2005 SMH Half Marathon - a reflection

There's something spiritual about the Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon. After all, it's held early on a Sunday and then there is the buzz of anticipation of runners at the start - runners at prayer.

I finished the SMH half and no PB. In fact, I didn't even break 90mins, which is a little disappointing to me (90.33). But I have still taken a lot of positives out of this race.

I was aiming for 4.15 pace but got thrown out by the 1 km marker that was clearly too short. I then missed the 2 k marker. I didn't establish my pace until the 3 k marker and was shocked to find that I was about one minute off the pace. I worked hard to try and get back on pace and my 1k splits were all over the place from couple of 3.50s to a few 4.20s - it was not very tidy (I question the accuracy of a lot of the markers). At the half waypoint, I was feeling low and by 14 k's I was stuffed and was struggling. The second time up Hunter St hurt badly. I saw some guy wandering off to the St John's Ambulance on the approach to Fleet Steps and I felt like doing the same thing myself. Perhaps a funeral home might have been more appropriate.

But I told myself to stay focussed and I dug deep. I was really, really pleased at the way I got back into the groove and I was running beautifully over the last 4-5 kms. I am uncertain of my km splits but I am confident I was doing 4min per k or a bit below from about 17 kms on. I was on a charge going down Kent St and took off down the slope from Napoleon St for the run home and I finished with a big kick. I probably did a 3.45 or thereabouts for the last km. Unfortunately, the damage had been done early on and I couldn't make up the gap - so 1.30.33 it will be for this year.

As the saying goes, is the glass half full or half empty? I badly wanted a sub-90 but it was not to be, not yet anyway. I turned 44 just over a week ago but I do really believe that my best running is yet to come. I have worked hard on so many elements of my running. Now I need to put it all together. It will come with patience and more hard work.

Yes, the glass is half full, that's what gives me satisfaction. Five years ago I was 25 kgs heavier than what I am now. I could hardly run 1-2 k and was developing the classic middle age girth from too much good eating and too little exercise. In October 2000 my flat out best time for the 10k was 59 mins. Yet here I was five years down the track running in the SMH half marathon with all those fantastic runners on a beautiful day over the most scenic course imaginable in the greatest city in the world. It was days like today that I really do thank God for allowing me to be a runner. In fact I think God was a runner too. I love my family, love my running, and love my life. What more do I really need?