2001 SYDNEY MORNING HERALD HALF MARATHON REPORT    

Date:               Sunday 27^th May 2001

Location:         Sydney.  Start/Finish: Under Sydney Harbour Bridge

Well, I’d never thought that I would be running a half marathon across the other side of the world, in Sydney, Australia! 

Having managed to put in an average run (5-10K) in each country I have travelled in and nearly each town (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia), it was great to finally have some kind of training programme and a goal to aim towards.  It is also an ideal climate at the moment in Sydney compared to the tropical heat I have been running in as it is winter. 

 So an adapted training programme taken from the Australian Runners World Magazine was used.  The only problem was that a flat run that I planned to do once a week is almost impossible!  Every run in Sydney was a hill training session – finding a flat route is a no go. 

Sunday 27^th May arrives and I have been so excited about this race but excitement fades as the alarm goes off at 5.30am – ugh!  The sun is out, the sky is blue, it is chilly (probably warm if compared to England!) and it is too early in the morning!

 I arrive nice and early – time to prepare and wake up.  The start of the race is just under Sydney Harbour Bridge (on the City side) where 4,000 runners will start to pound the streets of Sydney.  I check out the runners as they arrive and I am realising that every runner is a club runner and they all look very good.  Plus it is testosterone city – probably two thirds men and one third women competing.  Must say, didn’t notice any other Windle Valley Runner club vests – I think that got people thinking.  The race had a time limit on it - you had to run 15K in a maximum time of 100 minutes otherwise you were pulled out of the race hence why there were probably so many club runners.

 Although my goal was 1 hour 40 mins, I just wanted to run a PB.  My last half marathon was the 2000 Wokingham race which I ran in 1 hour 48 mins.  I felt confident and the whole Sydney atmosphere was very motivating and the conditions perfect.  I just wish I had the Windle Valley team with me. It was weird running by myself without WVR although I did have some friends to support me.

 Lined up and ready to go at 7.30am by the Harbour Bridge.  The start was very slow for the first couple of miles.  Similar to the London Marathon – there are so many people crammed into a small street that you have no choice but to go slow or just weave in and out.  But as the race got going, so the runners spread out and I went into my own world and established a comfortable pace.

 The route took us through the city past the Opera House, down by the Botanical Gardens on the harbour to Mrs Macquaries Chair then back through the city – two laps in total.  It was undulating at times especially through the city.  The hills seem to come in all the wrong places where it hurt the most!  The blue Olympic marathon line appeared on some of the roads too which I made a point of running on. 

I felt confident after the first lap that I could run it in 1 hour 40 mins, but as I started the second lap and started hitting the hills, I knew that this goal would not be reached!  But as usual, as the last 3k’s came up, I had a second burst of energy and set my sights on those people that had overtaken me – I wanted to get them back!  So I started striding and overtook those that I had my beady eye on.  I wish I had had that burst of energy earlier on.

 There was a great turn out of people supporting all the way and the crowds increased as the finish approached and I sprinted across the line.  My time was 1 hour 44 mins – I was satisfied!  Not sure of my exact place, but I think I was about 1600^th.

 We each received a medal and a bag of goodies.  As I picked up my bag and lady came up to me and thanked me for pulling her along at the end which I was completely unaware of.  She said she had her sights set on me but could not catch me up.  I think we all had our sights set on someone at the end! 

It was great to run this race in such a lovely city.  The afternoon was spent drinking wine by the harbour, walking along the coast with the city in the distance and then eating fish and chips while watching the sun set (nice healthy recovery meal!).  Can’t complain!  Apart from the sore, stiff muscles the next day which required an emergency massage that was just as painful.  But it did the trick as the next day I was back to normal. 

The next race is the City to Surf, a 14K race which has more like 40,000 runners – a big event at the beginning of August.  Only 14K but with some nasty hills in it.  The Sydney Half will definitely be in the calendar for next year and I know I am determined to run it in 1 hour 40 mins. 

Just want to say thanks to: 

Justine who was my biggest supporter and who dragged herself out of bed to come along and take photos.  She’s a star!

Kate and Dec who also dragged themselves out of bed to come and cheer me on at the finish line but they never saw me!

And Craig, my training partner and motivator – thank you.  It was the first time he has run this distance and he completed it in 1 hour 38 mins – he was gone for dust!  Keep up the training – you will go a long way.

For more info on the race and the route, go to their website: www.smh.com.au/halfmarathon