Hawkes Bay Marathon 2021 - Karen’s race report

Race week started with an amplified attack of pre race nerves, fatigue, aches and pains. Cue anxiety attack! 

I’ve invested a lot of time in and energy into this training block and my expectations are weighing heavily on my mind. I’ve been using the Hanson’s marathon method and like anyone, was a bit sceptical as the longest run is only 28km! (I confess that I did squeeze a 32km on the last long run just out of curiosity). The idea is to accumulate fatigue during the week with speed, strength, and tempo runs so that Sunday’s long run replicates the seconds half of the marathon rather than the first. The weekly mileage reaches around 100km and so fits into my work/life, but don’t be fooled it’s not easy doing 16km tempos at 5am! 

Some reassuring words from Gene, Wade, and Brad bring me back to the world of sane thinking and when I get to Napier I feel a lot more relaxedj and decide to just put my trust in the science knowing that I’ve ticked every box and haven’t missed a training session in 4 months. 

A pre race gel and some discrete eyeing up of the competition and then we’re off. The race started reasonably controlled, knowing that there were several tripping hazards and obstacles to navigate in the first 200 mtrs, I didn’t fancy starting my 42.2km journey with grazed knees! Young Bethany Bromfield was off and out of sight before the first glimpse at my watch which just left myself in third and Emily in second. I don’t dare look behind to see who else has come with us so just settle into pace and keep my eye on Emily. She senses me on her shoulder and strides off again. I edge ahead of her at 3.5km and focus on sticking to 4.09 pace. We make our way down Marine Parade and into some rural roads, still wondering where these cycle trails are? I decide to ignore my gps which is like a yo-yo and instead find a few guys to tag along with. To be honest the whole course blurs into a series of long flat straight which I imagine to be horrendous if the weather was wet and wild. Thankfully we had a beautiful calm day and all of those tempo’s up and down the flat road to the Gulf Harbour marina couldn’t have prepared me better for this course. Around 10km in I start sipping on a gel. I’m back on my own as we hit the first long cycle trail around the 15km mark. It’s a bit breezy so I pick it up to catch a group of guys 30 mtrs ahead that I can tuck in behind. 3km later we’re back near the coast and I move past them. I’m feeling good and it feels weirdly easy but I try not to get too excited as I know how quickly things can change. One of the bridges is a bit bouncy for my liking, 10yrs ago this would have been fun but now it’s just nauseating. Coming off the bridge and back to the trail, a Marshall tells me Bethany is about 4mins ahead, I go through half way around 1.27 and I’m feeling good. The next cycle path goes in land and is around 6km long. Runners are dotted 200 mtrs apart for as far as the eye can see. There’s no breeze or shade, it’s starting to get hot, the next drink stop can’t come quick enough. I force down another gel and focus on just catching the next person in front of me and then the next and the next... my mantra at this stage is “Don’t think, just run”. 

Finally at 26km I know I’ll see my friend Kate so I off load my waist belt and grab 2 cups of water (loosing most of it). I push on knowing that if I slow down too much it will be hard to get back on pace. We hit some roads again and thankfully some shade. I steal a look over my shoulder crossing a bridge at 31km and spot Emily 200 mtrs back. “Damn” I didn’t realise she was so close, she stalks me over the next 6km, my pace starts to falter, it creeps up to 4.20 but I’m still catching other runners and passing them, it’s a good confidence booster but still feel there’s a bit of a monkey on my back. We merge with the half marathoners, the traffic on the course makes it hard to see who’s around. I hear someone coming up on my shoulder and think this is it “she’s got me” but a male runner charges past me instead. My feet and calves threaten to cramp around 38km but I hold it off with another gel and my new mantra “Don’t think, don’t feel, just run”. Emily finally catches me with 2km to go moving me into 3rd place. I go with her for 500 mtrs but doubt my body and pull back fearing a repeat of Queenstown. I think “I’ll regret this decision, I should have fought harder” but I do the math in my head and know that if I just hold it together I will achieve what I came here to do (Sub 3). I can take more risks next time. A high five from Gene and the finish line atmosphere give me the boost I need to finish strong. 

I’m elated and in much better condition that last time. I only learn then that we’d been closing the gap to Bethany and that Emily was the same girl who’d run me down with 1 km to go to take 3rd place in Queenstown! It was the second marathon for all 3 of us and we’re all stoked to have done PB’s and get the sub3. 

Can’t wait for the rematch at the Auckland Marathon but now it’s time to chill. 

Result: 3rd female, 1st in my age group, time 2:57.36