.

At the start I saw Ray James who I had assumed wouldnt be coming after speaking to him on friday. Ray amongst other things is a tough old buzzard and I was relieved and pleased to see my good mate there. Another good sign.

My race plan wasnt too scientific - I had trained hard at holding 4 minute pace so that was what it was going to be. Out of the blocks I managed to lead the field out of town to about 7kms. I felt a little embarrassed knowing that Ray W and Paul Arthur were behind and it was only a matter of time before they came past but I was out to run my own race. I was slightly under 4 minute pace but only marginally when Ray, Paul and 2 local boys pulled up with me at about 7kms.

Within a km I said goodbye to the big boys and ran to 10kms with Vincent, a Kempsey local and a very nice fella in 39.50. We crossed the bridge to the south side of the Macleay just after 10kms when we started hitting the headwind.

After running races and doing lots of training at 4 minute pace suddenly I was struggling to run 4.20s. I made a critical error pushing too hard into the wind (26 - sorry mate I should have followed your advice) and used up a fair amount of petrol to hold my pace. I forgot to take a split at 15kms but ran 41.36 between 10 and 20.

I reached halfway in 85.30 and was very much looking forward to the tailwind. Evidence of the effect the wind had was my split between 20 & 25 where I managed a 19.44, but the fun was about to start.

I was getting pretty warm and would have killed for drinks every 2.5kms but not to be, every 5kms (I had been spoilt by the luxuries offered at SMC)!To make it worse they were the drinks stations on the way out which meant they were at 27, 32 etc on the way back, which my limited brain capacity when functioning at optimum would have struggled with let alone after the half way point of a marathon!

But I just kept ticking the kms off. I had resigned myself to forgetting 4 minute pace and just surviving and was surprised to reach 30kms with a 20.59 split. I even managed to invoke an 'eeeuuhww!!!' from one of the friendly volunteers when I asked for water with a mouthful of an energy gel at 32kms(my 1st and only carb shot on the course).

30 - 35 was my roughest 5km split by far. But it was like someone was looking out for me. Hot, exhausted and out on my feet I actually started walking. Then about 30 metres up the road I saw the 34km marker painted on the road. I gave myself a rev up and off I went again. 22.09 was my split for this 5kms which surprised me as I felt awful. But even more heartening at this point was that I had 35 minutes to run 7kms - a lap of the bay -finally something tangible. I think it was here I knew that as long as I didnt do anything stupid I could do it.

At about 37kms the marshall said 3rd had about 2 minutes on me but I had no grand comebacks planned - I was just aiming to make the finish now. As each km ticked by the more comfortable I was about running under 3 hours. I ran a 21.55 35-40km split and was not concerned about bringing it home, I was thinking if I cramped up how long would it take to hobble the last 2kms!

On reaching the top of the last climb I finally started winding home. Anyone who knows me that I invest a lot of my heart and soul into my running, so it was a really sweet moment running across the line finally stopping the clock at 2.55.50.

I can sleep easily now, if I drift off into oblivion with a stubby firmly entrenched as part of my midriff I will always have a sub 3 hour marathon to rest it on!

I dont want to turn this into an academy speech but to my training pal 26, thanks mate for not only being a very tough benchmark but someone who would listen to me crapping on about life and always have something meaningful to say.I am glad we have met through running as you have become a very dear friend with or without the asics.

Finally to Nikki Sophia and Sam, Dad really appreciates the time you have sacrificed to help him achieve a life ambition - I love you all dearly. For the rest of you who are following this dribble I sincreley hope you had a bucket nearby!

Onwards to the next big thing...