By Helen Gay

With my 60th birthday looming, I decided that my present to myself would be another marathon, this time overseas!  I chose Queenstown as New Zealand has always been on my list even though the run was 2 months before my actual birthday.

The flight into Queenstown is simply spectacularly stunning – descending between huge snow capped rugged mountains with Lake Wakatipu in the distance.  I was very excited to be there and looking forward to staying on to explore post marathon.

The race expo was in the Queenstown Memorial Centre and setting up the marathon finish was slowly taking shape on the Queenstown Memorial Oval with the food tents etc being put up.  The day was overcast, drizzly and cool & still some snow on the surrounding mountains, so I was hoping that the weather might stay like that for the marathon!  The marathon expo was only small – I collected my race number 879 and my race pack which was in a black bag which we had to use on race day to put in any belongings to be brought back to the finish line.

This was the 3rd Queenstown International Marathon (and my 2nd) & a field of 1936 marathoners were transported by shuttle bus to the starting line at the Millbrook Resort, Arrowtown.  Race day Saturday 19th November, 2016 dawned bright & sunny – not a cloud in the sky and forecast temperature 18 degrees – perfect! (It actually got much warmer than that!)

Brimming with excitement I walked to catch the bus which was a 20 minute ride – and we were dropped off at the front gate and then a short walk down the treelined avenue past immaculately manicured golf fairways, bunkers & putting greens – I thought of my husband Steve – a very keen golfer!

The MC was very entertaining before the run & Australia had the largest contingent of international competitors – 885 & of course the usual New Zealand v Aussie sporting banter!

Time to line up and we were sent off in 3 waves – I put myself in the 3rd wave and met other aussies while we were waiting for the start – I got some great comments about my TRR International top (thanks Bolt & Run) which made me proud to be wearing it and representing Tasmanian Road Runners!

At last it was our group to start – the gun went off and a mass beeping of watches being set into action – a very civilised start & we headed off down “The Avenue” – under the shady trees on both sides and out into the bright sunshine.  There was lots of fun chatter around me and I had a feeling that I was going to enjoy this run no matter what!  I felt good and did a quick mental check from head to toes – the hamstring/glute injury which I had carried for the previous 6 weeks was still there in a lesser form & manageable – this was not going to stop me & I had to pinch myself – yes I was in New Zealand running a marathon!

2km in and we were running through a quaint little town – Arrowtown & turned off onto the first of many trails – this was the Arrow River track, a lovely shady trail with the Arrow River bubbling along on my left – where else would I want to be on such a beautiful day!

The drink stations were plentiful & entertainment along the way made the going enjoyable & the scenery – OMG so beautiful – I felt so priviledged and lucky to be there.  The k’s ticked by – around Lake Hayes, across the boardwalk & then up the first of several inclines (I am loathe to call them hills given what was surrounding us).  This was a single narrow trail and the scenery still spectacular – blue lake, green hills, yellow Scottish Broom, blue sky and hot sun which was now starting to burn my shoulders!  Silly me – wasn’t planning on getting sunburnt in New Zealand!

At 18k we left the lake & onto the roads – Speargrass Flat Road and then onto Lower Shotover Road for 8km.  We ran past beautifully manicured rural properties with their proud owners sitting on deck chairs cheering us on!  My next highlight was running alongside the Lower Shotover River and then under the old bridge,  a small turn up another incline & over the bridge onto another trail which now took us on towards Queenstown.

At 30km we came across what is known as “marathon hill” it went up & up & up beside the Kawarau River with the river banks covered in the bright yellow broom.  This hill stopped many in our tracks and a welcome distraction whilst walking to the top was the jetboats speeding along the river.

I loved the motivational signs along the course and at the top of the climb we were greeted with “its all downhill from here…. mostly”.  I also loved the kilometre countdown si
gns as opposed to how many kilometres you have already run!

On the home stretch now through Frankton (near the airport) and onto the Frankton Arm walkway which runs around the shores of Lake Wakatipu.  By this time I was feeling really hot, had slowed considerably & was sick of GU so I was happy to alternate water & Powerade to get me to the finish!

Now with 2kms to go I ran around Queenstown Gardens & across the stone bridge onto Marine Parade, through the streets of Queenstown where there were lots of spectators cheering & clapping us home.  Our last little incline was Duke Street where we were met by a bagpiper – down the ramp which was made to look like an airport runway (main sponsors are Air New Zealand)and across the finish line!

I had made it – hot, tired, sunburnt but so elated & emotional (marathons are like that) as I also didn’t have anyone waiting for me at the finish line!

I was given a medal and drink & headed out of the runners area to seek the shade of a tree to cool down & stretch.

