Sorry if this seems long but I ran 42.2 kms and that is a lot to write about!

Last Sunday the 3rd of July I ran my first full marathon at the Gold Coast….. 42.2kms! Most people have been saying I am stupid or crazy….well I probably am. But I didn’t just go out there and run it I trained a lot and worked my way up to the distance.
I was thinking about running a marathon last year after I ran the half I wanted to run a few more half marathons first, but that didn’t really end up happening. In January I started setting goals for clients and decided I should also set one for myself. The best thing I did was tell everyone that I was going to run the marathon; this meant they could hold me accountable by reminding me of my goal! It wasn’t until a few months out from the marathon that I realised I needed to really get in some more kms. Every time I considered not going for a run I thought how many people I had told I was doing it and how embarrassed I would be to have to make up an excuse as to why I didn’t make it, and how many times I would have to repeat that poor excuse!
The most important run when training for a marathon is getting in at least one long run a week, some of these runs I did with the running group “Lazy Runners” which made it so much easier and more enjoyable to have someone to talk to when running for over 2 hours. Some runs I had to do myself which was pretty challenging. Once I ran from Alexandra Headlands to Bullock Beach in Caloundra-it was hard when my iphone battery died – I had no music and couldn’t call my friend to pick me up , I ended up catching the bus all the way back! I have also run all along the coast from Caloundra to Noosa, lucky the Sunshine Coast is a great place to run.

Shannan and I at the Running expo

Talking to my mum a few days before the event – I think she was more nervous than I was. She was upset that she couldn’t be there “So proud that you are about to achieve a life-goal, so many people set them and then forget …”. The event was very well organised – if you were running you could register to a site called “run with me” where my timing chip would detect where I was at different points in the race and automatically update my Facebook status. My friends and family could see where I was in the race and leave a message that would come up on the big screens set up at different points during the race. I registered for the site at the expo on the Saturday before the race. While i was typing away at the computer someone familiar started recording video messages for the same site……… IT WAS SHANNAN Ponton! (celebrity personal trainer from the Biggest Loser). I said to him “You could just do a message for me if you like”, I am sure I sounded like an excited little school girl, so I was glad when he said “Yeah of course I will and good on you for asking, what are you doing the half or full?” Me- “The full marathon, I figured if the biggest loser people could do it so could I”

I then went on to tell him that I was a Personal trainer too and he was a bit of an inspiration to me and asked if I could get a photo with him. He was very nice! I couldn’t stop smiling all day and forgot The message he recorded for me went like this “ C’mon Sam keep going, dig deep, remember what you said yesterday if the Biggest Loser people could do it you can to!” – great motivation for me when I was hitting the wall at 39km.
After drinking about 6 L of water and a lot of carbs including a big bowl of fried rice for dinner I was fuelled up for the race. I had a surprisingly good night’s sleep and woke up on race day feeling great!
I was up at 5am and walked to the start line with the other “Lazy Runners”. The Half Marathon started at 6am so we were there to cheer them on. The next hour we went by so fast the next thing I knew I was at the starting line ready to start at 7:10am, with over 5000 other CRAZY people. I was with the 4-hour pace runner , pace runners have balloons attached to their backs with different times on them. They are in the race give you an idea of what speed you should be running to make the time on their balloon.
I knew not to get too excited and go out too hard, I tried to check out the scenery and enjoy the atmosphere. The first 10km was pretty crowded as I ran down south towards Burleigh. I saw the elite runners pass us going the other way – they are incredible, they are pretty much at sprinting pace but look so efficient and comfortable. Before I knew it I was at the halfway mark – my time was 1:54 which is only 2 minutes slower than my half Marathon last year. I was on my way back towards the start line where I had left a drink with my running coach. She was surprised to see me so soon I was still with the 4 hour pacer! I had a sip of my drink and kept going – I saw Nick cheering which gave me another boost. The crowd was also great! I then started running north past Southport – the crowd started to get thinner and it was getting HOT! I made sure I stopped at every drink station and aloud myself to walk for 12 steps, mainly so I wouldn’t choke on my water.
The frustrating thing about training for a marathon is that I didn’t ever run the distance of the race before the actual race. The 42km distance is such a strain on your body and the recovery time so long that the furthest run I did was probably about 32-33kms. At the 32km mark it felt like my body just didn’t want to go anymore, the 4 hour pacer started getting further and further away, the faster I would try and run the slower I seemed to go. That’s when I had to change my mindset – I decided to not worry about keeping up with the the pacer and just keep running and finish. There was so many people stopping and walking and it would have been the easiest thing to do. But I kept telling myself if I stop and walk then I am not going to be able to say I ran a marathon!

The Photo nick took as he was yelling out to me to Sprint

I was really counting down the kms now I kept skipping through my ipod to try find a really motivational song. Other racers were cramping and throwing up on the sidewalks, I tried my hardest to just ignore them. I talked to myself a lot a when I felt a pain in my foot or hip or knee or pretty much everywhere I would have to say “ignore it and it will go away” it kinda worked. I came to the last turnaround and there were a few more dedicated spectators, they read my name on my race number all started yelling out “Go Sam” and I managed to force out a smile. One guy said “C’mon Sam you looking good”, I knew he was just straight out lying, but good on him for trying.
4 kms to go I was this time I was trying to trick myself “just going on a 4km run down at Mooloolaba I have done that before easy”. Just past the 38km point I say another checkpoint, there was a big screen. I ran over the mat and looked up to the screen, there was Shannan.
“ C’mon Sam keep going, dig deep, remember what you said yesterday if the Biggest Loser people could do it you can too!” My own little personal trainer motivation!! I got another big smile I looked around to see if anyone else had seen but the other racers were either too far away or looking to the ground in deep concentration. I got another burst of energy after that and realised it was nearly over, my clients have all heard me say when they are running “the quicker you go the quicker it will be over”. As I came closer to the finish the crowd started to get bigger again. I think marathon spectators have to be the most dedicated people to stand there for hours. At about 1km to go I saw Nick at the fence yelling “Sprint Sam SPRINT”. I was glad to hear after that the people standing beside him “gee give her a break she just ran 41kms”.
I then saw my running coach and all the Half marathon lazy runners i gave them all high 5’s. There was so many people and only one more turn then I saw the sign “270m to go and you will have the amazing feeling of crossing the line”. The guy next to me started to walk “NO C’mon” I said “270m you can make that”. I started striding out, I would like to say sprinting but I don’t think it was a sprint at that stage. I overtook all the others who had decided to walk the last bit and crossed the line! It was the best feeling. I was even happier to see that I wasn’t too far off the 4 hour mark the time crossing the finish line was 4:06 making my official time 4:04:34, and 28th (from 85 finishers) in my age group.

Thank you again to everyone for all their support couldn’t have done it without you!

Samantha Swanson

High 5'ing the other "Crazy" Lazy Runners with 1km to GO!