Hobart Marathon 2019

Hobart “Cadbury”Marathon

Sunday 13^thJanuary 2019

https://cadburymarathon.com.au

Distance: 42.195km 

Start Time: 6am start   START– On Cadbury Road out the front of the Cadbury Chocolate Factory. Head west to Somerdale Road, turn right and run the first of 2 laps around Cadbury Estate.   Turn right at Mitcham Road, left at Keynsham Road, right at Moreton Crescent. Right into Mitcham Road, left into Bourneville Crescent, cross over the start line and repeat. After 2 laps of Cadbury Estate, continue West, on Cadbury Road, down hill past the Claremont Primary School where the first drink station is located. Stay on Cadbury Road, until you get to Windemere Primary School, where you enter the school on the first lap and do a circuit of the entrance (on the first lap only). Come out of Windermere Primary, turn left to the end of Cadbury Road and left onto Main Road. Continue on main road past the second drink station at the 6km mark.  Stay on Main Road, past MONA, then onto the Brooker Highway. Continue on Brooker Highway until the Derwent Entertainment Centre where you turn left and continue on Llyods Lane until Goodwood Road, where the third drink station will be at the 12km mark. Turn left on Goodwood Road and run across the Bowen Bridge.  The turn point is located where Goodwood Road becomes the East Derwent Highway. Participants then head back the same way you came, with the turn point located for the second lap at Claremont Primary School. Repeat the same course, with the exception of the small loop at Windermere Primary School. Once crossing the Bowen Bridge for the second time, turn and run back to finish at the Cadbury Chocolate Factory. There are 3 drink stations located at the following (distances rounded to the nearest kilometre): Claremont Primary School – just where marathon runners begin their second lap.  Located at the 4km, 23km and 41km marks. Berriedale, on the north side of MONA – 7km, 21km, 25km, 39km. Goodwood, at the entrance to the Army Barracks – 12km, 16km, 30km, 34km

To see the GPS recorded course, log into Garmin Connect and go to http://connect.garmin.com/course/7821094

Course Records 

Marathon 

Men: Scott McTaggart – 2.23.39 (2010) Women: Hanny Allston 2.46.27 (2007) 

What Food Will Be Available? 

All finishers will receive water and fruit.
Coburg & Co will be set up serving gourmet burgers and breakfast items. Tom, Dick and Coffee barista made coffee will be available.
And of course all finishers will receive Cadbury Chocolate too! 

Pre-race –

I decided to run Hobart marathon for two main reasons, 1). It meant I was one step closer to running a marathon in every state/territory in Australia (So far I’ve ticked off VIC, NSW, ACT, QLD…) and 2). It meant I was less likely to suffer from Two Bays FOMO. Two Bays is an epic local trail run (but my hips struggle with the hills so I made a sensible choice not to enter).

Over Christmas was a little hit and miss, as far as running goes. The last six months of running and racing were intense… The Tan, Brisbane, Sydney, Portland and Queenstown. My mind and body were tired and I had no pressing goals. Much like Portland, I went into Hobart thinking, “I’ll see how I feel.”If I felt good then I’d have a go at sub 3hrs 35min. And if I didn’t feel good, I’d cruise and come in under 4hrs. I had a sneak peek at previous results and I made a throw away comment to Mum that I’d like to finish in the top 20 females. The week leading up to Hobart, I wasn’t feeling great (usual hormonal issues and unusual asthma). I was non-committal to any time-goal but still looking forward to the experience. I’d organised to travel with my Mum for the weekend and I knew friends who were running too, so I was keen to have a post-race drink.

The day before race day, we ventured around Salamanca markets and I walked through the city and back to our apartment. I actually clocked up over 12km but I felt better for it. Recently, I’d had some Achilles niggles and movement definitely helped. We went out for an early dinner to a small Chinese restaurant and enjoyed a perfect meal. I was well-fed, relaxed, organised and in bed by 9:30pm (knowing the alarm was set for 3:50am).

