A Review of 2014

As 2015 starts I have reflected on 2014 and have these thoughts.

These started off with me recovering from the removal of my prostate in November 2013 due to cancer. For about 5/6 weeks after the operation I was focusing on exercises to get back for bladder control which thankfully quickly returned to normal. It was not until that was under control that I even thought about any running and that started early in January.

I had not run at all for about six weeks and it was a bit of a struggle at first but it didn't take long to be running comfortably although the distance were short and the pace was slow. I didn't have a lot of time as I had entered the Australia Day Marathon which is held near Brisbane on of course 26 January Australia Day. Training went well and despite the heat and extreme humidity I finished in a pleasing 4.07.

Two weeks later I ran the marathon at Caboolture. I find it a very difficult marathon, as it is 84 laps around the historic village starting at 6 PM on Saturday. I always struggle physically and mentally which was reflected in a 4.30 finish.

I won't go into the detail of each marathon I ran but will select the ones that were important or significant to me.

When the year started I wasn't sure how my running would go. I had daily radiotherapy for six weeks during February and March and the concern was what would be the side effects. General fatigue is a definite. While having the therapy I ran the Orange and Dolls Point marathons with no issues. That all came to an end in the Newcastle Marathon on 6 April. The weather was pleasant for about half the race could then heavy rain and wind started and continued all morning. I was running fine until about 16k when I became extremely fatigued and just could not run. My great friend Jane came along and said she would stay with me until the finish line. It was then I walk stumble progression until we finally finished last in 5.22.

I managed to regroup both mentally and physically and the following week was relief to run the Canberra Marathon on in 3.55. Boy what difference a week can make.

In the year I completed 25 marathons the most that I have ever run in any year. The previous highest was 18 in the previous year. I had last run under 3 .30 with a 3.25 at Canberra in April 2010. At the start of 2014 I don't think I had given up the dream of ever running under 3.30 again I just had not given it any thought as being a realistic goal. At one stage during the period my one aim when starting a marathon was to not run over 4.00 hours.

After camera I seemed to have gotten over the side effects of the radiotherapy and training proceeded with no injuries or niggles. The weekly total running was usually in the range of 80 – 100k and all good quality sessions. No runs over about 20 km but none under 10 km. There were a few marathons after the Canberra marathon and before the Macleay River Marathon. In fact the week before the McVeigh River Marathon on I ran the Glow Worm Marathon on in the worst time of the year of 7.11. I just cannot run trails and that time gave no indication of what was to come the following Sunday.

The Macleay River Marathon is for some reason one of my favorites. It is five hours drive north of Sydney but pleasant. The course is out and back and flat, flat and flat except for the 1k downhill at the start and of course the 1k uphill at about 40k is at the end. A 3.31 that was more than surprising and tantalizingly close to a 3.30.

Two weeks later at the Gold Coast Marathon with a vague thought at the start line that perhaps 3.30 was possible despite not having run that time for over four years. The whole marathon went perfectly finishing in a very very pleasing 3.26 with even splits on a pancake flat course.

Could there be more? Surely not!

The following weekend there was a low-key marathon at Dolls Point along the shore of Botany Bay. It is so different to the week before as in this marathon on there are not a lot of runners and for most of the time you're running alone. Surprise! Surprise! A 3.28 finish four consecutive weekends under 3.30. I couldn't make it three in a row, as the following weekend was a 3.35 on the tough Hunter Valley Winery Marathon.

But … the following weekend was the M7 Marathon at Blacktown. As usual it was a cold start with the course being the bike path next to he M7 Motorway and it is a tough course that rolling inclines most of the way. Not many flats. Nice …. 3.29.

From the Gold Coast Marathon on at the start of July to the Dubbo Marathon on at the start of September I ran 10 marathons in 11 consecutive weekends. On one weekend with no marathon and on another weekend a scent that a marathon running 4.25 and on the Sunday the Brisbane Marathon in 3.46.

The week after the double marathon I was off to the Glasshouse Mountains for 100 milers. I've had four consecutive between 2008 and 2011. I didn't run in 2012 as it clashed with the Sydney Marathon and so my streak of four ended. I was back in 2013 and in 2014 to start a streak again. I finished in 27 hours 21 minutes that was just three minutes slower than my PB.

Following weekend I lined up for the Sydney Marathon as a ‘Blue Line Legend’. Meaning I with a few others has run all of the Sydney Marathon since 2001. I finished in 3.31 despite having 100 miles in my legs from the weekend before to make it my 14th finish in a row for this marathon.

After the Sydney Marathon the marathon runs are held less frequently because of the warming weather and so I have a few weeks off before running the Western Sydney Marathon that is six laps around the International Rowing Centre at Penrith. Laps. Boring? My view is a marathon is 42.2k no matter how the course is set up it still the same distance.

I got into a good rhythm at the start and despite the weather becoming warmer I was able to hold it and finished in 3.24.49 !!!!

The following week was the Melbourne Marathon. At the start I decided I would aim for sub 325 and tried finished the year of with two consecutive marathons both under 3.25. This would be my 24th marathon on for the year and I thought I could run under 324 if I ran smart. That meant running as close to even split as I could but it is usual after 30k’s there was no guarantee that I could hold onto the pace. I went through halfway exactly on a 3.24.xx finish and knew that I had just over 100 minutes of pain and suffering if I was to achieve my goal. Most of the second half it is a blur and thankfully I finished with the best time of the year 3.24.28 and age group win in the biggest marathon held in Australia. It was one fantastic way to finish off the serious marathon running for the year.

Around one more Carcoar but it was more of a cool down than a serious run.

Summary

25 marathons started and completed

Quickest : 3.24.28 (Melbourne)

Slowest: 7.11 03 (Glow Worm)

2 under 3.25

3 between 3.25 – 3.30

5 between 3.30 – 3.45

6 between 3.45 – 4.00

9 over 4 hours