The first female home in the Run for Heroes Marathon in Amherstburg, Ont. last Sunday, was actually entered in the Half Marathon, but missed the turn for the half and ended up running the full 42 kms. And winning!
Meredith Fitzmaurice was using the race as a training run for her first marathon in Detroit later this year. Around about the 1 hour 30 mark, she started wondering where the finish line was. With a sneaking suspicion she’d missed the half marathon turn, she asked one of the bike officials on the course, who confirmed her mistake.
She then thought she’d just run 20 miles and call it a day, but when she reached a turnaround point and could see people coming towards her, she could count only nine men ahead of her, and no women. Unbelievably, she was the leading woman.
“So as I’m running I’m wondering if my race is going to count, I’m thinking about my friend who is at the finish line probably wondering where I am since I have the keys to the car.”
After confirming with an official that her entry and time would be counted in the marathon, and would be considered for a qualifying time in the Boston Marathon, she decided to give it a crack.
Have you ever taken a “wrong turn” in life and ended up in a great place?
A while ago now I wrote a post entitle “The Value of Fun Runs”. It gave a summary of some of the fun runs around Sydney, their entry fee, and cost per km and a short summary of the good bits and not so good bits of each run.
Impossible to quantify in dollar terms, of course, is the overall sense of well being running in an event such as yesterday’s “Sydney Running Festival” (or the Bridge Run as the festival is more commonly referred to).
What price do you put on being able to run across Sydney’s iconic harbour bridge on a fabulous sunny morning-not too hot(unless you’re finishing the marathon at midday), sun sparkling on the water, surrounded by friends, or at least like minded people. It’s mornings like this that serve to remind you of why you run. Simply put, it makes you feel good.
From our youngest runner, to our oldest, from our novices to our experienced runners, all felt uplifted after the race. I’m not trying to turn a simple run across the Harbour Bridge into some kind of religious experience, but running in a run such as this certainly is something to remember.
Some of the comments I heard from our runners after the race will give you a sense of what I’m talking about.
“I wasn’t going to stop running because I really wanted to know I could do it” from 6 year old Saxon
“That’s the furthest I’ve run. Ever!” 11 year old Luca
“Dav and I heard there was 100m to go and we just bolted. You should have seen how fast our legs were goingD” 9 year old Wilson
“I’m wearing my number like a badge of honour” one of our nearly 50 year old first time fun runners.
“It was a spectacular day to be running across the bridge this morning” Bernice – another of our soon to be 50 year old runners
“That was awesome” – just some random person I heard in the recovery village
“Just going to brag about my 29 year old” from a friend of mine texting me about her son’s first marathon.
“Yay me” from Tara, after her first half marathon
No need for me to say any more, really, but I’d love to hear your comments on why you run.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The Sydney Running Festival is on again this weekend, and again the Marathon will start a good hour or so after the half marathon. I’ve often pondered why. In recent years we’ve had a 31 degree day (2011) and a 26 degree day (2009) for the race. This year, we have a forecast of 24 degrees, so not too hot (unless you happen to be finishing a marathon at midday). Add to this the fact that it is only early spring in Sydney and most runners will not have had a chance to acclimatise to the warmer temperatures, you have to ask the question, “why start the marathon at 7:20am, yet the half at 6:15?”
So, I did ask the question of race organisers (who I might add are always really helpful with any queries I’ve had over the years). This was the answer I received from Erin Jeffries, teams organiser.
“We start the Half Marathon at 6.15am which allows the entire field to flow onto the second half of the course (where the Marathon course meets it) before the Marathon even starts. This method then allows the Half Marathon field to almost completely finish before the lead Marathon runners get back to the 31km point (Phillip Street, Sydney) where they meet the Half Marathon course.
If we set the marathon off at 6.15am, the main pack of runners will be back into the city from about 8am – 10am with a solid and steady stream of runners. If we then start the half at 7.15am, the lead runners will hit Phillip Street where the marathon and half meet and continue on the same course at nearly the exact same time. This would be followed by a very large pack that would run right into each other and cause serious safety problems.
Not to mention not having a clear run for the leaders, lead vehicles, and general confusion for our entrants etc. Unless we ran the half on a completely different course this timing unfortunately wouldn’t work.
I hope this makes sense. It is a really complex strategy and to date we haven’t been able to find an alternative. Of course we understand the runners perspective but safety is at our utmost concern.”
Is it just me, or can you see the irony in sending people out running for hours and hours in very hot conditions to keep them safe?
Just for the record, over the last four years, of the runners who have finished the marathon, 30% have taken longer than 4 hrs 30 mins.
That is 30% of the field are still running at close to midday and beyond.
How many marathoners will still be at it come midday?
