Arrived at the start line fairly early to see the half go off up onto the Bridge. Discovered shortly after that I needed to use the toilet again despite going at Nth Sydney Station. So 25 mins in the line and only getting to the start line 5 mins before the gun made me nervous.
The ITB was still sore while I stood on the start line near the 3hr pacers and Uncle Dave the 2:50 pacer. I felt ok for the first 10ks where I stayed with the 3hr group going through that in 42:15. But from entering the park at the drink station I found it difficult to get any drive out of my legs. They just felt dead and I wished I was at that stage too.
I reached the 14k in 1:00.20 which would mean I could be close to 3hrs if I could run all even splits back to the finish. Yeah sure! My pace was going by this stage and I was being passed by more and more runners. Between 14k and half way I struggled to keep the pace again. I was passed by one of the 3:15 pacers at the 22k mark. He was way too quick as Steve Hume the other 3:15 pacer didn't pass me until we crossed Darling Harbour. Half way was reach in 1:33.45. Only 3:45 off the pace I needed. My legs were not feeling good and I had to take the only GU I had one me at the 23k drink station. Lucky I use the GU's so just picked up others on the way when I needed them.
Struggled back towards the City being passed by Nando again after we swapped places outside CP. It was great to have CT, JT and Marty Doak talked to me along here as I was feeling like throwing in the towel the leg hurt so much. Thought I couldn't as Blue Dog's Mum would surely die with laughter if she heard.
Crossed darling harbour and up heartbreak hill to Norton St. Long, hot and steamy is not something I need during a marathon. The crowd at Norton St was fifteen deep and really perked me up a bit to get rolling down the hill back to the city. Caught up with Peter Truscott here as we moved back through the city onto Hickson Rd. Was passed by the 3:30 pacer near Pier One and remarked what time are you pacing? 3:30 on gun time. So was I, and as you see from my gun time he didn't wait for stragglers and was pacing way too fast.
Getting past the Passenger terminal I came across a woman playing a violin just before the CR cheersquad. Very nice. The cheer squad must have been a 100 deep as I went through and the noise was awesome. Thank you all. Even though I felt like crap and was running like a melting chocolate at that stage. Caught up to a Strider after the cheer squad and we ran to the finish together through the largest crowds I have ever seen at the finish. The noise was unreal and made you feel like the late Kerryn McCann entering the G at the end of the Marathon. Special as Bruce McAvaney would say. Go Cats!
Finished in 3:27.54 a new PW for a marathon. A second half split of 1:54.09. What a shocker. After passing the finish I felt a bit faint and the St Johns first aid people grabbed me and took me into the tent for heat exhaustion. Had my temp 1 degree over normal so they wouldn't let me out until that went down. So sat in the tent for 40 mins with ice on my neck and head. Felt great actually. Saw some real bad collapses while I was in the tent too. Not pretty. When I got out I made it off to get my medal and t-shirt which are better than 2 years ago. Had a brief stop at the Striders tent and then found Eagle and Seris walking over to the Orient Hotel so I joined the crowd there for post run drinks and food.
Spoke to Rags at the Orient and mentioned Boston was off as I needed a 3:20.59 to get the qualifier. But I am considering doing Hobart in January to do the qualifier. Thanks for everyones support out on the course and through reading the blog. Much appreciated.
I still can't walk properly as the calves and quads are still screaming at me.
The ITB was still sore while I stood on the start line near the 3hr pacers and Uncle Dave the 2:50 pacer. I felt ok for the first 10ks where I stayed with the 3hr group going through that in 42:15. But from entering the park at the drink station I found it difficult to get any drive out of my legs. They just felt dead and I wished I was at that stage too.
I reached the 14k in 1:00.20 which would mean I could be close to 3hrs if I could run all even splits back to the finish. Yeah sure! My pace was going by this stage and I was being passed by more and more runners. Between 14k and half way I struggled to keep the pace again. I was passed by one of the 3:15 pacers at the 22k mark. He was way too quick as Steve Hume the other 3:15 pacer didn't pass me until we crossed Darling Harbour. Half way was reach in 1:33.45. Only 3:45 off the pace I needed. My legs were not feeling good and I had to take the only GU I had one me at the 23k drink station. Lucky I use the GU's so just picked up others on the way when I needed them.
Struggled back towards the City being passed by Nando again after we swapped places outside CP. It was great to have CT, JT and Marty Doak talked to me along here as I was feeling like throwing in the towel the leg hurt so much. Thought I couldn't as Blue Dog's Mum would surely die with laughter if she heard.
Crossed darling harbour and up heartbreak hill to Norton St. Long, hot and steamy is not something I need during a marathon. The crowd at Norton St was fifteen deep and really perked me up a bit to get rolling down the hill back to the city. Caught up with Peter Truscott here as we moved back through the city onto Hickson Rd. Was passed by the 3:30 pacer near Pier One and remarked what time are you pacing? 3:30 on gun time. So was I, and as you see from my gun time he didn't wait for stragglers and was pacing way too fast.
Getting past the Passenger terminal I came across a woman playing a violin just before the CR cheersquad. Very nice. The cheer squad must have been a 100 deep as I went through and the noise was awesome. Thank you all. Even though I felt like crap and was running like a melting chocolate at that stage. Caught up to a Strider after the cheer squad and we ran to the finish together through the largest crowds I have ever seen at the finish. The noise was unreal and made you feel like the late Kerryn McCann entering the G at the end of the Marathon. Special as Bruce McAvaney would say. Go Cats!
Finished in 3:27.54 a new PW for a marathon. A second half split of 1:54.09. What a shocker. After passing the finish I felt a bit faint and the St Johns first aid people grabbed me and took me into the tent for heat exhaustion. Had my temp 1 degree over normal so they wouldn't let me out until that went down. So sat in the tent for 40 mins with ice on my neck and head. Felt great actually. Saw some real bad collapses while I was in the tent too. Not pretty. When I got out I made it off to get my medal and t-shirt which are better than 2 years ago. Had a brief stop at the Striders tent and then found Eagle and Seris walking over to the Orient Hotel so I joined the crowd there for post run drinks and food.
Spoke to Rags at the Orient and mentioned Boston was off as I needed a 3:20.59 to get the qualifier. But I am considering doing Hobart in January to do the qualifier. Thanks for everyones support out on the course and through reading the blog. Much appreciated.
I still can't walk properly as the calves and quads are still screaming at me.
8 comments:
Oh well, s#@t happens.YOu are still a youngster so you have plenty of running left in you.
Bad luck Flake. Keep chipping away matey.
Still a time to dream of for a few of us. Well done.
Plu
You had a good race going there Paul. At least you gave it a good shot. Real shame to pick up an injury going in.
Yep, go to Hobart, get the qualifier and then sub-3 at Boston!
Brave effort to lay it on the line like that Flake considering you went into the race with an injury. Take the time to get it treated and come back strong in 2010. Consistency in training and remaining injury free are the keys for getting the sub 3.
Don't give up on that Boston dream Paul.
At least you had a crack Flake, the day was tough and trying to get a sub three carrying a niggle is always going to be tough. Hobart sounds like a plan!
I know how you must have felt Paul. Sounds a bit like my experience in Chicago last year, relatively speaking of course. Not a bad PW though Paul! Hobart sounds like a good plan.
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