Time: 07:00 a.m.
Type: Run (Race)
Distance: Full marathon (42.195 km)
Official Time: 3 hr 09 min 25 secs (avg pace: 4:26 min/km)
Shoes: Brooks Launch 2
Race Route:
Listed as no. 10 in "Top 10 Marathon in Australia", Adelaide Marathon ("Running Festival") though is not as big scale as other big city marathon in the country. There's few information to get especially from runners friend (for oversea runners) as few people have taken part here. It took me a trip there to find out.
Although not a big scale event, it is an IAAF and AIMS certifies course (listed in their website 2015). From the information I read the route used to run to Glenelg but it was changed to 2 loop around Adelaide parklands, It held on August towards the end of winter which means running in a temperature of 5-15 degrees.
The course was not punishing but it is harder if one is unprepare with the twist and turn, ups and down hill. However it was one of scenic and enjoyable run which when I recall, I'll remember lots of green, water and sunlight.
Race Day
3.15a.m. - Wake up
3.45a.m. - Breakfast. (Breads and hot chocolate)
5.00a.m. - Rest, short nap
5.30a.m. - Changed
6.15a.m. - Jog to race venue
6.30a.m. - Toilet, deposit luggae.
6.45a.m. - To starting line
7.00a.m. - Race start
The start
Weather was 6.1 degrees when I jogged out. I reached in about 8 min jog and followed other participants to look for Telstra Plaza for store baggage. Stepped inside but couldn't find the counter / storage signage. Look around and saw a lot of people with their baggage waiting too. It was 6.30a.m. No one seemed to be in a hurry.
I went to join the queue for toilet. Back and the counter was set up. Lots of people still chit chatting and atmosphere was not tense at all. In no time I past my baggage to the staff. My stuff seemed to be one of few earliest one. It was around 6.45a.m.
I went out to continue few minutes of warm up. I couldn't locate the start line. I thought it'll be easily visible and tried to look around as I warming up.
But I couldn't find it. On the speakers it announced that the starting location but I couldn't understand due to the slang. I approached to a staff, near a banner with timing mat but no people gather around and ask, "Is this is the start?" Apparently that is the finish line, the start was nearby at the front. I walked to the front, up a few staircase, and it was a space right beside the building. There's no "starting gate", flags nor any banner, it just two cons put from one end to another, with obstacle at both side to made it a "path".
5 minutes to the start. There's no elite area. There were mostly Australian (I guess), I didn't sense any runners like me come all over and feeling nervous. There were no people rushing to the front. They were just politely stand behind an "imaginary line".
There were no VIPs but emcee and race ambassador Steve Moneghetti stand at a higher ground for the start. He gave speech and some encouragement. "It is a beautiful day to run", I remembered he said something. People clapped, few took photos.
When it's about time, he air horn the race to start.
0-10 km (42:52 min, cumulative pace 4:17km/min)
The aim is to maintain even pace at around 4:16km/min to finish run before 3 hr.
I started the run with moderate effort. Following the crowd not feeling too hard nor too slow. The first 2-3 km was running along the main road before turning into parkland area up to around 7.5 km, then out to main road again toward residential area in North Adelaide with moderate slope.
The start was very mild elevation and first 2 km was done at surprisingly same duration of 4:22.9 according to Garmin. I was concern about not able to be in a target zone but thought that it was a good sign I didn't start out too fast. 3rd km was done at 4:08/km probably to chase back the time, I then slowed down to pace with other runners. The pace from there was range from 4:12/km to 4:23/km. I was feeling uncomfortable when run into the narrow path in the parkland and feeling a bit nervous.
Covered the first 10 km at 4:17km/min pace, slightly out of target pace but I was feeling good and thought that I'm following the plan. I felt that I'm in control for not pushing the pace and able to hold back. It was good to feel this way at this stage.
I had a drink at 3 km drink station and a gel at 2nd station at around 8.5 km before enter residential area.
10-20km (1:24:52, cumulative pace 4:15/km)
10-11km was running from residential area and back to the previous road to back to river torrens. It was a zig zag and I tried to remember the topography as there'll be a second loop again.
