In the Moment Melbourne Marathon windy gutsy race condition, why it matters #MelbMara

The Day, the famous day where you finally get to run. So many things can go wrong on that day. I've experienced many, too many I think. In 2010, 2 days before Kelowna Marathon, I was struck with a gastroenteritis, no way I could run. Before NYC 2014, I broke my Calcaneus bone and was in a cast for 6 weeks, worse, had not recovered enough to start the 2015 Boston Marathon. Then, you have to run with pain, it is very rare to be pain free.

But really, once you finally reach this start line there's no worst thing than adverse weather conditions. One will say, it is just a race, I would reply, true, it is. But is it really ??

Running a marathon is so much more than the 42.2 click you run on race day. No matter how fast or slow you do it, it does not start on race day, the journey usually starts when one registers for a race. There's a long process and lot's of obstacles that will hint you to stop over this lenghty period.

I like to get ready in a 12-16 weeks window, with up to 8-10 hours peak per week of training. Combined with real life constraints, this adds up quickly. In order to get through it, runners have to go through a lot.

The cycle starts very positively, short runs, no pain, lots of energy. We all feel unstoppable, as the training honeymoons stops, pain, fatigue, grumpiness starts showing up. Also, dealing with people, yes with people, friends, colleagues, family, relatives, unknown. You will always hear those voice of encouragement. Such as why do you do this? You can have some of that food? Have more drinks, it won't hurt you. Why do you get up so early. You can skip this training.

And then, there's your own body that will scream, press SNOOZE, don't go out today, eat, eat eat. Please rest me, I'm hurting. 

12-16 weeks of signals telling you to stop. I even get some comments like you are too thin, it must not be healthy, you should eat more. One must remain calm and collected and acknowledge all this help.

SO, when finally race day arrives and the weather forecast is for a rare time RIGHT...you tell yourself why, why and why. You can deal with pain, there's ice, advils, voltaren. You can deal with fatigue, there' s cafeine. But how can one deal with adverse weather. Boston 2012 was an inferno, it was my first one, and there will only be a first Boston. It was a disaster, my engine overheated, It was painful and the deception was even worse.

Then NY last year, a November run, it shall be cold, it was not. Nothing compared to Boston 2012, but still too hot. NY 2015 was redemption for missing NY 2014. I wanted to do a fast time. I did, under a difficult race. NY is not recognize as a fast marathon. So, I was very happy with my time short of a PB.

Fast forward to Melbourne 2016, nothing can prepare one for 40kmh winds with gusts at 60kmh. What happened then is quite funny and I will learn a lot before Tokyo 2017.

On saturday, I gave up of any hope of a good time. I went to bed early and quickly felt asleep. Got the alarm clock to wake me up. A full night sleep. Then, I ate, two hours before the race. Did not drink coffee and did not go to washroom (runners, you understand what I mean). Got to the race pretty much just in time and did not think of my pace to start with, did not know the elevation on the course and did not know the wind direction. But I could for sure feel this wind.

So, here I was, at the start line, asking the runner besides me, right after the Australian anthem, what was his race strategy. He was shooting for 2h40 ( I might be over confident...) but I knew I would beat him. I told him I wanted to break 2h50 at most. He advised me that there would be a very long stretch with headwinds and it was hilly incline towards the end.

Humm, interesting, first half easier than second half. Second half with headwinds and incline. 

So, seconds after, here's the start. In one following blog, I will describe the race. And why I'm confident I'll do 2h42 in Tokyo 2017.