GOLD COAST AIRPORT MARATHON
Through the eyes of Matt Phillips
Page 5
Nearly
everyone I knew competing in the race had failed to run up to
their expectations and this was confirmed in the Gold Coast
Bulletin Monday morning with the Ethiopian winner blaming
the above average Winter temperature that peaked at 25 degrees
for running 3 minutes outside last years winning time and 6
minutes off the race record.
I was not the only one to succumb
I heard
about a bloke who ran 2:58 in Canberra in April running 3:29
yesterday, another bloke who usually runs 3:30 running 3:59 -
the list goes on. It seems that Mother Nature was the winner on
the day and all you can say is "That's racing".
I've closely
analysed my race and will be writing down everything I did right
and wrong for future reference. The most baffling thing for me
is how did I become so dehydrated? I thought I hydrated well
enough, although in hindsight, perhaps not to well at the 35 and
37.5km drink stations and I had enough excess fluid in my body
to urinate behind a telegraph pole at the 33km mark.
I've come to
the conclusion that with many cups at the drink stations,
especially PB cups being only 2/3 to 3/4 full, and adding
spillage to the equation, I was barely getting a cup and a half
in me at most drink stations when I thought I was getting two
cups.
I
should have run with Pat
Also, in
hindsight, I should have run right behind Pat's group and
saved a little energy by drafting the pack. A recent Runners
World article(March 2004, pg 20) claimed that even on a calm day
a Marathoner running out in front of the pack will expend about
2% more energy that the runner tucked in behind him. 2% may not
sound like a lot but this equates to about 4 mins for a 3hr
Marathoner and 5 minutes for a 4 hour Marathoner.
The main
reason why I didn't break 3 hours?? Probably the fact that
trying to break 3 hours in my first Marathon on just 6 months
training left me with little or no margin for things to go
wrong. Everything had to go right for me on the day and when
Mother Nature had her say and dehydration called, it was all
over, red rover.
"A life changing experience"
While the
end result hasn't quite what I hoped for, it's been a
hell of a journey and certainly a life changing experience in
demonstrating how perseverance and constancy to purpose are the
hallmarks for success in all avenues of life.
My running
career will continue - the Bridge to Brissy is weeks away, the
Noosa Half Marathon not far behind and I'm putting together a
team together for the Noosa Team Triathlon and will be aiming to
run the 10km leg in 35 minutes and help the team to a Top 50
finish in Australia's largest team triathlon.
I'll be back
Longer term,
running a sub 2:45 marathon to break into the Top 100 Australian
Marathoners for the current year is the big goal. And the Gold
Coast?? I'll be back next year - there is some unfinished
business to be settled with that course!!!!
(photo supplied courtesy of
www.marathon-photos.com)
Life's good.....Sensational even!!!!!
Matt
Phillips
After I posted
this article I received the following response from
Nicky Turner. Nicky witnessed Matt's gallant effort in the
finishing straight. Please read on for Nicky's insight into
Matt's last few steps. (Pat Carroll)
Matt's last few steps as
witnessed by Nicky Turner
I started to
read the story about Matt in the Gold Coast Marathon, enjoying
another person's personal experience in achieving their goals.
It was not until he mentioned the last 600 metres that I
realised who Matt actually was.
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