At around 13.5 km the route joined to river torrens and run along the path passing Oval Stadium towards Adelaide Zoo, Botanic Garden and turn back to Oval Stadium to start the second loop. The route was narrow and share with public. However it was not a problem if one is familiar with the path, you know where it leads to and how it folds. The public who share the route was not a problem either as somehow everyone knows the etiquette of sharing a path.
It was not easy for me to follow the path though. There's mixture of short up and down with occasionally sharp turn. However I was actually picking up the pace at this section. 10-15 km was the fastest section and done mostly at 4:08min/km. At 20 km, the overall pace has pull back to 4:15/km. It hurt my ankle and muscle but I thought it'll be fine just for the race.
I was pacing with some runners. At this point I somehow identified a female runner in pink whom I guess is aiming at almost the same time as mine. She did not try to be fast nor too slow. There's one guy wearing a green "vegan" shirt was running along since about 2-3 km, but I couldn't gauge his effort yet.
The direction while entering Botanic Garden was a bit unclear as it blocked by plants and need to go through gate.
At route near Oval to start second loop was not usual either. It was a very weird path and turn up the slope.
At half way mark, I was a little bit over 1h 30min. By now I know the Garmin is reporting the time earlier than the official distance mark, and I need to be faster than it is to make it before 3 hr.
Drink Stations
The race provides more water station and at a distance that different from a standard race. For a standard race, it usually has 8 water stations and situated around every 5 km. For this one, there's total 10 water stations and the distance between stations are average 4 km. The first water station come as early as 3rd km, the second one is 5.5 km away and third one come after just next 3.3 km.
The location of dink stations are as followed:
First lap: 3km, 8.57km, 11.88km, 15.8km, 19.84km,
Second lap: 24.09km, 28.57km, 31.88km, 35.8km, 39.84km
It took me long to think of how to adjust the timing to consume energy gel.
In a usual race, I'll prepare one gel at each water station (8 gel total). With experience of side stitch, I'll adjust the consuming base on stomach reaction. If something doesn't feel right I'll skip the gel at the next station. On top of that, I will train with gel during run such as marathon-pace run or tune up race to make sure stomach is able to take it.This strategy usually not cause anything during a race.
However, with the provided location of drink stations, I need to make another plan. There's 10 stations as compared to usual 8 stations. To take a gel starting 1st station (3 km) would seems too early. To start to take at 2nd station 8.57 km would seems later than what I usually did which is at 5 km. Also, to take gel at 2nd and 3rd station which is 3.3 km apart would seems too close.
I didn't really decide even when I started to run. I say let the body tells me. At the 1st station, I feel everything was just started, I skipped. I took one at 2nd station. At 3rd station, I feel stomach was fine and think that I need it for the subsequent distance, I took another gel. And I planned to repeat this at the second loop.
At this point, I've ingested 4 gels, one each at drink station from no 2 to no. 5.
20-30km (2:07:54, cumulative pace 4:16/min)
By halfway, I have had the first loop in my mind. I could expect what to come next.
I was feeling a bit tired after the run across the parkland.
I was a bit worry for the parkland route. I was in a state of uncertainly but I thought if everything goes the same I might able to push for the last part.
Concentrate and I started the second loop. The first 2 km of 2nd loop although not too fast but was faster than the first loop. It was not easy nor it is too hard. But I start to feel the difficult to control the pace.
I was able to maintain pace around 4:16/km up to 25 km, the pace started to drop when running towards 30 km.
For reasons that I'm going to find out for very long time, I started to feel the fullness of bladder at around 27 km. Of all the condition, nature's call is the last thing I want in a race, and been trying to prepare for it during the training. I was fighting on what to do. It might be temporary. Seeing other runners took temporary stop and I felt to do so. All of the struggle and towards 30 km, affected the pace.
30-40km - timing is not a reference anymore
At around after 31 km, after running through up hill of residential area, I gave up and made a stop for the urge. When I resume the run, the spirit was not there anymore. It was 30 km, where the spirit is most vulnerable. The point where energy start to run low, and point where the race is still quarter to cover.
The pink shirt female runner split at this point. The green "vegan" t-shirt guy was unseen.
The pace dropped after this. I was not in the mood. Sometimes the pace was 4:24/km, sometimes it was 4:36/km. I couldn't care more.
One point while entering the river torrens from main road at around 33.5km, I went into the wrong junction, and called back by people around. Why? Because I read "keep to your left" as "turn left". After that, the run in the park was just a mass.