There was no PB – I drank at every station & stopped to take many photos on course & soaked up the atmosphere.  This marathon is 70% hardpacked trail & 30% road – very well organised with the most friendly volunteers.  If you are looking for an overseas marathon – no jetlag involved – then this one is highly recommended!

I loved it so much that I would love to go back & run the 2017 version of this marathon as they have changed the course – apparently there is no “marathon hill”!

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by Bonnie Davies

The Honolulu marathon is a marathon available to entries without qualification times and there is no ballot. Entries provide a free weekly online training schedule with virtual trainer and support as the event approaches. Entries start at USD110.00 for early bird. I paid USD180.00.

The event is a winter run however arriving into Honolulu temperatures of 28° Celsius were a daily occurrence with upwards of 70% humidity and sporadic rain for short periods. Hydration is a must and must be taken seriously prior, during and following the event.

Race pack collection is at the expo held in the convention centre about 15 minutes by bus out of Waikiki and 5 minutes walk from the Ala Moana shopping centre. A free shuttle bus provides transport to and from the marathon expo from Waikiki.

The expo is large with an array of exhibits. As with all expo’s some exhibits will appeal others won’t. A large selection of Marathon memorabilia is available for purchase and my advice is due to it being expensive, is to restrain your excitement. You do get a lovely medal and nice finishers T shirt plus the memorabilia is also available at the end of the run if you really do want to pursue that particular item.

The Honolulu Marathon has a supporting event on the Saturday called the Merrie Mile. It is literally 1 mile (1.6km). This year was its inaugural year and participants receive a medal, T shirt, beach party, beverages and snacks. The event starts and finishes by Honolulu zoo in Waikiki (close to hotels). It’s suitable for all ages, costumes and is a bit of fun, additionally it’s a nice leg shake out for those running the marathon the next day. The cost for Merrie Mile was USD25.00 and it starts at 0700.

The Marathon is on the Sunday morning, and starts at 0500 from Ala Moana park (opposite Ala Moana Shopping centre). Free shuttle busses start ferrying athletes from Waikiki to the start from 0200 and the last bus leaves at 0400. 40,000 runners took part in this years event with 80% being Japanese.

Porta loo’s are plentiful and queues are minimal. The start line is divided into areas of estimated time. I selected the 3.00-4.00 zone (this was a mistake). My advice is if you are a runner, start as close to the front as possible.

The Honolulu marathon has no cut of time and therefore attracts a lot of weekend warriors, walkers, children and there was even a dog!

The start is spectacular with the starting gun replaced by a firework display which would challenge Hobart’s New Year’s Eve display. It’s a great distraction while you slowly edge to the start line.

Crossing the line, the run begins. Congestion was horrendous due to people not using the start zones properly. I hit very slow runners and walkers within the first 100m. Passing was difficult and I remained congested for the first 15km maintaining 6-7 min/km before hitting clear air. The course has a steady climb around Diamond Head (an extinct volcano) for about a kilometre in the first 10km and then a climb back over in the last 3km. Otherwise the course is fairly flat with minor undulations. Undulations prove advantageous to Tassie runners accustomed to hills, as this is where a lot of ground can be made up once free of congestion.

Aid stations providing water, gatorade, gels and water soaked sponges are plentiful. Spectators additionally offer peanut butter sandwiches, lollies and hoses to spray runners.

The course is lined heavily in built up areas with cheering plentiful. Many of which is spoken in Japanese for the majority of runners. Running straight down the Main Street in Waikiki was a highlight. Many turned out to cheer at 0530 in the morning. Still dark, it starts to lighten at around 0700 with a beautiful sunrise over the pacific greeting runners between 0730-0800. Once the sun rises the heat really hits and hoses, water soaked sponges and cups of water thrown over ones head provide a welcoming relief. I was wet in the first 5km from humidity alone.

Pacers were running but I did not see any until the last 100m. They wore a singlet. No flag, no balloon. This was not ideal as essentially they were not identifiable among the huge numbers. So be prepared to pace yourself.

The finish is back at the zoo in Waikiki where the bus journey began in the early hours. Approaching the line your name and where you are from is called out, spectators line the finishing shoot and crossing the finish, lays are placed over your head and a few metres later a medal. Actually it’s more like a saucer. It’s the biggest marathon medal I’ve ever seen. T-shirts are given along with a range of snacks and refreshments. Massages are available and a variety of memorabilia tents. Alternatively Waikiki beach is right next to the finish and since most runners finish very hot a soaked with sweat, many including myself opted to jump into the ocean and cool down.

The final marathoner crossed the line at 2145 that night. Sights included a running trombone, several santa’s, a traditional Hawaiian man with loin cloth and leaves, a dinosaur, several pineapples, and a fleet of Japanese airlines planes running in formation.

