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Jonathon's Racing Attacks and Adventure Packs!

Amazing racing and training adventures on roads and mountainous/hilly TRAILS, freewaybikehike and triathlons. Dreams of a SIX FOOT 45km finish,(DONE 2011,2013,2014,2015!),then ULTRA-TRAIL AUSTRALIA (50km DONE 2016! 100km DONE 2018!!!), memorable Melbourne Marathon and Gold Coast racing. Over a decade dreaming of a SUB 3HR MARATHON, sub 18min 5k, sub 38min 10k, sub 90min Half marathon etc...(shattered? or still realistic?)

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Location: Perth, Western Australia, Australia


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42.2km SB; 2004; 3.55 2005; 4.02 2006; 4.18, 2007; 4.10 2008; 3.55
2009; 4.11 2010; 4.05 2011; 4.02 2012;3.49 2013; 4.12 ... 2014; ; 4.08 ...2015; 4.00
2016; 4.11 2018; 4.15 2019; 4.25 2020; 5.38 ... 2021; 5.44 ... 2022 DNF at 37km
More ongoing GOALS;
***PB's pursuit; 5k 21.49, 10k 41.01 21.1k 1.41, ...42.2k 3.49

MM and the G!...

In recent years I have been enjoying races like;
December; 6-INCH(46km offroad)2005;--6 hrs 25 min...
2006; 7hrs 04 min 2008; 7hrs 00min...2009; 6hrs 16min
...2010:--5hrs 49min..2011:---5hrs 30min..2013---7 hrs 24min... 2014--- 7 hrs 06min 2015--6hours 43min ...2016---6hours 41min... 2017--7hrs 3min?... 2018-7hrs ... 2020 8hrs 19 ... 2021 8hrs 51
October; Melbourne Marathon 2007; 4hr 10 . 2008 DNF at 23km..
2009 4hrs 11. 2010 4hrs 05min...2011;4hrs 02min...photos
2012; 3hrs 49min 52secs PB!... ..2013; 4.12 2014; 4.08 2015; 4.05... 2016; 4.53
Rottnest Marathon 2004; 4hr 32min ... 2013; 4hr 16min... 2019; 4hr 41min 59secs
August; City to Surf most years since 1997 see HERE for details,photos.
PERTH C2S PB's; 4K;17min 25 (2002) 12K;52min 52 (1997)
21.1K;1.54.20 (2007) 42.2K; 4.00.20 (2015) (2010 video..45secs into it)
Perth City to Surf Marathon finisher 2009,2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019.
June/July;
GOLD COAST; 2012 HALF; 1.44 2013 HALF; 1.47 2014 HALF 1.49
2015 4.11 ..., 2016 4.11..., 2019 4.25
PERTH Marathon(42.2km)
2004; 3hrs55min
2005;--4 hrs 02 min. 2006; 4hrs 18min 2007;4hrs 33
2008; 3hrs 55 2009; 4hrs 41min 2010; 4hrs 30min
2011; 4hrs 12min 2012; 4hrs 6min 2013; 4hrs 19min 2014 4hrs 48min 2018 4hrs 15min
2019; 4hrs 28min
2021 5hrs 44min
May; Ultra TRAIL AUSTRALIA;
2016 50km 9 hours 50min 956th
2017 100km DNF CP4 57km
2018 100km 24hrs 33min 15 913th
2019 100km DNF CP3 46km 2021 CP2 DNF (severe back injury)
April;TWO DECADES of Bridges racing; 1997; 43min 43 1998; 41min 01
1999; 47min 29 2000; 46min 47 2001; (5km) 30min 01 2002; (5km) 22min 48
2003; 42min 40 2004; 48min 50 2005; 44min 40 2006; 48min 07 2007; 49min 16
2008; 50min 42 2009; 49min 54 2010; 48min 39 2011; 52min 55 2012; 47min 02 2013; 54min 45 2014; 48min 47 2015; 49min 53 2016 52min 20
March;6 Foot Track 45km;
2011; 6.53 2013; 6.54 2014; 6.47
2015; 6.14!!! 2016 DNF


