The Running Marketer

The Sydney Marathon is done and dusted. I am proud of myself for having done a very hard thing. I’m also proud of myself for recognising running for nearly 6 hours and having 3+ hour training runs is not something I enjoy or want to repeat.

But I did it.

The race stats

Time: 5:56:36
Pace: 08:28/km
Finished at: 14:02
Place: 30,325th of 39,148
Training run distance: 556.55km
Total time spent training (run and strength sessions): 90:33:40

Walks, bike rides, and mobility/stretch sessions aren’t counted in this.

The photo story

We’re ignoring quality in these photos. I was running 42.195km, well, running and walking. Either way, I was not trying for quality. Some of these were taken to share with the 7 Minute Pace Club during the race, and especially Bec, Michelle, Erin and Tayla who were texting me encouragement. I adore the entire Wednesday night run group at Runners Paradise, but especially the 7 Minute Pace Club.

I also didn’t meant to create this article while taking the photos, so it’s a little random.

Flying to Sydney

Who chose the carpet design in the Virgin Australia terminal? It depicts a biohazard.

But we made it through without hazmat suits to find the plane.

The Running Show

I needed to collect my bib and finishers shirt from the expo. First stop was finding my name down the bottom of the wall. All the way down the bottom. There were a LOT of names.

With the bib and shirt collected (no photos), we walked through and saw the very pretty marathon edition shoes that don’t work for my feet. Also, the highest quality photo from those taken with my phone. I like this one.

This made me laugh. Sure the Sydney Marathon has the most elevation of any Major, but have you tried doing a long run in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs?

Carb loading

Dinner was Pad Thai from a vegan Thai restaurant around the corner from our hotel. James said the spring rolls were some of the best he’s ever had, but I didn’t take a photo of those.

And then it was bedtime.

The Sydney Marathon

The start line was a little underwhelming and anti-climatic. It was shuffle around this corner and off you go.

No photos while crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, even though the steel beams from underneath look amazing. But I was trying to use the early downhill to hit a half marathon PB, so the first on course photo is from a boring hill.

I loved how many drink stations were on course. I didn’t love how the spilled Powerade made my shoes stick to the road. I also didn’t like how much waste was created. Thanks to the volunteers who cleaned it and scraped gel packets and cups from the road. Bonus kudos to the person who put a drink station outside a Dan Murphy’s.

The course looped back around under the Harbour Bridge.

And I saw a koala.

I missed a road half marathon PB by a few minutes. Kind of impressive when the PB was set at Ballarat and that course is essentially flat.

Things got a bit hot on the way back. I sent this to James suggesting I just meet him at the airport instead of finishing the race. He replied with a smiley face emoji, but never said yes.

Even though listening to Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green was filling the time, I needed the text messages to keep me going. In Moore Park, Michelle sent me a funny story about her husband asking to be picked up “under the tree”, assuming she would know which tree in a huge park. So I sent her back this photo. Seems that was actually ‘the tree’. I still need to talk with her because my random photo seems too much of a coincidence. Update: yes, this is ‘the tree’.

Then, I texted Michelle asking advice about my very puffy hands.

Erin sent a text, not knowing I had switched to AirPods to read me the texts. There’s something about having the encouragement read to you. I got emotional.

With more messages, and more running, and the rest of Everything is Tuberculosis, and some beautiful downhill to the line, I was done. I had run a marathon.

The next day

Then it was back on a plane.

To recovery at the gym.

Wednesday night with Runners Paradise

This was a surprise. I knew there would be mention during the shop run because the Runners Paradise team celebrates everyone’s success. I wasn’t expecting the 7 Minute Pace Club to take over with a cake party.

Thank you

Sheesh, where do I start? This definitely wasn’t a solo effort and it’s been 16 weeks of work. More, if you count this week.

James deserves all the praise and acknowledge. Best husband ever. Bec and Michelle for all, well, of everything. And the rest of the 7 Minute Pace Club. And the Runners Paradise team and Wednesday night runners. Oh, I missed my non-running friends who sent messages including a “Did you die?”.

Then just another photo because this medal is beautiful.