Having battled injury for much of the year, I really wasn’t sure what my experience of Ross marathon would be like this year. But while my expectations were slightly lowered, I was still more excited about this event than the Murdoch Media are about new cases of coronavirus in Labor states (well done to the hundreds of thousands of people who signed the petition for a Royal Commission into media ownership too, by the way).
Aside from it being my first race (apart from pacing at Cadbury Marathon in January) for the year, it was also exciting for me because a huge number of my friends were running and I knew a couple of them in particular had been working really hard and were poised for some massive results.
We positioned ourselves right at the start line so we could get a clean take-off without going around anyone. I felt a little rude doing this but I tried to use our Scott Morrison's complete indifference to anyone other than himself as some kind of motivation (the only time you will ever hear me describe Scammo as an inspiration). I don't do this for larger races, but with a small field and wide start line I was pretty sure I wouldn't cause a roadblock for faster runners.
The race began and we streamed out of the town centre, taking a quick dogleg out onto Toom’s Lake Rd. My first kilometre had been a little quick, but not as silly as I sometimes run and I quickly settled into my race pace, enjoying the company of Marcus, Lewinski and Mick who were all keeping pace with me.
With flooded fields to our right and green hills rising to our left we began the long stretch of flat road, which composed about half of every lap. There was a mild northerly breeze that swirled around a bit and became a bit more apparent as we rounded the turning point and headed back towards town. By now we had formed up tightly into probably the largest group on the course, with nine or ten of us running together, which was more than I had expected in a field of under 100 runners.
Aside from it being my first race (apart from pacing at Cadbury Marathon in January) for the year, it was also exciting for me because a huge number of my friends were running and I knew a couple of them in particular had been working really hard and were poised for some massive results.
We positioned ourselves right at the start line so we could get a clean take-off without going around anyone. I felt a little rude doing this but I tried to use our Scott Morrison's complete indifference to anyone other than himself as some kind of motivation (the only time you will ever hear me describe Scammo as an inspiration). I don't do this for larger races, but with a small field and wide start line I was pretty sure I wouldn't cause a roadblock for faster runners.
The race began and we streamed out of the town centre, taking a quick dogleg out onto Toom’s Lake Rd. My first kilometre had been a little quick, but not as silly as I sometimes run and I quickly settled into my race pace, enjoying the company of Marcus, Lewinski and Mick who were all keeping pace with me.
With flooded fields to our right and green hills rising to our left we began the long stretch of flat road, which composed about half of every lap. There was a mild northerly breeze that swirled around a bit and became a bit more apparent as we rounded the turning point and headed back towards town. By now we had formed up tightly into probably the largest group on the course, with nine or ten of us running together, which was more than I had expected in a field of under 100 runners.
We finally made our way off Toom’s Lake Road and followed a series of smaller streets to the north of the town centre, before coming back along the Boulevards and down the main drag of Church Street. I embarrassed myself slightly when I tried to drop an empty bottle into a roadside bin (that wasn’t part of a drinks station) and missed from about a metre away. By the time I had thought I should probably stop and pick it up I had already run on about ten metres, so not without some guilt, I resolved to get it on the second lap.
We turned right as we approached the start line and took a slight detour over the historic bridge. The original course had intended us to go further in this direction, but that was before the overnight flooding. Without Moses in our group, there was no way of doing this without getting wet so we turned around straight after the bridge and headed back to the centre of town.
We turned right as we approached the start line and took a slight detour over the historic bridge. The original course had intended us to go further in this direction, but that was before the overnight flooding. Without Moses in our group, there was no way of doing this without getting wet so we turned around straight after the bridge and headed back to the centre of town.
Just before the end of the lap there was a delightful little bonus that no one asked for, with the course turning right again and running 100 metres up a gentle hill before coming straight back down and finally recrossing the start line for the start of the second lap. Hitting this hill for the first time wasn’t too bad, but there were some general misgivings within the group that this might be a different story at the end of the race.
Aside from feeling like one of the Grand Old Duke of York’s men, (having just been made to run to the top of a hill and then run straight back down again) I was feeling really great as we hit the second lap. I was thrilled to have a big group of runners to keep pace with and was appreciating the company just as much as the actual race advantage the group was giving me.
The wind felt just a little stronger as we struck out onto Toom’s Lake Road again so the group bunched closer together allowing me to spend some time tucked in behind other runners, letting them set the pace and take a little of the wind as well.
Aside from feeling like one of the Grand Old Duke of York’s men, (having just been made to run to the top of a hill and then run straight back down again) I was feeling really great as we hit the second lap. I was thrilled to have a big group of runners to keep pace with and was appreciating the company just as much as the actual race advantage the group was giving me.
The wind felt just a little stronger as we struck out onto Toom’s Lake Road again so the group bunched closer together allowing me to spend some time tucked in behind other runners, letting them set the pace and take a little of the wind as well.
I might have been concerned that I could get sucked along too fast doing this, but that was never a worry with Hayden looking at his watch more thoroughly than Christian Porter looks at his female staffers. As a result, any time our pace crept up, we knew about it straight away and were able to drop back to our target.
We zigzagged our way through the back half of the lap and were soon heading back along Church street once more. Sure enough my drink bottle was still lying on the ground like like a discarded national emissions policy, so I quickly detoured off the road and grabbed to drop in the next bin. It didn’t exactly count as my good deed for the day, but it did take away a sense of guilt for leaving a mess to begin with.