It is a very relaxed, picturesque and fun marathon, but at the same time extremely challenging due to temperatures and congestion. I certainly recommend it as a different marathon to try and one to cross off the marathon bucket list. It is a perfect marathon for beginners with no cut off time and it really isn’t a marathon for people with specific time goals.

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by Angelica Pasten-Anderson

2016 has been an amazing year of running for me.  It all started when I became a marathoner in January at the Cadbury Marathon thanks to TRR’s ‘Make me a Marathoner’ program.

In October, I proved to myself that it wasn’t a fluke and I ran my second marathon and first World Marathon Major in Chicago.   It was an incredible experience and I’d like to share it with you in the hope that it will inspire you to run the world!

Bib Pick-up

I have to start my story with Bib Pickup.   I wasn’t quite prepared for the enormity of it.  I’m used to a casual bib pick-up at the Running Edge in Hobart.  This was something quite extraordinary.  It was HUGE and very high-tech.   In order to pick up my bib I had to present my entry-validation on the app (sort of like a boarding pass) and ID.  Once I was “checked-in” I was sent to another table where I could collect my bib.  My credentials were checked again and my bib was scanned which activated the timing chip.  Next I had to go get my gear bag –

you could only use the official clear plastic gear bag provided to store items at gear check on the day.

The expo was positively insane.  It was packed with excited starry eyed people like me, wandering around in open mouthed wonder at the sheer size of the event.  Nike had its own live DJ spinning tunes which added to the vibe Nike was the apparel sponsor of the event and they produced the finisher tops (nice top I might add!).

I nearly got to the gear bag stand when I saw one of my running idols on the main stage.  Joan Benoit-Samuelson was speaking about her motivation for running.  It was truly inspiring to hear from such a legend of the sport.  Talk about inspiration!

There was so much to see at the expo.  Another highlight for me was to see the medals for all 6 World Marathon Majors which put another crazy idea in my head… maybe I’d like to run all six.

 

Marathon Day

I left my hotel room an hour before my start time of 8:00. I walked leisurely through Millennium Park, snapped a selfie at the Bean and just soaked in the energy and beauty of my home city.  Chicago is truly spectacular especially so on Marathon Sunday.  It was slightly chilly before the sun came shining through, however we were lucky to have some very unseasonable warm weather for the day.  I walked through security and found gear-check.  The race was incredibly well-organised, as it must for an event catering for over 40,000 participants!   Gear check was organised by bib-number and wave colour.  Finding where I needed to go just brought home how massive this thing I was a part of truly was.  Gear checked and stowed I made my way to my start Corral – G wide eyed and excited.

It was literally  a Corral – fenced in and all!   I guess you need to keep everyone “herded” where they needed to be but it was a bit surreal being fenced into the corral awaiting the start.   I quickly found my way to the Nike 4:25 pacers.   Pacers found, it was time to play the waiting game… I found myself feeling the usual pre-race nerves but feeling remarkably calm.  I felt like I was in a dream and this wasn’t actually really happening, bizarre I know.  I felt so happy to be stood at that start line waiting to run.  The years of training and prep had come down to this moment and I was loving it.

Finally it was time to run.

The Run

It took about 10 or more minutes to get to the actual start line.  It was a bit hard because at that point I just wanted to go for it.  Nothing could have prepared me for the emotion I felt as I crossed the start line.  I was elated and carried by the roar of the crowd – absolutely incredible.   About 500 meters after the start line the crowd of runners surrounding dissipated – there was no scrambling for space and I was able to run free.  I stuck close to the pacers and was feeling good.  Again the race was so amazingly well organised that the wave start and corrals did what they were meant to – thin the pack enabling everyone to have a comfortable run.

The spectators were magic, their chanting and genuine well wishes were something I will forever remember and treasure.  Chicago certainly knows how to support its runners!   Everywhere I looked there was something to see and hear.  I purposefully didn’t run to music because I wanted to take in every moment and experience every sensation the course had to offer.

The first few miles of course were in the CBD and we ran under towering skyscrapers (which caused Garmin chaos) and across the many bridges crossing the Chicago River. I loved how the bridges had red carpet over them so as to make our run a bit more cushioned and to make us feel VIP.   Then the course headed north into leafy Lincoln Park.  At this point my heel began to hurt but I somehow managed to get myself ahead of the pacers and stayed there.  As if to bolster my spirits and take my mind off of the pain, there was a blues band belting out “Sweet Home Chicago” as I ran.  I was grinning from ear to ear!   We then turned south and hit Wrigleyville where I thought of my beloved Chicago Cubs.  While we didn’t run past the iconic Wrigley Field you could still feel the energy of place magnified by their playoff triumphs.  (They are now World Series Champions making the run through the neighbourhood all the more special!)