In 2009 32% were still running 4hrs 30mins into the race,
2010 25%,
2011 39%
and 2012 26%
Like many things, it probably comes down to cost as much as anything else. I’m guessing the more road closures, the greater the cost, so sharing parts of the course between the half and full marathon on the same course is a cost effective answer.
Some of the first things people do when they go an a health kick and try to lose weight, such as eating more fruit and drinking more water, can actually cause you to struggle to lose weight. Here are 5 so called “healthy habits” which could be preventing you from losing weight.
Drinking water
Getting enough water is definitely essential to good health, helping you to stay hydrated and full of energy, and keeping all the cells in your body (including those in your digestive system) in good shape. Studies have shown however, that some of the chemicals found in drinking water could also be making you fat.
The chemical BPA, still found in some plastic water bottles, encourages the body to make more fat. But don’t feel too smug if your drinking vessel is BPA free. Studies have also shown that our drinking water can also contain the hormone oestrogen, which effects the way are bodies store fat. The more exposure to these chemicals, the harder it is to lose weight.
This isn’t an excuse to drink wine instead of water though! Just switch to filtered water and you’ll be fine. Do steer away from too much bottled water, as it may not contain the mineral content you’ll find in tap water. Your standard tap filter generally won’t filter out trace minerals found in water, but make sure you read the fine print before you buy.
Snacking on Fruit
Packed with fibre, antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals, fruits have undoubted health benefits. However, less is more when it comes to fruit and weight loss. Many people overindulge in fruits, fruit juices and smoothies, forgetting that fruits are not only packed with micro nutrients, but also calories. A calorie is still a calorie, no matter how healthy, and you’re just as likely to get fat eating too much fruit, as you are eating too much of anything else. I recall a number of conversations with clients who’ve lamented that they are eating “healthily” yet are not able to lose weight. Very often, too much fruit is the culprit, in one case, about six pieces a day.
Fructose, the sugar found in fruit, has been found to be a possible trigger in overeating. After eating fructose, the brain doesn’t register the same feelings of fullness as it does when we consume glucose. So the message is, fruit is important for its nutrients, but don’t go overboard. If your aim is weight loss, two pieces of fruit a day is the limit, and these should be consumed as whole fresh fruit, not fruit juice, so that you get the benefits of the fibre found in fruit as well. If you’re a big fruit eater, try swapping some of your fruit for vegetables such as carrot and capsicum sticks.
Cutting fat from your diet
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, I’m guessing you will have rejected a food based on the fat content written on the packet. Conversely, you may have bought a food based on its perceived low fat content. “99% fat free” has a very attractive ring to it if you are trying to lose weight.
Low fat options are often not the best, for a number of reasons. Firstly, some of the fatty acids removed from food to make it low fat, actually help our bodies break down fat. Secondly, low fat options are often packed with sugar to compensate for the loss in flavour which can accompany the removal of fat. It’s back to the number of calories thing again, isn’t it? And lastly, some studies have found that eating fats that are good for you-monounsaturated fats found in olives, nuts and avocados, can actually help promote weight loss.
Exercise
Whilst exercise is not going to make you fat, and it is essential for good health, there are two classic mistakes people make when it comes to exercise and weight loss.
The first is thinking that exercise alone will give you the weight loss you are after. Of course, it is possible to lose weight simply by increasing your exercise levels. To see any significant weight loss from exercise alone, however, you would need to increase the amount of moderate intensity exercise you do by about an hour a day to create an energy deficit. This is certainly doable, but not advisable, if you are looking to see short term results. Increasing your level of exercise by an hour a day from one day to the next is just not the way to go. You should build your exercise volume and intensity gradually to reduce the risk of injury.
Also, people tend to over estimate the amount of exercise they do, and feel they can “reward” themselves for exercising, by eating some kind of calorie laden treat, leading to weight gain. For maximum benefits, increase the amount of exercise you are doing, and develop healthy eating habits.
Being Positive
Whilst being positive may make you happier and boost your immune system, research suggests that optimistic people may have more trouble losing weight.
Research by America’s National Institute on Ageing, shows that impulsivity is the strongest predictor of who will become overweight.
In another study, Japanese researchers from DoshishaUniversity studied obese women and men participating in a six month weight loss program. They found the people who were more positive in their outlook lost the least amount of weight. It is thought that being positive and optimistic means that you won’t worry enough about your weight to be able to resist temptation and stick to healthy eating and fitness regimes. If this sounds like you, it’s a good idea to make sure you incorporate exercise that you like doing as part of your lifestyle. A support system such as training with friends or in a group environment can be an absolute boon if you’re so happy you struggle to stick at it!
Congratulations to our Open Women’s Team on placing fifth in the 2013 City to Surf.
