2:48:04 - a sub 4 minute per km pace marathon is done

Well, it's done. 2:48:04 gun time, 3:59 per km pace.

So, now the story of the weekend.

Didn't get off to an auspicious start as dumb-dumb here didn't realise the flight to Brisbane left from the Sydney International Terminal, not the domestic. Quick panic and cab ride later, we manage to get checked in...only for the flight to leave an hour late because of delays with the crew coming in on the Perth flight. Flying would be great if it wasn't for airports.

We caught up with family and I got out for a pretty stiff old 20 minute run mid-afternoon around one of the University of Queensland ovals. Pace was okay, around 4:39 or so.

Wound up the carb loading with a reasonably light meal of pasta, salad bread (okay, and a Cornetto) before hitting the sack very early. It was a pretty restless night's sleep, but I finally got to sleep around 12:45am, and promptly had my first ever dream of missing the start of a marathon - and then it got weird....

Alarm went at about 3:50am, and I got up for my normal strong cup of coffee and some toast. For the first time during the World Cup I was up at a ridiculous hour, so I thought I'd catch some live soccer. Naturally, it was between games and there was no live soccer to be had.

We hit the road around five and made our way down. Caught up with most of the Strider crowd before the start of the half, and nearly missed the start of the marathon getting my racing chip organised. Got up there about 5 minutes before the gun, and managed to find my way up near the front, next to Spot. We had enough time for a quick chat before the gun went off, somewhat unexpectedly.

SW had told me during the week that I should aim for 83:30 to 84 through halfway. That was 3:57 pace, so I worked my way through the first couple of km settling to around that. There was some good banter early on with Spot and a couple of other guys. I was managing a stitch through the first 6 or 7 km, and felt pretty stiff (common post-carb loading).

A group of around half a dozen runners formed with Spot, but they were getting a little hot pacewise so I elected to ease back from them. We were around 39:30 through 10k.

The group broke up over the next 10k as we headed back from the turnaround to the half marathon point. I had it at 83:30 (third fastest half marathon!) bang on by the clock next to the mats - I see from the official splits they had me at 83:24. I hooked up with another old runner, Peter, and we ran together through to around 30-31km or so, where he just seemed to drift back. Through 25km in 1:38:44 (PB for the distance).

Through 27km - photo courtesy of Ross Stevens

It was around here I got on to the back of Spot, and fellow Strider Jenny Wickham. Time through 30km was 1:58:39 (massive PB for the distance, but then, only run it once at the SMC some years ago), and at 34km, just before the turnaround, was 2:14:44. It was starting to hurt a bit from here. I knew from pretty early on that I was getting quite a bit of rubbing in the left shoe, particularly on the end of my second toe and on the outside of the big toe. Suspect the shoe wasn't tight enough after tying the chip into the laces.

I was reeling in and catching people, which was helping deal with increasing pain levels around the hips. One fellow went past at around 30km, and that was it.

I was able to hold km splits (the numbers I'm giving are from the event supplied km markers) of between 3:58 to 4:02 through to 37km (2:26:48) where it started to get very grindy, with a lot of leg pain, pain in the arch of the right foot and ongoing dramas with the left foot all starting to play havoc with my mind). From there, it went 38-4:07, 39-4:07 and 40-4:03 as I started to realise I was going to make it.

There was a big group of Coolrunners where the southbound course rejoined the highway, and their support really, really helped. I was already getting pretty emotional, and it brought tears. I just wanted to get it done, to justify and reward the support I've had over this campaign.

I hit the car park entrance, and there was Clairie (I didn't recognise her initially, but in my defence I was in the last km of a marathon) who went absolutely nuts when she saw me coming in. The support through the finish was astonishing, and drove me harder to get it done.

Came over the crest and thought I might have been a chance to slip under 2:48, but 2:48:04 would have to do. And, it will. 59th outright, 14th male 35-39 and looks like first Strider home in the marathon (male Striders can thank me later for upholding gender honours!).

I was smashed at the finish, and gradually worked my way through the recovery area. Caught up with the crowd post-race, but sadly we had to head back to Brisbane to catch our flight before the late lunch. Had a good chat with a very pleased SW - his coaching really provided the framework for this result.

I'll make some more comment in the coming days. I'm obviously rapt, as it was the big goal for the year and to hit a target I've been aiming at for some time is deeply satisfying.

It's odd - I've been somewhat detached from the whole thing all week, kind of like I knew I was going to do it. It never crossed my mind in the last 8km that I was going to fail.