At around 38 km, I felt the stomach discomfort. Unable to tolerate, I stopped to walk. The distance was done at 4:53 min.
At around 39 km, I have no choice but to detour for toilet, or there'll be a code brown in the race.
I forgot to off the Garmin autostop function. The timer was not running when I stopped. However, it's not important anymore.
I was demotivated and down. I continued to run, but there's no joy but questions in my mind. Why and how should I do next time?
Then, I heard the noise. I heard the music. I realized I was running by the river again. I saw people, families along the path looking at us with smile, some shout to give encouragement. Oh ya, I saw one guy and one girl running in Penang Bridge Marathon t-shirt. I wanted to shout out but I didn't. It's nice when you see someone from your homeland at a foreign place.
Again, I ran across a even weird route, up a slope, around a restaurant, around a building, into the bridge that lead to finish line in front of Telstra Plaza.
I crossed the finished line, stopped the watch, a staff used a tool like a racket to scan my bib. I was given with finishing medal.
"Beep~" that's how my Adelaide Marathon 2015 ended.
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| Finish line in front of Telstra Plaza that I mistaken as start line |
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| The officers that holding a racket to scan finisher running bib |
Post-race
As usual, there's people gather around after the finish line. Different from big city marathon, it didn't need a long path to escort all the runners out. Point of gathering just right behind the finish line. There's banana, isotonic drinks. There's free organic pop-corn given out too. From the t-shirt, I saw runners from Taiwan, a few from Hong Kong.
As I was wandering, the announcement of apologize given to half marathon runners as finishing medal has all been given out. There's announcement of the winners too.
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| From runners' view |
I saw the pink shirt female that I paced with near the drink station. I heard the supporter call for "Tracey" while pacing with her. When I check the results, guess what, all the champions for each age group were call either "Tracy" or "Tracey", timing range from 2:58:20 to 3:01:31. For the "vegan" t-shirt guy, I saw him cross the finish line while I was observing the race after all the banana and drinks. He must be stopping somewhere, I guess.
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| Another view of Telstra Plaza |
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| Start from white building at the left in the photo, runners ran from below to the building through a slope, along the corridor beside it and turn into the bridge that leads to finish line |
Overall, despite my personal unpleasant towards the end experience, I'd say this is a enjoyable and nice route, especially the nature, the fresh air and the climate. Though it is not a choice for PB, the feeling of running in cold and fresh air along the trees and rivers, would stay in the mind for a long time.
Lesson from this race:
I came into the run with the most complete training cycle that I ever done, including two tune-up races. I thought I'll be able to handle the race better, if not faster. It works, at least at the first half feeling that everything was in control. The true lesson from this race appears to be the conditioning of stomach to the meal / food / gel / drinks.
The gels and drink ingestion plan and conditioning seem to be the most possible cause, but I can't rule out anything happen few days leading to the race.
I listed some of the thought before and during the race as reference:
1) Pre-race meal was plain food. Self cook. Was depressed for it at the same time worry to eat out for new food and also for budget.
2) Slope and hills - still have phobia when approaching slope and turn, afraid of hurting the ankle and muscle.
3) Gels and drinks taking - too often and didn't train with it that cause stomach discomfort
4) Not comfortable with the shoes (new model of an old series). Feeling heavier and less responsive. (Of course no one should blame the shoes, but this is one of important aspect)
5) Above all, I took the run not serious enough. This leads to not attentive enough for both training and race. For example, to tolerate the food, to didn't train with gel, to take it easy for drink station planning, to tolerate the new shoes even though felt the different.
Notes from this run:
1) Maintain good / proper pre race meal.
2) Avoid take gel too often than usually does / trained (e.g.not more than every 5 km). Ingest gel with plain water. Train with gel more especially at marathon race-pace. Try to develop another plan - e.g. take less gel and substitute with race energy drink. This including check the water station distance.
3) Check properly tech spec (e.g. weight) for new shoes including new model of same series.
4) Incorporate more strength training, jumping and core training.
5) Work for distance after 30 km of marathon. This include maintain steady or strong pace at the end of normal endurance run (medium-long run and long run). Maintain good form and speed towards the end of the training instead of being fast at the start. Train to maintain intensity especially the last part.
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