As of October 2022; 37 road marathons finished (Perth x14, Melbourne x9,Perth City to Surf x7 Gold Coast x3 Rottnest x3 SunsetCoast x1)
Have also finished 20+ ultra races; 6 inch 47km ultra finished 12 times, six foot 45km ultra 4 times, Ultra Trail Australia ultras 2 times, Truth 50km ultra once within cutoff (and once outside cutoff), Lark Hill 50km ultra, 6hour track race, 24hr track race.
Also completed the Bloated Goat 31km (1500m Vertical gain) 2 times which is similiar effort to a 46km ultra.
DNFs in UTA100km, WTF50miler, WAMC40miler race, Truth 50km, Six foot and 6 inch.
The first 3 DNFs were after covering more than 42km, and with Truth one was a 25km DNF and the first one I finished the full 50km but was 19minutes outside cutoff battling an ankle injury for 36km.
In road marathons 3 DNFs one at 23km in the 2008 Melbourne Marathon due to severe ankle injury in the first 1km, and PC2S @ 30km, also 2022 Perth Marathon at 37km too fat and slow

Most races October 2009-October2020; >
30/10/2020 50th John Gilmour 10,000m track race 58min
20/09/2020 XTR Sunset Coast Marathon (#36) 5.38
30/08/2020 Fat Lamb PTS 20km
02/08/2020 Perth Half Mara 2.04
11/07/2020 Jumbuck PTS 3.39
08/03/2020 Darlington Half Marathon 2.07
01/11/2019 John Gilmour 10,000m Track race 51min
06/10/2019 Perth Marathon 4hrs 28min. #13 see here
01/09/2019 Rotto Biddi 3hrs.09.44
25/08/2019 City 2 Surf Marathon 4hrs 48min
17/08/2019 TW Parkrun 5km 24.29 (5th)
3/08/2019 Truth 50km DNF (at 25km in 4hrs 26min)
28/07/2019 RunMelbourne Halfmarathon 2hr 03min
21/07/2019 Champion Lakes R2R Halfmarathon 1hr 55min (32nd)
7/07/2019 Gold Coast Marathon 4hrs 25min
16/06/2019 Rottnest Marathon 4hrs 42min
18/05/2019 Ultra Trail Australia 100km DNF at 46km (CP3) 8hrs 58min
17/03/2019 Fat Lamb 20km 3hr 29min 49th of 70
02/03/2019 Lark Hill 25km 3hr 54 (Night race forgot headlamp)
24/02/2019 Swissmurdie 2hr 35
09/02/2019 Busselton Half marathon 2.13 (Late start actually 2.05)
20/01/2019 Chi Gong 1hr 58 134th of 158 finishers
16/12/2018 6 inch 47km 7hrs (12th finish)
21/10/2018 Rottnest Half 2hr 03 min
16/09/2018 Fremantle Half 1hr 58min
04/07/2018 Truth 25km 3hrs 11min 55 (PTS)
24/06/2018 Eagle 22km 2hrxx(59min officially, but 43min on my watch as started late)
17/06/2018 Perth Marathon 4hrs 15min
19/05/2018 Ultra-Trail Australia 100km 24hrs 33min 15secs 913th of 964 finishers
218 withdrawals
03/03/2018 Lark Hill 50km
17/12/2017 6 inch 48km 7hrs
06/08/2017 Truth 50km 8hrs 22min 59
16/07/2017 Jolly Jumbuck 21km 2hr 54min (94th of 129)
02/07/2017 King of the Mountain 16km 1hr 41min
20/05/2017 Ultra-Trail AUSTRALIA 100km DNF (at 58km and 10hours 38min)
26/03/2017 Bloated Goat 30km 5hr 18min
18/12/2016 6 inch 48km 6hrs 41min
16/10/2016 Melbourne Marathon 4hours 53min
25/09/2016 WTF 50 miler DNF at 55km
14/08/2016 Truth 50km DNF at 25km
3/07/2016 Gold Coast Marathon 4.11
14/05/2016 Ultra Trail Australia 50km 9 hours 50min
3/4/2016 My 20th consecutive Bridges fun run 10km 52.20 (hammy strain)
12/3/2016 Six Foot Track DNF at 30km 5 hours.
---------------------- 20/12/2015 6 inch 47km 6 hours 43min
15/11/15 Bloated Goat 30km Trails race (1600m Vert) 5hrs 43min
18/10/15 Melbourne Marathon 4.05
13/09/15 Fremantle 10km 47min 22
30/08/15 Perth City to Surf Marathon 4 hours 00min 20 secs.
05/07/15 GCM 4.11
24/05/15 R4R Half Marathon 1hr 46min 13secs
12/04/15 Bridges 10km 49min 53secs.
04/04/15 Perth Trail Series Truth & Consequences 50km ULTRA 8hours 49min
14/03/15 Six Foot Track 45km 6hrs 14min 11secs Smashing PB!!! (32min)
21/12/14 6 inch Trail 47km 7hrs 06min 30secs
12/10/14 Melbourne Marathon 4hrs 8min (8th fastest marathon in 25 finished)
14/09/14 Fremantle 10km 49min 26 (first K 3.47 5k split 23.02)
31/08/14 Perth City to Surf 42.2k 4hrs 34min
06/07/14 Gold Coast Half Marathon 1.49
15/06/14 Perth Marathon 4.48
01/06/14 Elleker Half Marathon 1.59.
21/04/14 40 miler DNF (28miles)
06/04/14 18th Bridges 10km 48min 47secs...since 1997
08/03/14 6 Foot Track 45km 6hrs 47min 02. (824th) A PB!!! :-)
09/02/14 Snakes and Ladders 15km 2.05
15/12/13 6 inch Trail Ultra 7.24
27/10/13 Rottnest Marathon 4.16.41
13/10/13 Melbourne Marathon 4.12.55
25/08/13 Perth City to Surf Marathon 4.13.28
11/08/13 Perth Half Marathon 1.54.05
28/07/13 Fremantle 10km 50.06 (very sick but first 1k in 3.55)
07/07/13 Gold Coast Half Marathon 1.47.29

