Three down

It's 3:00 in the afternoon, my feet are up and I think I'm about to call it a day.

Outside the sun is riding high in the sky, there is not a single cloud on display and, according to the weather app on my phone, there is 0.0% chance of that changing. In short, Melbourne has given us a cracker of a day, but I think I've seen enough of it.

To my reasoning, the 4 hours plus I just spent lapping up that sunshine will do me fine, right now, all I want is a LLD.

 My day began rather early this morning, almost 12 hours ago and 20 minutes before my alarm went off. The culprit, the shear volume of fluids I had consumed yesterday in preparation for today.

Today is Melbourne Marathon day.

Fully hydrated and not seeing the point in going back to bed for 15 minutes I cancelled the alarm and proceeded to get ready instead. Cereal with lactose free milk, beetroot and apple juice, and a glass of electrolyte - I know, more fluids. It can be a bit of a knife's edge we balance on but its got to be done.

The wife a kids needed a sleep in, I needed a warm up so I dragged the bike and my tired ass out the door for the 15 km commute to the MCG. Upon the approach, crossing the William Barrak bridge provided the first glimpse of the sort of day we were being served up. With indigenous music playing (courtesy of the bridge's many inbuilt speakers) the sun was starting to crest the arc of the horizon, framing the "G" 's stands and many light towers, and, riding low in the sky was the sliver of an orange crescent moon. Awesome scene which my phone's camera would not be able to accurately capture, had I not been unselfish enough to use it to share.

Bike secured, warm clothing dropped off and at the start line I met up with a few fellow team members. The chatter turned to expected finish times (as it always will do) and I conceded that I did have plans to go under 4 hours this time around, however a 32 km run in training had proven that goal was out of reach. Instead, holding a 6 minute per km would get me a 4:12 time and an 8 minute PB and I was alright with that.

Deciding upon a pace and actually executing that plan are two very different things. Once under way and out of the main crowd I was running with the group of team mates from the start, talking and soaking up the atmosphere, as we cruised along at a comfortable 5:35 pace...

Damn, I was going to fast, if I didn't back this off (and soon) it would not end well.

It didn't help that I also missed the first 2 drink stations either. Too much congestion and I'm loathe to stop once under way, fortunately, I was still going too fast and Rich offered me a hit from the Shotz bottle he'd recently picked up.

Nine kms down I passed the dude in thongs.

Digest that one for a moment.

I've finally backed off the pace and am running around 5:50, it's comfortable and running slower just feels wrong so I decide to stick with it.

Though Albert Park and on the Beach road the are plenty of switch backs which give an opportunity to give a shout out to friends on different parts of the course, plus receive support from the many on the sidelines. (thanks guys!)

At half way and running along beside the beach I was still ahead of my revised schedule but I wasn't ready to celebrate as I've been there before. The first time I tackled this event I was flying at the start, then positive split by over half an hour...

Leaving St Kilda, towards Elwood we hit the first "hills". Although not overly steep or long I overheard someone complaining that he wasn't told we'd be ascending any on this route. I'm sure it was mainly in jest, but with 27 kms already in the legs he called the first roller "heart-break hill". Realistically, if this course has one of these, it is not scheduled until a bit later. The Birdswood Road hill sits nicely between kilometres 36 and 38 and is the backdrop for many marathoners breaking point.

Off the Beach road, up Fitzroy street, along St Kilda road and around the Art Centre, this is where I began to pay the debt I had amassed in the early stages of the race. Sore feet and and my calves tightening I saw my pace beginning to fluctuate more as well, my Garmin displaying a current pace with a 6 at the front more often than not. I managed to hold it together over the tough section of the race and spent the final 3 kms passing other competitors!

Onto the hallowed turf of the "G", or at least, the green matting that had been lain to protect that turf, I hit top speed for a signature "sprint" finish, capping of my third Melbourne Marathon event. 

I didn't break the 4 hour barrier today (as expected) and I didn't hold 6 min/km pace either (little surprised), instead I punched out a 4:06:55 for 12 minute personal best on this course!

I'll take that.

With three Melbourne races in the books it leaves seven to go to reach Spartan status, so I'll be back again next year to do it all again.

Back home now, I've kicked the shoes off to much relief and am sitting on the bed, the curtain is drawn , blocking out that glorious sunshine, with every intention of sleeping away this afternoon. I say "intention" because I have been reminded that tomorrow is a school day and none of the uniforms are clean plus we don't have anything for dinner yet...

I guess it's a good thing I'm an endurance athlete!