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Gold Coast Airport Marathon - RunMarathon


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Gold Coast, Queensland
Australia
20C / 68F
Sunny
Total Time = 4h 38m
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

4:30am
Got up, had a coffee and proverbial PB sandwich while on BT of course.
Slowly went through the checklist, put lots of vaseline on feet, taped the nipples, put on some sunscreen, made another coffee.
6:00am
Out the door on my folding bike to the convention centre to catch the shuttle bus. Nice cool morning, slow ride in the dark, parked the bike and the bus was already there.
Event warmup:

As we walked to the start area, we were surprised by the huge que to the tent where you leave your warm clothes. And it was moving really slow. While waiting, we(everybody)did some stretching and moving to be productive, but that's all.
Run
  • 4h 38m
  • 42.16 kms
  • 06m 35s  min/km
Comments:

This time I was serious to do 4:1 all the way from the start. While it was hard to do it from the beginning in the crowd, I managed without tripping anybody up. So from the beginning this passing people and getting passed was going on at nauseum.
Things were going as per plan for the first 3.5 hrs and I was thinking of cranking it up at the end. Sure there were highs and lows, but the pace stayed constant and I felt great.
Around 3.5 hr I noticed first signs of pre-cramping in the quads and limited the run time to 2min. After a while 2 min was too long and dropped it to 1 min. At the Runaway Bay turn around, with only few kms left, I couldn't run anymore. Every attempt was resulting in almost total lock up. This was the end of running till the finish line.

Crossing the finish line was dissapointing knowing I had a good shot at PB and while time is usually not my goal, walking/limping like this is not what I planned.
What would you do differently?:

First, I wore a t-shirt from a 10k race in Poland... Somehow I thought this would be OK since all the text on it was not in English. WRONG. You can't fool the Gods this easily. So the myth lives on and I won't make this mistake again.
Second, this Endura drink was new to me and it tasted awful. Maybe I wasn't drinking enough of it.
Post race
Warm down:

Nothing. Walked to the exit, picked up the medal and t-shirt, met my wife and the Little One, played in the park for a while, had a coffee and drove home.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The cramps (caused by the t-shirt and awful Endura drink of course).

I guess I should maybe say that inadequate training had something to do with the cramps, but I felt perfectly fine afterwards and, as I write this the next day, I feel no signs of running a marathon yesterday whatsoever! In fact, if it wasn't for not wanting to look like a freak in my wife's eyes, I could go for a longish run today...

Event comments:

Great race, a bit more quiet than the big Chicago Marathon, people are more focused, less fun/crazy activities, but fantastic venue and very well run event.


Profile Album


Last updated: 2010-07-02 12:00 AM
Running
04:38:00 | 42.16 kms | 06m 35s  min/km
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance: Below average
This time is from my watch and will be updated. Organizers use gun time, but if you start at the back of the crowd it will take good few minutes to get to the start.
Course: Flat as it gets. South to Burleigh Heads, turn around and North all the way to Runaway Bay, turn around and the last few kms back to Southport.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2010-07-04 3:01 PM

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Master
1609
1000500100
Gold Coast Australia.
Subject: Gold Coast Airport Marathon


2010-07-04 6:56 PM
in reply to: #2960806

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Extreme Veteran
393
100100100252525
, Queensland
Gold member
Subject: RE: Gold Coast Airport Marathon

Hey Markz!

Congrats on finishing!Smile
Once the cramps start, all plans go out the window so well done managing it through to the end. (I had this issue in '08)

I was there too. What a great morning (again). I went into the race with a crook Patellar Tendon and by 13km it was screaming so I pulled out - ie I just made it to Miami and had a long walk back to the start!

Might see you there next year and we can both try for the elusive PB!

KB

2010-07-04 9:19 PM
in reply to: #2960806

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Master
1609
1000500100
Gold Coast Australia.
Subject: RE: Gold Coast Airport Marathon
Thank you KB and sorry to hear about your injury.
Obviously you were in much worse shape than me to pull out. Well, there's always next year...
2010-07-04 11:19 PM
in reply to: #2960806

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Master
1915
1000500100100100100
Hamilton, Victoria
Subject: RE: Gold Coast Airport Marathon
Hey Mark,

Funny you mention the Endura, I actually heard a couple of others (I don't know them - just overheard) saying a simialr thing. Maybe it was mixed a little too weak. I usually don't have an issue with the stuff....

Anyway, well done on the finish and I hope to be linign up next to you next year!

2010-07-05 1:29 AM
in reply to: #2960806

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Master
1609
1000500100
Gold Coast Australia.
Subject: RE: Gold Coast Airport Marathon
Well, we'll have to drink something else then...
Looking forward to seeing you there!
2010-07-06 5:06 PM
in reply to: #2960806

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Extreme Veteran
555
5002525
Land of living sighs
Subject: RE: Gold Coast Airport Marathon
I know exactly what you mean about the quads...like two cement columns that even the Greeks couldn't deal with.
I should have worn a Polish shirt, then my Marathon time would have been closer to yours!
You got it done. What else is there to think about?


2010-07-09 4:03 AM
in reply to: #2960806

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Master
1609
1000500100
Gold Coast Australia.
Subject: RE: Gold Coast Airport Marathon
Thank you Terry. I might send you one of those to wear next time. But those 'columns' are no fun as you've experienced yourself...
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