16/06/13 Perth Marathon 4hrs 19min 55secs
My 10th consecutive Perth Marathon...Click to see -> how I became a SPARTAN...

19/05/13 Joondalup Half Marathon 1hr 58min 26secs 310th of 495.
07/04/13 Bridges 10km 54min 45seconds.
09/03/13 6 Foot Track 45km 6 hours 54 minutes 20 seconds. 740th of 804...blog post or ...photos! page.

24/02/13 Perth Trail Series Qi Gong 14km 1hr 37min 04 Placed 79th of 117 finishers.
09/02/13 Busselton Half Marathon 1hr 51min 58 secs 219th. full Busso results here
02/11/12 John Gilmour 10k track 47.17 ..see here
14/10/12 Melbourne Marathon 3hrs 49min 52secs ..(777.)
16/09/12 Fremantle 10km 47min 16
26/08/12 City to Surf Marathon 4hrs 42min 41 secs
15/07/12 Lake Joondalup 10km 47min 30.
01/07/12 Gold Coast Half Marathon 1hr 44min 49 secs. 1668th of 9035 finishers

17/06/12 Perth Marathon 4hrs 6min .. (post and photos here)
20/05/12 Joondalup Half Marathon 1hr 47min 01secs. (151st of 313 finishers)
15/05/12 Masters 5000m 21min 58secs
13/05/12 Bunbury Half Marathon 1hr 46min 45 secs. (76th of 240 finishers)
22/04/12 PTS Ellis Brook 21.8km trails race 3hrs 12min 28secs. 39th.
01/04/12 Bridges 10km 47min 02
25/03/12 17.3km (690m ascent) Swissmurdie trails race 2hrs 19min 17secs 54th of 60.
20/03/12 MastersWA 1500m in 5.56, 100m in 14.3, 400m in 76.4, 5000m in 23.33.
26/02/12 WAMC Swan Twilight 5km 24.32
26/02/12 Perth Trail Series Qi Gong 14km 1hr 44min 08 secs 70th of 102.
04/02/12 Busselton Half Marathon in 1hr 49min 31 secs.
18/12/11 6 inch 46km 5hrs 30min PB!
09/10/11 Melbourne Marathon in 4hours 02minutes 49secs...photos...

