Tag Archives: marathon

Aug 17 2012

do as I say, not what I do…

I did it again. Two weeks before a marathon, I ran a half marathon. And my left Achilles tendon didn’t feel right, but I didn’t quit. And now I’m hoping for recovery and to be able to go out a few times before the big M.

Why I didn’t quit…?

  • The no quitting philosophy
  • First race in new age group
  • Actually finished the 13.1 mi in a decent time , 1:30 . 3rd in my age group (M50-54)

So now chances are that I won’t run Chevron CityToSurf Marathon Perth if my left ankle isn’t in decent condition. Won’t know until race day…

Jun 19 2012

The 3H30M bus arrived on time

What a day for running! Beating the forecast (a few showers during the morning) weather was cool, almost no wind and no rain. The sun even came out to warm up the cheerful crowd.

As one of the winners said during the awards ceremony, this is a race organized by runners who know what they are doing. Marshals and volunteers were great. And to be honest, prices and raffle were above average value. Thanks to the sponsors

Once again, a wonderful experience. Kudos to the volunteers, marshals and the cheerful crowd, made the effort worth every km. The weather was awesome, it never rained and the course was fairly dry.

I had a failed attempt at organizing the 3H30M pace group. I was told the Marathon Club (WAMC) would have balloons or signs for me to carry, but there were none available. I was almost late to race start, so there wasn’t much I could do about it… My bad..!

We were just a few in the group when we started. Some joined along the course, and all dropped off, at different times. I admit to starting a bit fast. By mid point I was 2 minutes faster than goal, mainly because of the faster pace during the first 5 km. However, I held a more constant 5M/km pace (+/- 5 sec) and finished the race in 3H29M18S.

A trivia nugget: I helped a mate 500 m before the finish line. He was stopping and cheered him up to start running again, and together we crossed the finish line. Funny, ends up we are in the same age group and share EXACTLY the same final time! So that was the 3H30M bus accomplishment of the event.

Maybe next time, if I’m not ready to try a new PB… I’ll take another stab at pacing a group.

Congratulations to all finishers! Y’all did great!

If you want to see some more pictures, go to Dash Photography (link to my pictures)

Jun 9 2012

Join the 2012 Perth Marathon 3hr 30min group (5 min/km pace)

Hi to all.

I invite you to join the group to run and finish the 2012 Perth Marathon in just under 3 hours and 30 minutes. That’s a 5 min/km pace.

I’ll lead the group, but encourage any experienced marathon runners to join me and lead the group. THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT !

If you want to join, please post a short note and we will meet at the start line.

This is my first time leading a pace group. I’ve run 12 marathons. Most of them under 3:30. My PB is 3:12. This time my goal is to hold a steady 5min/km pace and finish slightly under 3:30.

Marathon running can be fun, especially if you are running in a group with the same goal. Join us!

Don’t forget

Sign up and read basic race information in the WAMC website.

The Plan

The Perth Marathon is a very flat but narrow course. During the very first part, it is a bit convoluted with a few tight turns. But for us mere mortal runners, that doesn’t make much of a difference. The plan is fairly simple (depending on the weather):

  • Run the first few km at a 5:10 pace to warm up. Allow the pack to decompress after the start without getting dragged into the wrong pace.
  • Slowly sink into the 5:00 +/- 10 sec . The goal here is to focus on getting into a good rithm and conserve energy. Enjoy the feeling of strength as you are not letting the horses free yet.
  • After the turn around point (I think it is a bit beyond mid marathon point), focus on keeping the pace under 5:00, hopefully at 4:50
  • The wall for me has always been the part of the run along the Kwinana Freeway. It breaks you down if you are alone and tired.
  • For the brave, negative splits after Narrows Bridge, building speed towards the finish line. Speed depending on how much juice you have left.

Stay tuned and come back often for more.

Gilly

Course Map

Perth Marathon course map