At around 12km we hit Boys Town was another huge course highlight for me.  Boys Town is the centre of pride celebrations in Chicago and the Queens were out in all their glory.  I couldn’t help but slow down a bit to take in the spectacle and raucous atmosphere that is Boys Town.   The ROTC  (Righteously Outrageous Twirling Corps) put on a brilliant colorguard performance and I could help but stop to applaud.

The spectators lined every inch of the streets and were loud!  There were awesome signs that motivated you to run faster.  One of my personal faves was “Run like Trump is chasing you!”  I laughed every time I saw one.   The spectators and local businesses also provided great music to keep our spirits up.  I can’t tell you how many times I heard “Eye of the Tiger” or “Born to Run” but those tunes never got old and just kept me going.

Before I knew I was back in the Loop and halfway done.   The course headed west for a bit until we hit the United Center which is home of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks.  The Bulls Mascot, Benny the Bull, was there doing his thing cheering us on.  I felt for him (or her) because it was getting quite warm and it must have been boiling in that Bull costume.    The spectators were thinning a bit but still loud and boisterous.   Some were offering free beer.  None for me!  I was happy with my gels and electrolyte for now.

The next memorable part of the course was Pilsen, the Mexican neighbourhood known for its food and art.  It was a vibrant area filled with salsa and mariachi music.  They were even handing out Tequila shots to the runners.  In hindsight, I should have took one because it might have been just the rocket fuel I needed to get me back into gear.

Once we got out of Pilsen the course got a bit depressing as we ran alongside the Dan Ryan Expressway.  There weren’t many spectators and the scenery was a bit bleak.  The best part about this section of the course is running past the White Sox Park.  However the bleakness was short-lived as we turned the corner onto Michigan Avenue and the home stretch.

The end was now within reach only 5km away.   The crowds were back and cheering.  I got a boost from the Elvis impersonator in all his bedazzled jump-suited glory.   There was a little Korean enclave busting out the Gangnam Style and I had a little dance with them.   At this point I was stopping at every aid station and walking through them sipping on water.  I have never seen volunteers this excited to cheer you on and so happy to hand out the water.  They were truly inspirational.

Off I trudged getting closer and closer to Grant Park and the finish.  The iconic Chicago Skyline was getting closer and closer with the roar of the crowd getting louder and louder.  Despite my weariness my smile was wide.  I was nearly there, nearly at the finish of the Chicago Marathon!

The Finish

The course was flat up until the very end.  I heard people talking about Mt Roosevelt and didn’t quite get what they meant.  The final approach to the finish line on Roosevelt was a bit of an incline.  Nothing like Mt Cadbury but still enough to make you earn that finish.    With the Finish Line in sight I unfurled my Aussie flag and finished my homecoming marathon with the biggest smile.  I did it!

I had no bloody idea what time I did.  I’m lucky I remembered to turn my Garmin off. It registered that I did 44km…yeah right.   I didn’t find out what my finishing time was until later that night.  Not that I cared, it didn’t matter to me.  What mattered was I had a good time out there (well maybe except for a few km when I really hurt) and finished.   For the record I finished 4:33:04 which is only 1:43 slower than my debut time at Cadbury.  Maybe I shouldn’t have mucked around….nah… I would have missed out on some of the fun.

The finishing chute was good and kept moving and I had a bit of a teary moment when the wonderful volunteer placed the finishers medal around my neck.  I loved that they did this.  Everyone was personally congratulated and not just handed a medal.  It was like your own personal awards ceremony.  So special.   Once you got your medal you got a “heat sheet” to keep you warm… not that you needed it on such a wonderfully warm day.  I took one, well just because everyone was wearing one and I wanted to be a cool kid.

The freebies kept on coming.  There were bananas, there were energy bars, there was gatorade and there was beer!  The supermarket sponsor even handed out a bag full of snacks for you to take away with you.  I declined the beer but had some bananas, more water and felt refuelled enough to collect my bag, get my photo taken and find my friends.

There was a huge after-party with food, live music and entertainment at Grant Park.  It was mayhem with so many people there but the crowds were very orderly and full of happy finishers and proud supporters.

You’d think the end of the race would be the end.  Not so in Chicago.  The marathoners proudly wore their medals as we celebrated into the night and into the next day.  There was this sense of camaraderie amongst us all.  Congratulatory smiles and high 5’s and looks of reverence from those mere mortals who spectated and supported.  We were all beaming with pride walking around the city like rockstars!  I don’t think I could have gotten away with wearing my Cadbury medal in Hobart the day after but in Chicago it felt natural.
I had an amazing time and I was so proud to be wearing my TRR colours across the finish line.   We truly do run the world.   If you ever get the chance, run Chicago!  If you do go, let me know and I’ll be right there with you.

 

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