12/09/11 Fremantle 10km in 45minutes 50 secs.
7/8/11 Perth Half Marathon in 1hr 47min 46 secs.
17/7/11 Lake Joondalup 10km in 46min 33secs.
19/6/11 Perth Marathon in 4 hours 12min 54secs (351st of 547.)
12/6/11 Lake Monger 10km in 48min 09secs
22/5/11 Bunbury Half Marathon 1hr 51min 44secs 109th of 261 finishers
10/4/11 Bridges 10km 52min 55
12/3/11 6 foot 45km in 6hrs 53min 07 secs...819th...of 877...33 DNF's...4 outside 7hr cutoffRace Report and race photosPre & post race photos,initial ELATION
Note; Completing 6 foot is a major goal achieved which I have had in mind since 2005!!!!!!!

4/3/11 3000m in 12min 40 (19th of 19 finishers)Momentum building a little,sub 13 done! :-)
18/2/11 5000m in 23min 31 (20th of 20 finishers...4 DNF's)..results
5/2/2011 21.1km Busselton Half in 1hr 51min 41 secs for 124th of 218 finishers.
19/12/10 46km 6 inch trails race in 5hr 49min (63rd of 79 finishers)
10/12/10 5000m in 22.43 18th of 18!
5/11/10 John Gilmour 10,000m in 47min 36. (23rd of 31)
10/10/10 Melbourne Marathon 4hrs 5min...2895th of 5027 finishers...
12/9/10 Fremantle 10km in 46min 53...a big SB and my best time since 2005!
29/8/10; 42.2km in 4hrs 15min for 537th of 830 finishers...my 6th best of 12 M. finishes.
19/8/10; 5000m in 22min 06.0 secs (SB by 0.6 of a second, & Stan did a SB also that night)
22/7/10; 5000m in 22min 06.6 secs. (SB and 17secs off my track PB)
20/6/10 Perth Marathon in 4.30.
13/5/10; Masters 2000m 7.55 (first sub 8min run since 2005) & 5,000m 22.42
22/4/10; Masters 800m 2.46 & 5,000m 22.29!~(2nd best ever track 5,000m, track PB is 21.49,)
3/4/10; Australian Masters 35-39yrs; 4th in 1500m 5min 34secs. see here...
28/3/10; Bridges 10km in 48min 39secs. 388th of 1646
25/3/10; 300m in 47.6, 600m in 1.57.0 100m in 14.6
18/3/10; Masters 1500m in 6.03 & 10,000m in 49min 35
28/2/10; 4th place in 6 hour Track Race at Coker Park; 45.003km
6/2/10; Busselton 21.1km in 1hr 52min 50 secs
20/12/09;6 inch 46km 6hrs 16min
15/11/09; Peninsula 5km 22min 5225th of 73.
6/11/09; John Gilmour 10km 48min 39
11/10/09; Melbourne Marathon 4hrs 11 min 33 secs
4/10/09; Freo funrun 5km in 22min 53 secs
... ...
2011; 5hrs 30min 6 inchPB!! 2012; 3hrs 49min PB(Melbourne Marathon)!!2014; 6hrs 47min PB! @ 6 foot!

The next big things racing wise maybe;


6 inch 47km
on 20th December @ 0430hrs, countdown (activated a few days before?) is;


Kathryn and I welcomed our daughter K into the world May 2015 A.D.!

Kathryn and I welcomed our daughter J into the world June 2010 A.D.!
Kathryn and I welcomed our son J into the world in late July 2007 A.D.!
Our challenge is to be good parents with the Creator Gods help!



... 2004 ...2005 ...2006 ...2007... >...2008...2009...2010 ...2011... 2012.

but for the most important thing in life;
there is only 2 ways to live!...Bible Gateway...

