2019 Melbourne Marathon – Anthony Biggs
Being a 91kg, 6’3 marathon runner is almost an oxymoron.
At least it feels that way training with Hurts these last 10 years.
Having run the Homebush 10k in May and the Gold Coast Half in July, falling just short of a PB in both, I was still chasing a 2019 victory!
Enter Melbourne Marathon…
I decided to only enter this race 3-weeks prior, as I knew how much needs to be in place for a marathon PB.
4 month training block (check), 6 x long weekend runs (check), race prep (check), body injury free (check), race weight (always debatable)…sounds good enough to me.
I was confident in my ability to go sub 3hrs (sub 2.59.50), and this confidence was buoyed by the fact that my last 3 marathons had shocking weather – 2016 Melb (50km/h winds), 2017 Sunshine (50km/h winds), 2018 Melb (heat & humidity). Checking the BOM long range from 30-days out kept me confident, and arriving on race morning to 12c overcast weather, with <10km/h winds meant I had no excuses this time!
Shall I also mention that I dipped into the future-kids college fund to procure a pair Nike Next %’s…can you even line up in the front pack of a race today without a pair of lime green’s? I think not!
(P.S. finding a size 13 US pair of Next %’s is a marathon mission unto itself, I think Nike only manufacture 10 pairs globally).
Carb loaded, a belt stacked with 6 Maurten gels, Kipchoge sub 2hr inspired, I felt equipped and comfortable approaching the start line.
Following a national anthem about as in-sync as our Wallabies team, the countdown begins…5,4,3,2,1, Bang!
It’s Go Time!
Reminding myself to stay relaxed and on-pace for the first 10km I found my rhythm early.
As per usual, it didn’t take long for a 100 man train of runners to form behind me, using me as a wind breaker.
However, unlike Jack Rayner, Bernard Lagat et al, I didn’t have the luxury to popping off after 5km, so I ignored the chaos behind and focused on the challenge ahead.
Passing the 10km in 41.40, I immediately took a deep breath, relaxed the shoulders and shifted focus 21k.
Circumnavigating Albert Park felt easy, and the wrap-around bend at the F1 pit stop always wakes you up, given the swarm of ‘faster’ looking runners just behind.
The 3hr pacer wasn’t too far behind either, and I could already see the sub 3hr dreams of many fading as they struggled to keep pace.
Making my way towards the beaches of St Kilda, I knew the guts of the marathon was about to begin.
There’s just something mentally gruelling about the hour long ~16km of open, empty running that takes place between hour 1 and 2 in Melb.
Not feeling much fatigue in the legs, and breathing still under control, I told myself ‘all was going to plan’, ‘just keep executing!’.
I start to overtake some runners, and I find a small group of runners to keep pace with.
Another Maurten down, and I strike the half marathon line 87.50 minutes.
I do the quick maths in my head, and I tell group of runners with me “we’re on the home stretch”…tough crowd.
Personally, I find km 28 and km 32 to be the most mentally challenging in a Marathon, and both markers where I have fallen apart.
At 28km you have been running almost 2 hours, and you’re still stuck in the ’20 k’s’, whereas km 32 is where I believe the body wants to ’shut things down’.
Like clockwork, I struggle through these markers, and mentally had to dig very deep to keep my cadence up.
Km 28, “Only City2Surf ahead”, Km 32 “One lap of Lane Cove Park to go”. It’s remarkable how the mind can trick the body.
I hit the 35km mark in 2hrs 27, and I officially enter the hurt locker!
This is the place where nothing makes sense anymore, your confidence wavers, you question why you paid money for this, and you sign a ‘hold harmless’ agreement with yourself to never enter a marathon again.
As any marathoner knows, 35km is where the race well and truly begins, and I told myself I simply have one ‘Park Run’ to get through.
With my min/km pace wavering, I was still on-pace, but I knew the arrival of the botanical garden hills could be a KO hit.
KM 37, first hill and I clock through in a 4min36. ‘Don’t panic Anthony’.
KM 38, 4min15, ’Success, we’re back on track!’.
KM 39, another hill, 4min26, again ’no reason to panic Anthony’
KM 40, 4min21. As Chubbs said in Happy Gilmore “Just tap it in”…2.2km to go, send it home!
Vision blurry, legs hurting, breathing laboured, I entered as many a marathoner knows what’s called the ’supernatural state’.
That state of being where your mind goes into survival mode, and you force your legs to disregard this ‘temporary’ pain.
The Garmin hits 2hrs 57min and I’m still well outside the MCG. What’s going on?
2 hrs 58mins and I step foot on the MCG grass!
The sweet, soft, perfectly cut natural turf brings new life to my Next %’s and I speed up to a 3min40/k pace for the final 400m of the G.
Elated that a PB was meters away, I pump my fists and tear up that contract to never do this again!
2 hours 59 minutes 13 seconds, I cross the line in a 37 second PB.
The run slows to a shuffle, the shuffle turns to exhaustion, and the exhaustion throws me to the floor.
Mission Accomplished. A PB for 2019 was achieved!
Many running folk along with finish time apps estimated a 79min Half (my PB) at a sub 2hr55min time, but they ignore the extra strains of pushing a bigger unit I think!
Therefore, next goal, sub 2hr59….#INEOS259
Time to hang up the shoes for the year, and get back to my natural state in an aquatic environment!
One thought on “2019 Melbourne Marathon – Anthony Biggs”
What an entertaining play by play! Well done B!! SO so proud of you x