A bit of Gold Coast history .....
2004 - 3:33:03 (first marathon)
2005 - 3:25:59 (went on to run Columbus, Ohio 3:16:05)
2006 - 3:59:43 (Pacer 4hr group)
2007 - 3:26:51 (Pacer 3:15 originally)
2008 - 3:23:51
So that ruins the end of the story, right?
No .... let's step back.
So much of a marathon comes before the start .... the most important of things is the pre-race potty. Ok, you know this isn't going to be pretty. Unlike previous years the plan was to wake early and drive over an hour to make the start. Pre-packed and all organized meant we could leap out of bed and into the car, within the shortest time possible. No time to wake the body gentle and let "things" happen.
I love electric windows ... don't you? I remember being a kid and being told "don't play with the windows". I guess the Croutons are no different, but I have that magic button that locks every thing and stops the fiddling. Now that I think about it, perhaps they weren't playing with the windows, because I had that nervous stomach one might have prior to "delivery"..... Yep, that was it .... I was a little nervous and produced the occasional waft of "nerve gas". Oh, bugger, now I feel guilty for pushing the window lock button.
So moving along, let me tell you ..... "I delivered" ..... bring on the marathon. I'm ready to rock ..... *roar*
We all assembled at the start of the half marathon to watch Katy take off .... perhaps I hadn't quite dealt with all my "nervousness" and had to quickly seek out a stink room (because, let's face it, they all stink by race time). I ran past the queues 10 deep whilst doing the sums with 10 minutes to go and figured I would miss the start. And then I notice no queues at the scene of my previous crimes, Radar was fanning a door open and shut a few times before he disappeared into a cubicle. I managed to get the next door open and all was good again. By the way, am I the only one who finds warm toilet seats creepy? I know you are meant to feel relaxed pre-start and I do. I drink so much water that everything relaxes ... but not in a good way.
Standing at the start line, I caught up with the usual suspects Glenno, Rob and others and prepared to execute my brilliant plan of running about 4:40's for as long as possible.