Thursday, July 10, 2014

a 1.49 Gold Coast Seasons Best Half Marathon 2012,2013,2014

On 6th July 2014 Anno Domini I ran 1 hour 49 minutes and 21 seconds in the Gold Coast half marathon. It is my best time this year for this distance so a genuine SB or Seasons Best (as of July 2014), and my first 5km in 22min 55 seconds is also my fastest 5km so far this year. Was fantastic to have a good race plus get another sub 1.50 result on the board, and enjoy the amazing location afterwards. Went after PB pace early on, targeting something around the 1.40 mark, but was not well trained enough to sustain the pace beyond 7km which I reached in 33min 08 secs (see garmin data...By 8km (38.20) I was a few seconds adrift of PB pace (1.41.07 in the 2005 Fremantle Half Marathon), and my second fastest 10km this year of 49.23 continued the trend of running about 20-50 seconds per kilometre slower than I needed for a PB. my 13th Km in 4.56 and 21st Km in 4.58 were the only other kilometres in the race where I managed to go under 5 minutes per Km after doing so for 6 of the first 7 K's.
...
At the beginning of this year I would have been aiming for a new PB around the 1.29-1.39 mark for this race, and anything up to 1.49 would be a decent time maintaining the status quo. A 1.50-2.05 would be a good solid run, but disappointing. However as in 2013, as I anticipated I (and my wife and kids) have continued to experience significant financial and housing stress, except that it is significantly worse than in 2013 so far this year. However in December 2013 I got a courier job to the Boddington Gold Mine, which I think was about in my top 3-5 best jobs of 4 years of courier driving. Anticipating a difficult year, in January I bought several $100 flights for my 3 interstate goal races this year. As a result despite the usual "all-over-the-shop" training, in June I knew I had an appointment with the Gold Coast half marathon for the 3rd year in a row. After a 1.44 and a 1.47 in the last 2 years I was very keen to try and find enough minutes to attack that 1.41. My most recent 21.1km splits were a 1.54 in the Perth Marathon 3 weeks earlier and a 1.59 in th Elleker Half Marathon (near Albany in country Western Australia) 5 weeks earlier. The Elleker result was marred by a virus that made it hard to breathe, and I drove 5 hours to get to it. In addition I ran both these events in Brooks ST Racer which is heavier and slower than my Nike Lunaracer, although its probably only worth a minute or so in the overall time as they are both fast light racing flat type shoes...
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I saved the Lunaracers for this race, as I have done a few marathons and some training and shorter races in them, and after about 600km+ my favourite and fastest shoes are getting worn out. Similiar to my body and mind, after 40 years they are getting a bit worn out too, but still fast, sharp and responsive. One of my brothers, after much arguing finally agreed to give me $60 as a late 40th birthday gift, so I could avoid spending the entire trip staying in backpackers accomodation at about $30 a night. My parents and siblings would probably say I am impulsive and financially irresponsible for going to the Gold Coast on another racing jaunt.
I'm strongly tempted to be in agreeance with them after 8 years of scraping up the money for these fantastic interstate races, and the same in 1989-1993, 1998-2000 as a racewalker. I have spent at least an annual salary on racing in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Katoomba, Brisbane and the Gold Coast over the decades, and my interstate racing costs about $500 a go... I think I would like to try and keep at it for another 4 years at least, although I know that I am in the situation where every trip I take may be my last one. Life is an adventure a gift from the Creator Triune, so I will persist in exploring and enjoying it. I don't live to pay as many of my bills and $430 per week rent as quickly as possible, although I do my best to do so. I work way too hard for way too little money most of the time, and I intend doing what I enjoy doing which is racing and pushing my limits, and enjoying paradise type locations. God made me to do that, and at the core of existence, I think it is right to do that. I don't exist just to be a rat-race bunny for the government. The paradox is of course that I am more likely to be a better functioning citizen and come back from my racing trips revitalised, rejuvenated, and invigorated from the recreation of racing in an exciting event at a magnificent location, with fresh and new ideas to battle on in the slog of the daily grind, than I am to just keep on grinding along bashing my head against financial walls, and getting rejected by lenders, punctuated by continual failure to progress to interview stage in my job applications, although I did get to one interview in June, and they have not yet said I have been unsuccessful yet. Anyhow the point is this; the chorus of doomsayers and killjoy wowsers suggesting I shouldn't do interstate races has got significantly louder this year, and $300 a week pay due to persistent car repairs mainly (down from the normal $700 per week) has been the main obstacle. That includes many of my running friends now, and they say "just stick to local races"... However I know that sticking to the slow inferior concrete footpath courses (with high injury potential) and poor competition of local races will