The San Francisco Marathon

The Wall Street Journal described the San Francisco Marathon as "The Marathon even marathoners Fear!" and the reason they say "the course is not for the casual runner", now how and why on earth did they let me in, looking even further it is understandably the hills, with the Ups and Downs that sucks in even the most experienced marathon runner.

Just when your on target and think you have it wrapped up that enticement of a down hill catch up of minutes entices you do let it rip, but trust me, as I did in this years San Francisco Marathon you pay for the time gained as your knees are pushed up high into your hips and hips up high into your rib cage.

Your Stride is eliminated, but that the challenge of doing one of the tough runs in the world, far from the toughest but a good test and benchmark for the running season, you must however set yourself up for success rather than failure, this means setting realistic goals and being excited by getting what you aim for, not letting people's opinions of a non-sub 4 diminish your achievement, even if you miss that one by minutes......

This weekend started out on the Thursday, in many respects the journey to this marathon makes the weekend just as exciting as the Marathon its self.

Thursday 6am training session, off to the office, work, plane to Sydney, work till 2am, up at 5.30am to the office by 6am, meetings, reports, work till 11am, off to the airport to not miss the 11.50am check in time, and yes I made it with 10 Min's to spare.

More work till the plane takes off, yes I really did, lots of phone calls, last minute contracts, questions etc. you don't realise how much you do till you are trying to clear half your day to be offline!

Finally the Qantas 747 takes off and I'm blacked out for 14 hours, now a few more hours of tidy up and I'm ready for the weekend.

Arrive in San Francisco 9.10am Friday morning Thank goodness for the time zone catch up, now I have a huge day of enjoying the warm weather, shopping and shopping.....

I was also trying to get all my Hiking gear for Everest and Island Peaks climbing later in the year.....

Around comes 5am Sunday morning and up I get, shower, cloths on and down to the lobby, sussing people out and eventually pairing up with a mum and her two teenage kids from San Diego, these folks doing there first Marathon were supper excited, so I ravelled in the conversation..... we were all coming first by the time the taxi hit the start line, I had around 5 Min's till start time, and before I know it I'm off.....

Pretty happy with the fitness I have done this better than last year, the pace was steady and I was not focused on any particular time.... Hit the Bridge always a spectacular sight and experience to run the 1.8 miles across.....

The Hills, the people all fantastic, I hit the half marathon finish and was very comfortable, I was thinking I could very happily finish at this point....

But on we head for another 13.1 miles, this is when the real work starts, every one knows the race is run in the second half and even the last few miles.....

I got sucked in by the 3.50 pace group catching me, so I paced on for about 10 miles with these guys, hoping to stay ahead of the time, evert time they leveled I sprint ahead and give myself some breathing room, than when we hit the Castro.... one very long down hill for a few miles, was when I got carried away, down hill I must have gained a good 5-10 minutes over the pacers but this was a fatal mistake in coming in on a sub 4 time..... from this point my stride significantly reduced, pain crept in and the muscles stiffened up, 3 miles out the pacers pass me on a small incline that my leg muscles just couldn't keep up with.....

The rest is history, this was a very successful weekend, but again a lesson learnt about listening to your head and not getting carried away with the moment!

Crossing the finish line like a champion, I held my head high on this occasion, getting my medal and making my way back up to nob hill, to the hotel.

But let me tell you no more shopping or sightseeing, straight off to the airport, and I'm on a plane to LAX, into the louge when time aligns to Australian time, and fit in a days work before boarding my flight back to Australia......

A lost bag in Sydney, but they got it to me later that night.....

What can I say now all kitted out for Everest, I have the enthusiasm to get my body back to its peak by October....

In the mean time a half marathon in August, and hopefully some else that spikes my interest before October....

Cheer
Jeff

Gold Coast Marathon

I choose the Gold Coast Marathon as the benchmark for the San Francisco Marathon, in an effort to see how my fitness was or how much work I would need to do in the next 3 weeks for the main run.

However, like most things in life, the best layed plans never go to plan:

Friday had come around and I started work at 6am in order to get an early departure from the office, heading down to the airport, I felt ok, but a few hours later on the flight my stomach started to tell me things were just not right.

I boarded a mini bus in Brisbane headed for the Gold Coast, which was kind of fun, the bus was full of people doing the marathon, a couple from NZ, a Couple from Melbourne and a couple from Geelong doing their first ever marathon.
The two hour bus ride went like a flash, marathon and adventure stories being told amongst the group, I even found myself giving words of wisdom to first time marathoners HOW Funny !!!!!!
My biggest piece of advice, 1. Finish and 2. Make sure you let everyone know wear that finishers medal! You earnt it! – But really no pacing, GU’s and all things running

I ended up struggling through the night, cracking open my first aid kit with anti nausea tablets, and a few other things......
Went and registered Saturday Morning than back to the hotel to rest, by 8ish I was in a world of pain, stomach cramps, and a few other undesirable things......

Taking strength from my last commitment to never give up by 10ish into a taxi and off to the medical centre, now this Dr Mitchell was awesome, he knew exactly what to give me to get me ready in 7 hours, and more than that he was a positive person, he even told me of how he had seen Steve Monagetti a few days earlier with exactly the same thing, and how he was going to try and run a 3hr marathon...... hmmmm now the parting words he left me I hope you do run the marathon......

Ok off to bed and waking 6.30am toss and turn will I won’t I, remember you must try! I get up and jump into my running gear, than into the taxi, pin on my bib, put on my shoes in the taxi, now Face book and Angela was a huge motivator, calling me nuts and egging me on!
I got to the start line, no food in two days, can’t keep down fluids, stomach cramps and I am going to run a marathon in a world of pain before the start.
I started, no watch no goals apart from finishing, I just ran, and ran and ran, the difference was I stopped and composed my stomach cramps, I slowed, I walked, I crawled but I never ever gave up.
It was the mental strength required to achieve...... this had a special meaning; it proved to me I could do more than I thought I could.
I finished in a little over 5 hours, far from my regular times, but I had such a smug glowing sense of satisfaction, back to the hotel, shower pack up ....... oh #@$% the stomach cramps UNBEARABLE, into the shower, than out BOOK the next available flight to Melbourne, off to the airport slumped over and waiting for a airplane.....
Really sore, off for a massage Monday – than trying to get well again!
This was a benchmark alright, will I beat it in San Francisco – I am reluctant to make a prediction if the last two challenges can tell me anything, anything can and will go wrong, be prepared for the unexpected, be comfortable with being uncomfortable......
Than every challenge will be a success...........

Stay tuned for San Francisco in a couple of weeks, than later on the Mt Everest Base Camp and Island Peak at 6,119 meters

Some Serious Challenges ahead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers
Jeff