We finished our second lap a few minutes before the start of the half marathon event, which meant running through a throng (or at least a COVID-friendly sized mass of people, in case any authorities are reading this) of enthusiastic cheers. Unsurprisingly the conversation turned to how quickly the lead half marathon runners would chase us down, with most of us guessing sometime around the turnaround point at the end of the road, which turned out to be pretty close too.
We zigzagged our way through the back half of the lap and were soon heading back along Church street once more. Sure enough my drink bottle was still lying on the ground like like a discarded national emissions policy, so I quickly detoured off the road and grabbed to drop in the next bin. It didn’t exactly count as my good deed for the day, but it did take away a sense of guilt for leaving a mess to begin with.
We finished our second lap a few minutes before the start of the half marathon event, which meant running through a throng (or at least a COVID-friendly sized mass of people, in case any authorities are reading this) of enthusiastic cheers. Unsurprisingly the conversation turned to how quickly the lead half marathon runners would chase us down, with most of us guessing sometime around the turnaround point at the end of the road, which turned out to be pretty close too.
I was really rapt that none of my pre-race niggles had reared their heads too much by now, but I was beginning to feel a little bit of general soreness and a little less spring in my step. The group continued to carry me forward though, and I would have ideally run with them for much of the following lap as well. Unfortunately- much like a mining company on ancient culturally sensitive land- I blew everything up without really thinking of the consequences.
I tend to speed up approaching drinks tables so that everyone can spread out a little and we don’t get in each other’s way. However this time, when I came away from the table, I suddenly realised there was no one right behind me and the sounds of conversation were just a little further back than I was used to. I looked down at my watch, which said I was running on target pace, so I assumed the others would quickly catch up again, so I kept running without slowing.
But behind me the group was splintering like the Queensland Liberal National Party under Deb Frecklington. By the time we were heading back into town to start the final lap, we were strung out in ones and twos, thinking about how we would each tackle the last lap.
I tend to speed up approaching drinks tables so that everyone can spread out a little and we don’t get in each other’s way. However this time, when I came away from the table, I suddenly realised there was no one right behind me and the sounds of conversation were just a little further back than I was used to. I looked down at my watch, which said I was running on target pace, so I assumed the others would quickly catch up again, so I kept running without slowing.
But behind me the group was splintering like the Queensland Liberal National Party under Deb Frecklington. By the time we were heading back into town to start the final lap, we were strung out in ones and twos, thinking about how we would each tackle the last lap.
Luckily for me, Marcus had made an effort to catch me again so the two of us set off along Toom’s Lake for the final time. We tried to take a few turns taking the wind for each other, but most of the time we were running side by side chatting and telling each other how close to the end we were. Although the body was hurting more now, I was still pretty rapt that I felt relatively strong. We hit a gentle rise at about 35km and much as I was tempted to slow a little, I actually leant into it and picked up a slightly quicker pace, hoping to hold it to the end of the race.
Unfortunately, there are some things that people never remember properly. My wife can’t remember how hard the first three months of parenthood were; Liberal voters can’t remember the country was headed for a recession BEFORE the coronavirus pandemic; and marathon runners can never remember just how painful the last 5km of a marathon are. Sure enough, the pain came hard. I managed to grit my teeth and maintain my quicker speed through until about the 40km mark, but by then I was pretty close to empty and slowed a little as I turned onto the Bouleverds for the last time.
Unfortunately, there are some things that people never remember properly. My wife can’t remember how hard the first three months of parenthood were; Liberal voters can’t remember the country was headed for a recession BEFORE the coronavirus pandemic; and marathon runners can never remember just how painful the last 5km of a marathon are. Sure enough, the pain came hard. I managed to grit my teeth and maintain my quicker speed through until about the 40km mark, but by then I was pretty close to empty and slowed a little as I turned onto the Bouleverds for the last time.
Gabby gave me a massive rev up as I turned towards the bridge and once again as I hit the base of the little hill. I threw myself at the hill, but felt my legs slowing against my will as I neared the top. Eventually I hit the crest and turned gratefully to (sort of) sprint down to the finish.
It felt amazing to cross the finish line. I had fully expected to fade a lot worse than I did so I was quite surprised to have set a new PB (I was trying for it, but I hadn’t really expected to get it). I hung around in the sun for a long time afterwards, watching people finish and chatting with other finishers. It was amazing to see a number of my friends post unbelievable results too (all results here) so even if I hadn't been happy with my run, it still would have been a pretty great day.
As I drove back towards Hobart, I was still on a high and feeling really grateful for an amazing experience. In this crazy year, I was pretty lucky that this opportunity for a marathon had come up at all so I was extremely grateful to the organisers for putting in all the extra work required to make it happen. I also felt really grateful that my body had held together as well as it had and that I had been lucky enough to have such a great group to run with for nearly 30km.
It felt amazing to cross the finish line. I had fully expected to fade a lot worse than I did so I was quite surprised to have set a new PB (I was trying for it, but I hadn’t really expected to get it). I hung around in the sun for a long time afterwards, watching people finish and chatting with other finishers. It was amazing to see a number of my friends post unbelievable results too (all results here) so even if I hadn't been happy with my run, it still would have been a pretty great day.
As I drove back towards Hobart, I was still on a high and feeling really grateful for an amazing experience. In this crazy year, I was pretty lucky that this opportunity for a marathon had come up at all so I was extremely grateful to the organisers for putting in all the extra work required to make it happen. I also felt really grateful that my body had held together as well as it had and that I had been lucky enough to have such a great group to run with for nearly 30km.