Melbourne Marathon - laying it on the line...
Sunday 7th October 2007

"Take into account that great achievements involve great risk." So says the Dalai Lama in his Rules For Life, which fits well with things like mountain climbing, car racing, investing and lots more. Risk a lot to achieve a lot. So by comparison, running is fairly benign…after all, how risky can left-right-left-right-… really be?? But trying to run a marathon, with an ambitious goal attached to it, introduces a whole range of opportunities for risks, accomplishment and failure. Geez, my legs are still sore…

The Melbourne Marathon was held last Sunday 7th October. This year it was re-invented for the 30th anniversary - new course, new organisers, and finishing inside the MCG. It had a new buzz and excitement about it, and the entries swelled in response. But while there was much new about it, the course traced some very familiar roads giving an anticipation of something old, something new. It was going to be a great event.

My path to the Melbourne Marathon actually started 23 years ago, when I was 14/15 and just getting hooked on running. Rob de Castella was my hero and idol. I'd read his book on running from cover to cover and almost slept with it under my pillow. Yeah, I was very impressionable!! Inspired by 'deeks' I was going to run the marathon at that very tender age, and with my entry came a sticker saying "I'm training for the Big M Melbourne Marathon" which I stuck on my treasured possession at the time…my twin-cassette, radio stereo player. And I ordered an event t-shirt…can you imagine how proud I was of myself wearing it!! Inevitably I got an injury a few weeks before and couldn't run it, and thus it's remained an unfulfilled destiny…for 23 more years.

A lot of water flows under the bridge in 23 years, and this year it included my entry for the Melbourne Marathon. I was in and with a goal of running a PB (Personal Best) time of sub-2:32hrs. It was an ambitious goal and I was going to give it serious shot. They say determination is the bridge between goals and accomplishment…and I had that in spades!!

Having goals provides all kinds of intrigue and problems. They inspire you to where you want to get to, motivate you when you're struggling, and give you some spring as you feel yourself perhaps...maybe...hopefully inching towards a goal. But, oh, the problems they cause in the process!! Self-doubt, fatigue, sacrifices, injuries…the list goes on. And then there's no guarantee you'll even achieve the goddam goal anyway. And that's especially so with a marathon where there's so few opportunities to really lay it on the line for a PB. It's kind of an all-or-nothing; hero-or-zero strategy. If you were a betting person, you'd save your money for better odds.

But you prepare and line up anyway…aiming to "thread the eye of a needle" and run a PB when you reach the finish line, 42.2km away. Bring it on…it's better to be a lion for a day than a sheep all your life.

The marathon attracted a field of over 2,500, the 1/2 marathon almost 5,000, plus more in the 10k and 5.5k events. It was a big event to re-establish the Melbourne Marathon on the Australian running calender. And standing with the the start gun in his hand was none other than Rob de Castella…does it get any better than this, I ask you?

Then we were away. With the marathon and 1/2 marathon starting together, 7,500 pairs of feet set off down Wellington Pde. And down it was, starting with a downhill stretch for the first 200-300m, a bit of flat and then a very slight uphill all in the first 800m of running - all conspiring to a fast first km of 3:21min. Very fast, in fact, and way faster than I'd planned. Uh oh.

In aiming for a PB I'd planned to take a few risks in terms of pacing. Basically I aimed to reach 1/2 way in about 75:15mins and see what I could do from there. This equates to an average of 3:34min/km to halfway, with my HR probably sitting around 160 or so. Maintain that and I'd get a PB. Sounds great in theory, but putting into to practice is another story.

Around the corner from Flinders St into St Kilda Rd and I was feeling good - as you do early in any race - and running comfortably. I knew I was running fast and should back it off a bit. But my HR was (only just) in an acceptable range (about 162-3) and every second I could gain while feeling OK is money in the bank. It was a risky approach and I was living it early in the race.

2km in 6:50min; 3km in 10:22min. The km times were slowly getting to where they should have been from the start…and I was still conscious of the fast pace. During this time I was running with a guy I know - a damn good runner - who was running half a step in front of me. Apart from annoying, it was also sucking me into his pace, which defys the rules of marathon running 101. He pulled away and soon after, and I reached 5k in 17:30min - a full 20sec faster than planned, but 13 of those seconds came in the first, mainly downhill km.

Soon after I passed the best cheer squad on course, the Tribal folks, who whooped it up long and loud as I ran past. The adrenalin charge pushed my HR up 10 beats…ouch, that's gunna bite me sometime soon. But the emotional boost was great. Thanks guys…see you in 30km time…

Turning onto Lakeside Dve we struck some headwind. Not strong but enough to increase the workrate in order to maintain pace. As it was, my pace dropped but HR stayed mostly the same. I felt like I was working a fraction too hard, way too early in the race. But I was on a mission and had confidence I could carry off a somewhat risky pace and HR. But in my heart I just knew it should be feeling a little bit easier than this at this stage. I also started getting a "hot spot" under the ball of my right foot - not quite a blister, but similar sensation.

Onto Albert Rd/Kerferd Rd and out of the headwind I was joined by a fellow in a "Sydney Striders" singlet and after a moment of contemplation decided to run with him. 10km in 35:25min (17:55min 5k split) and then onto Beach Rd and a tailwind. This guy & I were running well and using the tailwind…but I still suspected deep inside that I was going just a fraction too hard. 1-2sec per km can make a big difference when you're < 1/3 way into the race. So again I was being sucked into someone else's pace, but again I was taking a punt that I was strong enough to keep it together for a PB. And still my HR was around 162-3.

