Townsville Marathon 2006

Yay! One major goal crossed of the list. I can now say I am 24 years old and have done 10 marathons.
Yet I feel like I didn't really finish this one. I did technically finish, but I walked the last 7k.

Anyway, starting from where I left off from the last post...

I am a complete dill and got to the airport an hour earlier than I intended. So I sat in the departure lounge playing with the Mandelbrot set on this cool fractal program I just installed - xaos. I have had a facsination with mathematics in the last few months, and have been reading a book by Roger Penrose called The Road to Reality. Facsinating stuff. Also have been reading a biography of Nikola Tesla who is my favouritisist scientisist.
Arrived in Townsville and a bloke from work picked me up from the airport and it was straight to work to install the new UPS. Then from there to registration to pick up my race number - 005 which sounds like one of James Bond's collegues. Ran into Vlastik on the way, he had run to Ingham and back, and was going to skip that distance plus the marathon distance when he is off again - all so he could be at Townsville for the marathon. Walked into the city to catch a bus home, and stopped off at the Cowboys club and got one of those oversized foam hats - they are so cool! Ended up taking a cab home (public transport in Townsville on a Saturday - say no more).
Early night, salmon sandwich for dinner, watched Cowboys play Bulldogs on TV - don't ask me the result, lets just say the next day I was to do about as bad as the Cowboys did.
Now to the start line. Bit of the usual chit-chat, and we were off. Awwww... i forgot my mp3 player! How can i run without my mp3 player! doh. Looking at the watch and I wasn't too sharp - 6:30km's and I was feeling pretty drained. This is going to be tough. As usual first lap of 10ks go by without much effort. Stopped off at start/finish to pick up MP3 player. A little more difficult the next lap. Ran into a friend from school doing the 5km. Yakked. Ohhh 21k in just under 2:30... and still not feeling very sharp. Crap this is bad... I am in big trouble. Plodded out to Pallerenda. Hit 34k mark and I could not run at all. Not AT ALL! A bloke with an accent (he got lost earlier and asked me directions) passed me. Nooooo! No one passes me after 30k! I had to walk back. Time of 5:32. The bloke who passed me did 5:08 - if (big IF) I only kept up with him...
Walked through the finish line, the lady who gave me my medal said I felt cold to the touch. I wasn't even sweating. Some smart-arse (whom I know) asked if I had a nice stroll. How embarrassing. I am so embarrassed!
Went with some Hashers out to lunch and felt pretty good the rest of the day. Went for a run after work today and I am not sore at all (two days later). Ripped off!

Anyway, this is the end of a chapter. I know you probably should not stick to rash decisions made between the 30 and 40k mark, but this is the end of my road marathoning. No more road marathons - bar three exceptions - 1.there is a good chance I will do a PB, 2.it is off-road, or 3.it is in Townsville (out of tradition). I am a trail runner now. Long road runs used to be fun, but now they are a drudgery. I love trails.