not excite my racing adrenalin or bring out the best in me, and the fact that I have again run a seasons best at the Gold Coast for the 3rd year in a row, and my Marathon seasons best was also in Melbourne in 2012 (and a PB! when I was sick) and 2013 confirms and vindicates my thoughts that I need to race interstate annually to get the best out of myself as a runner. Also it is a well deserved holiday, but I wouldn't go interstate just for that. However the goal of trying to improve my racing times may need to go on hiatus or permanent retirement soon. I think I have a maximum of 4-5 years left in road running, which could drop to 0-3 years very easily... It is also lonely being away from Kathryn and our children, and the airfare costs quadruples the cost if I bring them along also, plus makes racing logistics trickier, although my Melbourne Marathon PB was achieved with them with me. The 3km walk onto the MCG was and is one of the highlights of my childrens lives too... So no regrets, despite the resistance I face from my extended family of mostly non-runners.
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To save costs I asked my wonderful wife to put our young children in the car and drive me to the airport just after midnight in the early hours of Saturday. I changed my mind on where to stay on the Gold Coast about 20 times in recent months, including cancelling one of my first choices at the Maldives due to being unable to afford to stay 3 nights there. The 2am Saturday flight on Tiger airways from Perth to Sydney was probably the best Tiger flight I have been on, an I managed to sleep for 3 hours (seated next to some nice friendly kiwis), so maybe their service is improving. The luxury of a Qantas flight from Sydney to the Gold Coast was my next move, and on this flight I met a Sydney running coach who has run the majors (Berlin, New York, Chicago, London, Boston etc). Very interesting talking to him and its not often I have got to talk to someone like that. After landing on the border of NSW/QLD at the amazing yet small and friendly Gold Coast Airport I quickly manged to find a bus and after paying my $10 bus ticket I calculated I had $24 to spare for the rest of the trip which was concerning, especially as I had little food, and I would need to get from the Gold Coast to Brisbane after the race to catch my flight home. I figured if the worst came to the worst, I could always walk to Brisbane or something... Got off the bus near the Expo in Broadbeach, and headed in to get my race numbers. After my first circuit of the wonderful items I could not afford to buy, I went back to check when we get our free t-shirt, and I met a few running bloggers, (which resulted in fantastic chats about running and a few photos at the fake finishing line) I remember from previous years in the golden age of Coolrunning...Speaking of CR (Coolrunning) I later found out that the legendary CR Plu also did race again this year at GC.
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I texted one of my old schoolmates who did his first Ironman triathlon recently who said he was going to be at the expo, but he did not reply to me. Then it was the first of many walks with my luggage... I eventually found the place I had booked for $76 which was essentially very much like my old student village (at university) type accomodation days, and most of the people there seemed to be about 18-23 year olds which made me feel like I am a toolie (which I am most certainly not, but when you are 20 years older than everyone you feel awkward) or something, but you get that, and it was a nice spot close to the race start, and a bit better than the average backpackers or a park bench. The 20-something reception staff were friendly and efficient, and if not for the scary security issues, the druggies sitting next door, and the severe headache I got in the one window room, it probably would have been a reasonably good base the night before the race. The 24 hour shopping centre next to it was amazing and obviously targeted at the $1200-$3000 per night A-listers in the nearby luxury resorts. It had a couple of good things like McDonalds (which I decided to splash out $9 on for an evening meal of chips, apple pie and orange juice), good quality clean public toilets, and lounge sofas (which I considered sleeping on for the night to avoid the splitting headache I was likely to wake up with if I slept in the room I had booked, although I could get robbed or assualted or moved on by security if I tried to sleep in the shopping centre)... However I decided to swallow my pride and phoned one of my running friends who I knew was staying at a nice place, and see if I could share his place, and scored a sofa there. Much better option, although of course it involved another walk with my luggage at night... Woke up about 4am on race morning after 6 hours sleep with a resting heart rate of 34 beats per minute (I think my equal best of all time) and with sensational views of the beach, and I just knew God had blessed me with a good raceday. So huge thanks to the friend who let me use his sofa that night, a huge positive for me, and I would not have got under 1.50 without that I don't think. Forgot to get some upbeat nitrate for this race, but I had a tin of beetroot, so ate a few slices of that before the race. In the lift of the hotel I met a woman who was doing the half marathon and we walked and chatted for the 2.5km or so walk to the starting