This one seemed like a good idea, it was going to be a month after Run Melbourne and it would be in a lower km week of my marathon training. It’s not a flat course, as it runs along Beach Rd which undulates a bit.
I got a good months training in between Run Melbourne and the Sandy point half. No illness or injuries, just quality sessions. The Sunday before Sandy Point I did a 30km long run as planned. I was a bit silly and joined a couple of running friends at 6am for an early run. It was silly because they were doing a double Wicked Wednesday loop. It’s called that because it has around 350m of elevation (climbing) over the 10km. Most of it in the first 5km, but there’s enough in the last 5km to keep you panting. I did the two laps with them then headed off for a 3rd not so hilly 10km lap to get to 30km. I ended up climbing 866m over the 30km.
That was my longest run ever and my second most elevation gained.
My legs were so sore. What had I done? In theory it should have been an easy 30km mostly flat road run, instead I did a massively hilly trail run! But the company was worth it.
I headed to the recovery centre on Monday seeking some relief, I attended my Tuesday night track session as usual with lead like legs. As I was sort of tapering for the half marathon I moved Wednesday’s easy run to Thursday and got a massage, legs still sore, and rested on Friday and Saturday. There was also much foam rolling. They were still not 100% by the Saturday, but were feeling okay.
Race day!
Well the weather forecast wasn’t the best, showers, hail and wind. On a beach side road, what could go wrong?
It was WINDY! I kept my warm gear on until 1 minute before the start. Then threw it to my biggest supporter (hi Maggie) and jogged into the starting crowd as the gun went off. Thankfully it wasn’t raining. Yet.
I set off with the crowd, this is a much smaller run that the last event, something like 600 half marathon runners rather than 8000. My aim was to keep as close as possible to my goal pace. This was extra challenging with the strong buffeting headwind, especially on the hills. I kept checking my Garmin to try and keep to pace. It’s very easy in the first 5km to go too fast while you’re feeling good. I kept slowing just a little to keep on pace, then the wind would hit and it felt like you stopped mid stride.
I passed the 2:10 pacer in the first km, good, I can’t be behind them! At about 5km I could see I was gaining slowly on what appeared to be pacers balloon in the distance. About then it rained, with the added bonus headwind the water slammed into my front. Nice.
At about 8km the course turned left and the wind stopped, that was such a relief. It took another 2km to catch the 2 hour pacer. I tagged on with him and his posse just as we hit the turnaround point at 10.5km.
The pacer, we’ll call him Michael since that’s what someone going the other way yelled at him, was great. He kept encouraging us, chatting, telling jokes as we ran. He’s run a bit as it turned out, 15 Melbourne marathons I think he said at one point.
The course turned right shortly after that and the wind was still there, thankfully now a gusty tailwind. It was still raining at the same spot, a bit heavier and maybe with a bit of hail to keep it interesting.
As we passed 15km a few in the group started to surge past him. He called them back, telling all of us that surging at 15km is way too early. Unless you’ve trained for it you won’t be able to hold on for 6km until the finish. Some listened, some didn’t. My plan was always to hold a steady pace until near the finish.
We slowed a little on the hills and picked up the pace just a little on the downhills. Michael guaranteed us a sub 2 hour finish if we stayed with him to the end. He would be keeping a steady pace all the way, no surges, and no sprints.
At 19km Michael told those that were left that if you’ve got it, now is the time to go. Don’t go crazy, but pick up the pace a bit and hold on for 2km. So I did, I lifted my pace from the 5:40min/km we’d be averaging to about 5:15min/km. The pace wasn’t a conscious decision; it’s just what I figured I could do for the last 2km. I even managed a final surge for the last few hundred metres.
Time… 1:58.17. Yes! Done! Happy!
I got back to the car just as the rain and hail really hit.
