Prelude

When it rains it can pour.  Maybe it’s luck, maybe it’s all the hard yards during the summer that are now paying off, maybe it’s my self developed training regime.  Managed to accomplish two major goals in recent weeks, namely a sub 50 minute City to Surf and a sub 75 minute half marathon at Blackmores, the latter being somewhat of a surprise on that course.  In between these, I managed to bag a 5km PB of 16:37 at parkrun.  So my form and confidence were good.  The only issue to solve was the large gap between Blackmores and JPMCC.  Needed to keep race sharp.  So I decided to give the Melbourne Half a crack as a “C” race.  Give it a shot and see what happens.  Not much to lose really.  Plus an opportunity to be in Melbourne with several other Hurts (and other) friends who were racing either the full or the half.

For once, I was pretty relaxed in the lead up but still made sure I optimised my training with a relaxed taper.  Indeed I was way more nervous watching Kipchoge the evening before during his sub 2 attempt!  Definitely inspiring.  His mantra is “no human is limited”.  Given my current form, why should I impose any limits on myself on race day?

Race Day

For the first time in years, the weather was close to ideal on Melbourne race morning.  Cool, partly cloudy with only a slight hint of breeze.  Felt decent enough in warm up, and said hi to the likes to Neil, Strommie, Lauren, Pete Truscott and a relaxed looking Tom Do Canto (eventual winner).   My race “plan” was literally to run as hard as possible for 21.1km.  Didn’t need to be any more nuanced than that.  Per usual, no looking at my Garmin.

The starting gun is fired and I find myself tucked in just behind Neil for the first km, feeling pretty good on the uphill.  Have I gone out too fast?  Onto St Kilda Road and I concentrated on finding a rhythm that was on the uncomfortable side of comfortable.  Neil pushes on further ahead and I’m already beginning to almost lose sight of Lauren who has gone off like Brigid Kosgei!  Was in a little pack which then proceeded to press ahead at a pace I thought was too quick so I let them go.  Two of them were wearing Nike Oregon Project singlets.  Interesting choice of attire I thought, given the events over the past week.  Wouldn’t it be funny if I managed to reel them in at some stage?

Into Albert Park I entered and initially I felt a slight tailwind.  Used this to push a bit and metre by metre, I was closing the distance on the pack that attempted to gap me a few kilometres prior.  Not that easy lads, I’m coming after you!  By the time I caught the first guy, the pack had disintegrated somewhat so I then focused on picking them off one by one.  Went through 10km feeling good, and definitely way better than last year.  Looking back, my split time was only a few seconds shy of my 10km PB.  A couple of confusing km markers appeared just after the pit lane drinks station but I didn’t let that phase me.  Having my name on my bib made a difference as plenty of spectators and volunteers shouted “Go Jeet” or words to similar effect, especially when I was running solo.  As did Strommie whom I saw at one of the turnaround points.

One of the NOP singlet lads that I had overtaken was now beginning to close on me as we exited Albert Park.  Once on my shoulder he says to me, “let’s get that guy ahead”.  To which I responded by picking up my cadence ever so slightly and we both proceeded to effect the overtake.  Onto St Kilda Road again, this time for the long journey back.  NOP singlet guy and I were pacing nicely.  I just hoped he didn’t tell me our race time as I honestly didn’t want to know.  With around 6km or so to go, I felt decent enough to pick up my cadence and make myself slightly more uncomfortable.  So I brushed NOP mate and went solo.  Only to find a bit further up the road a Striders singlet.  Was it Neil?  Looked like him but surely not?  Got a bit closer and it was him.  Obviously not having his best day but still running at a pace which could help me.  So I decided to track him and by the time we reached the tunnel, I made the overtake.  Fair play to Neil, who encouraged me to keep pushing to the finish line.  Knowing he was going to try and hunt me down kept me accountable, just what I needed as I was beginning to work really hard to maintain a decent pace.  Right hand turn, a slight incline and the crowd support is fantastic.  Then I hear a “Go Jeet” from a runner to my left.  Who is it?  Turn around and it’s none other than Hurts legend Steve Thurston who was around 6km from completing his debut marathon.  Working hard, but looking strong and running at an amazing pace.  I yell some words of encouragement to him, realising how important his marathon means to him.  This gave me another little burst of energy and I ran past another enthusiastic posse of volunteers manning a drinks station.  Have no idea what pace I’m running or what finishing time I’m in for, but with with only a couple of kilometres to go, it’s hammer time.

Right turn at Federation Square and I’m focused on maximising the very slight down incline towards the river level.  Making good progress but I had to weave through some slower 10km participants which was a bit annoying but not fatal.   Then focused on the bridge, knowing it was the final challenging part of the course.  Surely my hill training would come to the fore here?  But it felt like a struggle and it seemed to take forever to reach the top of the bridge.  Stumbled a bit on the downhill but regained composure once on tarmac.  Using the crowd support, I willed myself to the entrance point to the MCG.  Upon entering the hallowed turf, I was struck by the size of the spectator crowd.  Seemed way bigger than usual.  There was no sprint finish but I held my form sufficiently enough to cross the finish line in 74:29 net time and a top 25 overall finish.  A PB by 20 seconds from 4 weeks prior at Blackmores and another sub 75.  A smile on my face for sure, but no wild celebrations.

Congratulated Lauren immediately thereafter for her amazing 3rd place in mid 72s.  Then hung around to see the first bunch of marathoners cross the finish line, including Steve Thurston and Matt Ho who both smashed the 2:30 barrier to pieces.

Some seriously amazing performances from Hurts and other friends.  Too many to mention, but aside from Steve and Matt, Darren Jordan, Ben Streckeisen and Mike Lichtwark deserve special mention.  I’ve seen first hand some of the work that each of these guys have put into their training and am absolutely chuffed that each came away with PBs.  On the weekend where distance running history was created in both Vienna (Kipchoge) and Chicago (Kosgei), it felt like a privilege to create my own little piece of personal history in Melbourne and be a very small part of an amazing Hurts squad performance.  Sometimes I marvel at some of the serious running talent and commitment we have in the squad.

Definitely happy with my performance and finishing time, especially for a “C” race.  Another layer of confidence added.  If I’m hard on myself, there were a couple of instances when running solo where I may possibly have been able to push the pace a bit harder.  So who knows, maybe a sub 74 is possible.  Why?  Because this human is learning that he is not limited.