I hadn't intended on running the Brisbane Half Marathon this year, but here I am writing about it.
Thing is, I had planned to run another Marathon this year, with the aim of getting under 3hrs 45mins. I have run the Brisbane Marathon twice before, both efforts quite similar time wise. The first in 2015 at 3hrs 56mins and the second in 2016 at 3hrs 54mins, at least I am consistent it seems. Although I ran the 2016 race much better than I had done in 2015, I still felt like I had unfinished business and knew that I could do much better if I got the training right.
Pointless observations really, as due to an "injury" in April, I no longer had enough time to properly prepare for the full Marathon. The Half would have to do.
Actually, my first attempt at the Half Marathon was back in 2014, again at the Brisbane Marathon Festival. I guess I enjoy the location, plus it is only 15mins drive from where I live. At the time it was the first long distance event for me, having previously only managed 10km.
Dealing with the injury back in April was difficult. At the time I felt very low, having to put aside my main target race for the year. I reset my goal, and once I recovered and started training, I felt at peace knowing that I still had enough time to prepare well for the Half Marathon. Now the challenge was to find a training plan that would help me beat the time I had set back in 2014; 1hr 45mins and 35secs.
I was recommended a training website called TrainAsONE by a friend at work. The premise was very different to training plans I had used in the past, which usually consisted of 5 runs per week. A mixture of intervals, tempo runs and the weekly long run. TrainAsONE analysed my running history by linking my Strava account, it set up a custom plan based on my physiology (this included age, resting and maximum heart rate). This meant that the plan adjusted based to my previous runs and changed depending on whether I was improving or not. I could also download customised workouts to my Garmin running watch, which I love. The less thinking I have to do about how many intervals or changes of pace I need to do the better!
To cut a very long and boring story short, the training went very well. My times improved dramatically over a shorter period of time than usual. I was also supplementing running with weight training at the gym. The purpose was to strengthen my core muscles to reduce strain on my back during the latter stages of the race.
I was feeling great. I even managed to break 20mins for 5km at my local parkrun with a time of 19mins 50secs, which really exceeded my expectations. I had tried to beat 20mins last year with an 8 week training plan specific to 5km, but had come agonisingly close with at time of 20mins 02secs. The signs were good for a PB in the Half.
Race day for the Half Marathon was the 6th August and as usual I arrived very early for my pre-race routine. The race starts at 6am and I think I woke up at around 3am on that morning! As the race is very familiar for me, I had no issues with getting parking organised and was at the start line with plenty of time to spare and very little stress. The weather was pretty cold, a bit overcast but very still, which makes for good running.
I was aiming to get a time under 1hr 40mins and my pacing in training had been spot on. The race began with a 3-2-1 GO! And we were off. The race begins on Alice St with the first 2km or so winding around the streets of the Brisbane CBD before heading up Queen St and Adelaide St and down Ivory St onto the New Farm riverwalk. The course had changed a little this year, so this section was new. We turned at the end of the riverwalk to head back to the Story bridge. I was feeling very comfortable at this stage, running at around a 4min 38sec per km pace. I had set off a little quicker than anticipated, but was finding my rhythm as I approached the bridge.
Going back up Ivory St at the 6km mark was not fun. Although I was comfortable, the elevation was increasing rapidly approaching the Story bridge and I could feel my heart rate increase significantly. I stayed calm and was able to maintain a sub 5min pace up to the brow of the hill on the bridge.
Coming down towards Kangaroo Point cliffs was great, I was able to relax and even smile for the race photographer who was perched next to the road. My heart rate dropped a little and I was able to put in a couple of quick kms. We took a sharp right turn on to Main St and headed towards Captain Burke Park. I really enjoyed running along this section of the Riverside Promenade. I have some wonderful memories of this part of Brisbane, as it was here that I got married nearly 15 years ago. It has changed a lot since then, but the garden where the ceremony took place is still the same as it was. The old colonial Yungaba building where we had the reception looks to be rental properties now. If only I had the money, I'd be tempted to buy one as an investment!
Running along the Brisbane river underneath the Kangaroo Point cliffs was really wonderful, I was enjoying looking at some of the boats on the river, the clouds began to clear and the sun showed up. It was still quite cold though, which helped keep the heart rate low. I was at about the half way stage now, and had to concentrate on keeping my pace up as fatigue began to creep in.
I guess this is the stage where it is said that races begin, just after the halfway point when all the early adrenaline disappears and you rely on those months of training to keep the target pace up. I started noticing the boats and scenery less and knuckled down to some serious running.
Because it was quite cool and I was used to running distances much longer than 21.1km, I was able to ignore most of the aid stations. I did still take on some water here and there, but for the most part I was comfortable and didn't need much hydration. However, just after halfway I did swallow an energy gel to keep the sugar levels up.
The Riverside drive section of West End is an area I know well from running intervals and competing in a 10km with the Brisbane Road Runners club. I have often struggled on this part of the course when doing other races, I think it is partly to do with the slight head wind that always seems present and the gentle uphill section towards Orleigh Park. The key here was to dig in and keep my pace up, once I hit the turnaround I knew I could relax a little.
Once the turning point near Oreligh Road, I knew I was heading for the finish. 16km down, and just over 5km to go. Well, maybe not that close to the finish yet, there was plenty of work still to do. Having people running towards me spurred me on after the turnaround, I was ahead of them but I was also trying to pick out any faces I recognised. This took my mind off the fatigue that was building and a slightly painful spot on my left knee, which was beginning to concern me. I spotted a couple of people from my local parkrun, but apart from that no-one I knew. They must have been ahead of me!
Now that the return part of Riverside Drive was complete, following the river around to the right I entered the last long stretch of the race at Southbank. This was a really nice part of the course, with the Brisbane CBD looking impressive on the left of me. There were a few people out cheering at this stage and calling out my name, which was really encouraging. My name was printed on my race bib number, which is a nice touch by the organisers.
I was still heading towards a fast time and pushed on the last few kms until I reached the Goodwill Bridge. This was the last challenge of the race, and boy was it a challenge. After running at 4:40min/km pace for 20km, having to suddenly climb a bridge was daunting and a tad frustrating. I knew that the finish line was just ahead, so dig deep I did. My heart rate soared and my breathing quickened, I could feel my legs burning but knew I had to keep pushing. Come on, just a half km to go!
I went as hard as I could down the other side of the bridge, I could see the finish line. I had managed to really increase my pace now and was fast approaching the last turn to the left, and sprinted for the finish line. YES! I finished, and dutifully stopped my Garmin. I picked up my medal, a banana and a bottle of water from one of the many awesome volunteers and sat myself down on the grass in front of the Queensland University of Technology along with numerous other finishers.
My time? 1hour 40mins and 28secs! Well it was a massive PB over the last time I ran the Brisbane Half Marathon, but not quite enough to get under 1hr 40mins. It just means I will have to come back and have another go!
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