THOUSAND Nautical miles: total length of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2008-09
METRES Size of waves commonly encountered in the Southern Ocean legs of the VOR
ROD SMITH talks about competing in the Melbourne Marathon in October HARMAINE AND I are sitting in the car trying to get a little last minute shut-eye. We are parked off Wellington Parade, opposite the MCG. Its only 5am, pitch black, drizzling rain and cold outside. The thought processes tend to go haywire as race day approaches, a bit like what happens just before leaving the beach before a yacht race. I have miscalculated our timing - we are an hour too early. We were meant to be here at 6am, the race starts at 7am. At least we found a great parking spot, nice and close to the MCG. Eventually it‟s time to leave the comfortable warmth of the car and make our way to the starting area. Nature plays a cruel trick on runners about this time. There are long queues of runners outside the dunnies, waiting to answer nature‟s call. For some reason, there are never enough dunnies before the start of a race. This might sound funny to the average reader but for the runner this is priority number one! Time remaining before the start is ticking away and it‟s daylight now. We are at the start area on Batman Ave near Rod Laver Arena. I‟m right down the back as I want to go my own pace (slow) and not get sucked into going fast early. Running a marathon is all about saving something for the second half when glycogen stores are depleted. The National Anthem is sung, and somewhere up ahead the starting signal goes. I say goodbye to Charmaine and walk forward carried along with the mass of surrounding runners. We gradually change to a jog as the start line approaches. I‟m so happy to be here. I swallow as my eyes get a little misty. I didn‟t think I‟d get to the start line this year due to a chronic foot injury. I cross the start line, set the GPS and set off into the unknown. My plan is hopefully to finish, and if the
“shuffle” I‟ve been working on the past two weeks holds together, I should finish in 4 1/4 hours. Nothing is quite certain. Apart from the last two weeks perfecting a “shuffle”; I haven‟t run since mid July when I bailed out at the 6km mark of the Run Melbourne Half Marathon. Mickey reckons it was only 4km but I think it was at least 5! (Mick went on to finish in 1hr 43min which wasn‟t too bad for his first half!) As I shuffle down St Kilda Rd to the junction, I pass a 60 year old wearing a 25 year Spartan black singlet. He‟s got a shuffle happening too, just a bit slower than mine. Something funny happens in marathons, fellow runners talk to each other as though they‟ve been running buddies for years. In the shorter races, everyone‟s in a hurry - no spare time to talk! I say “Hey mate have you done this 25 times?” “I missed a couple with a heart condition” he replies. I give him a respectful nod, wish him good luck and as I run on, think to myself - I wonder if that will be me one day! I reach St Kilda junction, 6km down and going ok. We turn right and enjoy the peaceful surrounds of Albert Park Lake with the golf course on our right. There is a golfer having a few practice swings - he doesn‟t look too confident. I run past him and start to worry, if he hooks the ball it could hit me very hard on the back of my head. I share my thought with a couple of young guys behind me and we all laugh a bit nervously because we‟re all thinking the same thing. I note they are a bit taller than me and relax a little, thinking they should shield me from any errant shot! After completing the circuit around Albert Park Lake we are back onto Fitzroy St heading to the beach. Charmaine is there, gives me a wave and I signal “so far so good.” At a drink station bananas are being handed out to passing runners. I can‟t believe it - a banana! I have my first bite of
Rod powering at the 21km mark while pretending not to notice the camera (but can’t help posing just a bit...) a banana in months. I used to have one every day when they were under $5 a kg. There‟s a young girl running alongside, we talk and laugh how good is this - they didn‟t have bananas last year! We turn up Beaconsfield Pde to Bay St Port Melbourne, then return back to Fitzroy St. By now I‟ve caught up to the 4hr pace makers. It‟s the halfway point and I‟m feeling really good. In fact, I‟m going a little quicker than last year - suddenly a thought creeps in “maybe I‟ll beat last years‟ time after all.” Think of the third quarter in a game of footy - the premiership quarter, that‟s what the long haul down to Elwood Yacht Club and return to Fitzroy St is. Along the way, a cold front comes though off the bay, the wind is howling and it starts to rain. A selfish little thought crosses my mind, maybe CONTINUED ON BACK PAGE...