Race-day –

I woke at 3:50am and quietly dressed in shorts, calf compressions, Injinjis and my original Two Bays singlet (I was in Dromana in spirit with my fellow running friends). I threw on a long-sleeve top I bought from the Op-shop (something to keep me warm and throw back to charity at the start line) and my Hoka Cliftons. I grabbed a throw away bag with a Berocca, protein bar, Ventolin and my Flipbelt with fuel. Then, in the dark with sunnies on my head, I snuck out the front door (trying not to wake my Mum). The walk to the bus stop was over 3km… a little further than desired and I did come across some questionable characters coming home from a big night out, but I arrived safely. On the bus, I chatted with a lady who was running a marathon on every continent and Hobart was the last one on the list! We talked events, dream destinations, age and running friends. Before long, we arrived at the start hub. It was dark and cold (always coldest just before the sun rises) and we sought protection in building foyers. I did my pre-race loo visit and warmed up with a 1km jog around the Cadbury factory. There were over 300 people in the marathon and 1,500 participants across all distances. The start line reminded me of Canberra… small, dark, cold, quiet but I liked it. No fanfare or fuss but just a group of like-minded people going for a Sunday morning run! Crazy bunch of coconuts!

My run started with the two loops around the streets near the Cadbury factory, maintaining 4:45min/km pace. I felt good, no pain in my Achilles and my legs were ticking over easily. I silently decided to go for a sub 3:35. I’d raced my last two events (Sydney and Portland in 3:36 so knocking off a minute was achievable). I ran downhill and onto the main road. There were marshals and witches hats to block off a lane of traffic. The pack spread out quickly, there was no congestion and the weather was perfect. At 10km, I was still managing sub 5min pace and I stopped briefly at the next aid station to wash down a gel. The scenery as we ran along the open road was really pretty, with mountain ranges and vast stretches of water reflecting in the sunshine. We crossed the bridge (which was very easy as far as bridges go because it was dead flat). There was a hill after the bridge and some other rolling hills along the way, but nothing major. Overall, the course was relatively easy. We turned around, and I had a second gel and electrolytes at the next drink stop. It was warming up and I needed to replenish what I was losing through sweat. I noted my half marathon time was 1hr 43min. Perfect! I could lift my foot off the pedal and sustain 5:10min/km pace and still finish well under 3:35! Great! I was feeling good! 

From 20-30km, I sat happily on sub 5:10min pace (except one split when I stopped for electrolytes). Around 30km, the going got tough (as it does in marathons) but I continued turning the feet over and focusing on the end. I felt a little sick from electrolytes (and hormones) but I was ok. I tried to eat an At One bar but I couldn’t digest it. My memory is hazy but at some stage I calculated that if I kept 5:30min pace, I’d reach the finish in 3:35. I ran the next split in 5:30, then 5:37, 5:13, 5:29 and blew out with 5:55. I had 4km to go with a hill stretch and… I just gave up. I’d been working hard but I knew I’d have to push harder to make up lost time… and if I maintained my efforts I’d finish between 3:36-3:38. I didn’t want that. I wanted sub 3:35 and I wasn’t going to get it. That’s when I had a little tantrum and walked. The last few splits were 6:04, 6:53, 6min, 6:12 and 6:40. 

The only word I can think of to describe my mood is “Meh.” Meh meh meh… Translation: I don’t want this bad enough.

My official time was 3hrs 43min.  

I’ve been reflecting on this event significantly and here are some theories: 1). I went out too fast and couldn’t maintain it. 2). I didn’t commit to my goal. 3). There was no reason to run a particular time (like Sydney was a qualifier for Comrades and Portland I was hoping for a podium spot). 4). I’m not fit enough. 5). I’m getting older. 6). I’m heavier. 7). There was nobody there to cheer or watch me finish. 8). I didn’t want it bad enough.

My money is on Number 8… The power of the mind is a serious thing (make one man weep, make another one sing). Seriously, I could blame hormones, energy levels, Achilles (even though they didn’t hurt) but at the end of the day, I made a decision to stop pushing. 

Post-race and feedback –

After I crossed the line, I was pretty grumpy so I headed straight for the bus. We waited for the kids run (super cute) before the bus got the green light to return to the city. I walked 3km back from the bus stop (via Subway for some food) and when I arrived, I sat on the bed in a feeling of disbelief. I’ve never quit like that (the closest situation was Brimbank 50km when it was sizzling hot and my brain melted). I wasn’t annoyed with my time, but I was annoyed with myself for giving up. Mum opened the front door (after visiting MONA) and asked how I went. I started to unpack it all… Ok I didn’t get the time I hoped for but I didn’t commit to it (and you can’t half-ass a marathon goal). However I did complete my 19^thmarathon in another state in Australia. The course was beautiful, easy to run, conditions were perfect and people were awesome. It was a well-organised event. And I was lucky enough to place 20^thfemale!