15km in 53:05min (17:40min 5k split) and still heading down Beach Rd, although now it was a side wind. It was during the next 5km that I really felt the effects of the early pace. While still running consistently I was starting to labour and still with a long way to go. But I kept reassuring myself that I've been in tougher situations, and was in good shape to run hard. Sometimes the mind can fool the body, however I was about to experience an uncoupling of the two…

20km in 70:55min (17:50min 5km split), and soon after the 1/2 mark (21.1km) in 75:00min…I'd now dropped behind the "Sydney Striders" guy. Viewed on it's own, a good first half but inside I knew the writing was on the wall and the best I could expect is just to hang on best I could. My legs weren't fresh anymore, in fact were straining under the effort - normally I'd expect that around 33-35k, not now. My pace was now around 3:35min/km even with a bit more tailwind, and ahead was a slight hill to the turn-around point. I was going to need all my tricks to run well to the finish…and my right foot blister was buring a hole in my sole.

Preparing for the worst I was surprised to find a slight "second wind" going up the hill to the turn-around. It was quite noticable and all of a sudden lifted my spirits towards the turn point. There were 4 runners close in front and I could feel a real chance of catching them from my current 14th place. Around the turn and back down the slight hill I passed one of the runners and into 13th place with 3 more in my sights and 18km to go.

And then the wheels fell off. It wasn't at a particular point, but gradually during the slog back Brighton, into the wind. That "second wind" had blown past and I was now officially struggling and approaching trouble fast (so to speak). Brief respite came from cheers of encouragement from all the runners still heading outwards, some from familiar faces, others not. Every single cheer was great. Missed the 25km split but my pace had dropped to 3:40-45min/km and in all honesty, was not going to get any faster. My legs were straining a lot.

The km markers were hard to spot along this stretch, but when I did rather than calculating my pace, I was doing some mental arithmetic about how long it might take to finish at this pace. That was a best case scenario, maintaining my current pace. The worst case scenario could be infinite…so I didn't waste energy contemplating that!! And courtesy of years of cycling along this road, I knew exactly how far there was to go to the finish…lots of bitumen.

Along with my quads starting to hurt, the blister on my right foot was really sore. It wasn’t a squelching-type blister, more a callous-type that was making my toes tingle a bit. Hurting and burning but wasn’t going to stop me. But geez my quads were starting to hurt badly, also. Gradually I watched my pace drop to 3:50min/km, to 3:55 and then along Fitzroy St I broke the 4min/km barrier.

The Tribal folks were just ahead again and I knew they’d scream themselves hoarse as I went past. I smiled and waved and they cheered loudly…”Looking gooooood”, “Go, Campbell”. They were great, but looks can be so very deceiving as I was on the canvas and literally shuffling along. What about some sympathy, guys?? Nup, then just HTFU and keep going.

Ahead lay the 5-6km St Kilda Rd stretch. I know almost each and every building along here, the streets, intersections, bumps and grooves. I wish I didn’t because it only served to stretch out my passage along it. My quads were hurting and I was stuffed. The only way it was going to end was to finish because I sure as hell wasn’t going to stop. And at this point running was still the quickest option for getting there. Oh what a vicious circle that is…

There were a few cheers along here. Grumbles from motorists being held up by the traffic restrictions. Tranquillity under the shady spring blossoms. And squashed into the road were jelly beans from earlier runners. Where did they come from? Can I please have some? Pleeeease?? Plain sugar would be OK.

I was just waiting for a rush of runners to pass. Surely after slowing to 4:20min/km pace they’ll be coming up at rate of knots…so when will it happen?? I dare not look…until it finally happens. 2 runners. 2 more, and another. 5 runners pass me just after the 38km point and as if to tease/taunt me, a spectator calls out “C’mon. Get back up on them. You can do it!!”. Bullsh*t I can!! But thanks anyway…now I’m in 18^th place. My finish time calculations are looking bleak by now…might just sneak in under 2:40. Just.

The point where you enter the home stretch is at the turn-off beside Federation Square, through Birrarung Marr, and up and over the footbridge towards the MCG. Despite the pain and discomfort the ‘G’ is right in front, hear the crowds, touch the rows of spectators alongside – it’s a nice build-up to the finish line. The lap around the outside concourse was great…and still people called out “Looking good…”. NO I’M NOT!! Can’t you see. I’m hurting…but I’m also nearly finished.

The final lap is inside the great stadium. 1956 Olympics. 2006 Commonwealth Games. Cricket. Football. Rugby. Soccer. Concerts. The Pope. And now the marathon finish, in front of the members stand. What a relief. Thank god that’s over. 18^th place. 2:38:32hrs. Oh my god I am sore and tired. Really very much so.

 The effort of running stops immediately and a sense of relief washes over the whole body. It's often your immediate reaction at this time which is most telling. Great event. Great support. Good course. And, sure it was good to finish respectably, but to be honest, I was a little bit disappointed to miss my goal. But simultaneously I had no regrets laying it on the line and having a red hot go at a PB. There were lessons learned during the effort. Next time…next time…next time..