precinct. Her boyfriend was doing his first marathon she said, and he planned to do Berlin as his second. Managed to get through the toilet queue with plenty of time to spare, although when I got to the A-grade area which my sub 1.45 times gives me access to it was crowded and I struggled to push up to a good start spot, where in another freaky (maybe Gods hand at work again) moment I saw one of the past WA Marathon club legends standing about 2 metres away from me and we had a short chat as the countdown began in the darkness just before 6am. The song this year on the loudspeakers at the start was U2 Beautiful day, which is very appropriate for me particularly the lyrics; "its a beautiful day... don't let it get away"... Its fitting for me because this race was like that, its the one I needed to do, I wanted to do, and I didn't want to let the negative discouragement from my extended family or the money issues stop me from making the most of probably one of my best opportunities of the year for a good half marathon. So I didn't let the beautiful day go, I didn't let the 1.24 pacers get away either, and I kept the first 1k split under 4 minutes with a 3.57 despite the walk across the start line, and the usual wait to get moving initially in the big crowd (even though I was only 10 metres behind the elites) of a major event like this.... Was careful not to trip in the big crowd, so held back my speed a bit...
Tried to keep the pressure on a bit in the second KM as the space opened up as we ran under street lights, (and the sunrise and civil twilight started to arrive) which was about a 4.26 K split, and the 2km split was my fastest this year I think (about 8.23).... 3k split also good, and I was feeling good, kept it strong until 5k in 22.55 and avoided the camber on some parts of the road by running near the centre...
About this time there is a turn near a traffic light that I remember well from the last 2 years, and the front 1.40 pacer caught me about here... Was carrying my room key, my phone (in a very saggy spibelt that was bouncing too much around my waist, need to buy a new one), and a powerbar energy gel. My 7k split was still under PB pace (4.45 per k is 1.40 pace and my PB is 1.41.07) in 33.08, but I knew I was going to have trouble sustaining that. By 8km I had lost a few seconds, and getting under 5min per K started to get hard for the legs. Breathing was good, just the undertrained legs were not responding. Lost about 30seconds taking my time drinking two cups of endura and a cup of water about 9km into it, which stopped me from beating the 48min 47 10k seasons best in the Brdiges 10k race in April this year, but I was still going ok with 49min 23 for the first 10k.... Was keen to get some fluids in early. This helped and despite the 800m section of concrete and speed humps near the halfway turnaround, I was able to avoid any 6min K's for a bit longer, and in fact my only K split over 6min in this race was a 6.02 for the 15th K... At 12km I tried to up the ante a bit after arriving in about 59minutes which was about 3-4 minutes short of the pre-race target of 56 minutes to be in the PB ballpark... This worked a bit and I splitted 4.56 from 12km to 13km, but then the legs got tired and I backed off again, went for my powerbar Gel at about 16km, which helped me get a 5.03 K...
By 18km I knew I was most likely shooting for about 1.47-1.50 most likely rather than the 1.39-1.44 sort of hopes I had in the first 7km... Motivation was waning from about 12km onwards, and with the legs refusing to fire up I just soaked up the atmosphere, tried to keep ticking along, and high fived the excited kids with their hands out along the course, kept throwing water over my head at the drink stations, and enjoyed the paradise views. Tried to feed off, work on running with some of the bunches of runners, but was mostly slipping back rather than passing people.... Still feeling good in many ways. Perfect weather. With about 1500m to go as we got close to the last bridge near the KFC store, I heard the 1.50 pacer behind me yelling "come on people 1km to go, time to start going hard to the finish"), made sure I stepped up the pace at 20km to stay ahead of the 1.50 pacer, but held off attacking too much until we left the Highway to enter the last 300m, and then put the foot down and the body into 5th gear to bring it home strong and pass a lot of people.
Didn't go into a sixth gear sprint, but got a good position in the centre during the last 20 metres for the finishing photo and enjoyed the moment...


After getting my race shirt and some water, my seasons best was done and dusted. I was ecstatic again, although with a twinge of regret that once again the PB was out of reach. Several hours of walking around after that, got to see the best of the Marathon runners, including Kawauchi, Limo, a Russian, Nera Jareb, and one of my hundreds of long run training friends from past years in Jarrad Brown from BT on his way to his first sub 3 hour marathon... stood in the Surfers paradise surf for 10minutes that evening, followed by a set of tennis that night with a running friend at a hotel... Was a bit sore and stiff on the 10km jog around Surfers Paradise (including some beach running), the next morning, and had some tough moments getting to Brisbane airport for the 6 hour flight home th next day, but it was all part of the most excellent awesome blessing of an adventure of hopefully not my last Gold Coast race...