After what appears to be another year of missed adventures on the Gold Coast due to many uncertainties, I’m glad to finally confirm that I will be part of the record-breaking event the first weekend of July.
My last GCM was in 2022 (my 10th running) and in hindsight, returning this year will be a little emotional for me. Much has changed since ’22 amidst the ever demanding job – my outlook on life, running and by its extension marathoning. GCM22 was Nick’s final race and visit to his adopted home. It will be a different and strange experience without him and the regulars this year, especially since I’m going to be following in his footsteps by tackling the Double Challenge (Half Marathon and Marathon on race weekend). I figured that if I ever was going to do it I might as well get it done while the body can still (barely) take the beating.
I hope to be able to finish it as expeditiously as my body allows me to. I’m in no shape to run quick races now – in fact possibly ever again – but that doesn’t mean I would like to spend more time than required to complete the 21.1 and 42.2. I will have to find a balance in doing my best in the current state I’m in while limiting the strain on my body to take on the classic distance the next day. Execute the Half too exuberantly on Saturday and I’ll pay the price sooner than expected the next day. Run the Half too easily, and I’ll be spending too much time on my feet. That’s an extremely fine line to tread but nothing training (which incorporates strength, progressive mileage, stacking high weeks and back-to-backs can’t prepare me for. Except that my appetite and energy levels for such endeavours are on the wane.
I have been enjoying Half Marathons though, completing Putrajaya (December ’23), Cyber City (January), and last weekend’s Twincity. I quite look forward to Generali’s event on May 19th as well. That’s a pretty high count for me. I find Halves the perfect mix of effort + distance without the need for months’ training commitments. Sure, if your cup of coffee is the Half Marathon, you could be running as much and intensely as one would be training for the Marathon but for one whose energy and drive are no longer for 42KM, the Half is perfect.
The timings for those halves have been pretty consistent as well – averaging 5:00-5:07/km paces. Considering the near absence of intervals and MP runs, I’m pretty encouraged by that. If I were to focus just on Saturday’s Half Marathon, a sub-1:45 is there for the taking, the question being just how much under 1:45 I’d be able to dip under. A 1:37 (which I ran in 2022) is beyond me at this moment and would be too much of a fantasy to entertain much less when I’ve a Marathon the next day. What then, will be my strategy for Gold Coast?
- Run a comfortable sub-2 Half and a sub-3:50 (5:26/km pace) Marathon the next day?
- Run a sub-1:45 Half and most likely struggle(!) to finish the Marathon?
A sub-1:45 AND a sub-3:50 respectively would be extremely nice. It would be achievable a few years ago but I’m not sure now. So much have changed. Priorities have changed. I’ve even unfollowed many running influencers who are always trying to sell us “dreams”. That’s a post for another day, if I ever come down to it!
While I let the race strategy simmer for the time being, I’ve boiled down my choices of shoes, in no order of preference, to the Hoka Cielo X1, ASICS Sky Paris and NB FuelCell Elite v3. It’s “just” a matter of which combo.
I suppose I still have a few weeks to work it out.
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