Great to see a big contingent of “Hooked on Healthers” at the City to Surf this year, both as runners and also as volunteers manning the drinks stations with the scouts and other volunteer groups.
Our women’s open team placed 5th with an overall time of 3 hrs, 45 mins and 7 secs. This in spite of Jane Raftesath running in odd shoes. Somehow the last minute shoe lace change left her wearing one old shoe and one new shoe to the start line!
Tara McNamara (Sat 6:45am Frenchs Forest) had a great City to Surf. This is how she saw the race
I had 3 goals for the race this year..
1) run up heartbreak hill
2) run the whole 14 kms
3) run in under 90 mins
I managed all three!!! I felt good through the race (after my normal warm up 3kms and dodging the people in the early stages helped me stay …calm and not try go too fast – the hill was great – head down, feet moving, looking at the next corner and all of a sudden it was over! The most frustrating section was the the last km – then having to dodge people did bother me – I stopped looking at my watch cause i knew I was close to getting under 90 mins and tried not to yell at people to get out of my way and, as much as possible with the crowds, I ran as fast as I could.
Smiling as I crossed the line and finally looking at my watch…. 87mins!
Happy with it all, I met some work colleagues and drank a lot of water before joining the queue for the bus home.
Thanks so much for making me a better runner
Here are all our results.
Tara McNamara: 87:47
Courtney Heyden: 73:53
Petra Thallmayer: 89:12
Jane Raftesath: 72:26
Sam Evans: 72:26
Sam O’Connor: 104:41 – fastest walker in the north
Richard Sarkies has lined up for the City to Surf fifteen times, many of those as a preferred runner. Here, Richard shares with us a kilometre by kilometre description of the course, and how he runs it.
First km
No prizes for guessing it’s pretty jammed pack at the moment. This first section takes you down and up William St and into the Kings Cross Tunnel. I like to relax down the first section, allowing myself to be dragged along by the crowd, then try to settle into a rhythm during the uphill section leading into the tunnel, yet at the same time soaking in the incredible atmosphere of 75000 people. I ALWAYS take a look around before entering the tunnel to view the sea of people.
It’s so easy to do that first 1km too fast, so check your watch for the split inside the tunnel.
Second km
This is a downhill/flat section taking you along RushcuttersBay, so will be a fast km. As with all downhills, I make use of this slope by leaning forward and turning my legs over more quickly. It’s amazing how many people you can overtake doing this. I’m still settling into my rhythm and trying to hit the pace I want for basically the whole race as I head towards DoubleBay.
Third km
Here’s a fairly decent hill, although not too steep, taking you past Edgecliff Station. I relax, trying not to work too hard as there’s plenty of other hills coming up. I ensure I’m running the shortest possible route by hugging the curves of the road, running right next to the inside gutter.
After the uphill, it’s a fairly long downhill into DoubleBay, so I get the legs moving quickly, and enjoy the brass band on top of the Sheriff Pub on the right
Fourth km
By now I’ve settled into a pace I’m happy with, making sure I’ve been checking splits at each km mark, and adjusting pace if necessary. This is a slightly slowish km as it’s flat with a gradual rise up to the first drink station
Fifth km
A slightly faster km taking you down alongside RoseBay. I carefully check my time split for 5km as it gives me a very good idea of how I’m going today, and how I’m going to tackle Heartbreak Hill between 6 & 7km.
Sixth km
One of the rare completely flat sections of the course. I know exactly my pace now, and I’m most likely in a little group of similar paced runners. If there’s any head wind I’ll sit at the back of a group to shield from the wind.
Seventh km
Here it is folks, ‘Heartbreak Hill’. I just keep my rhythm and leg turnover, and of course hug the curves as it winds up for 1km to the highest part of the course, and HALFWAY! I know it’s going to be a slow km so I don’t worry about the split. I just keep things moving as I go over the top where there’s plenty of spectators to cheer you on
Eighth km
I’m now working pretty hard, and on that ‘threshold’ pace where you can’t really go any faster. There’s lots of small downhills and uphills now for the next few km, and I really focus on form during this section to take advantage of the slopes.
Ninth km
There’s a few left and right turns here, so make sure you cut the corners! The uphills are short and steep, so I really focus on getting up and over the top and into rhythm as soon as it’s flat again. I take note of the wind as we turn direction and head south. If there’s a tailwind I push a little harder to take advantage of the wind behind me, or tuck in behind any groups if it’s a headwind. Note you won’t tend to consciously feel a tailwind, so if you suddenly feel really good, that’s probably the reason, but don’t relax or you’ll lose your pace.
Tenth km
Very similar at the start to the last km, but I know there’s a flatish section coming up to get things moving again. I need to focus a little more as it’s a fairly long straight section, plus fatigue is starting to build. I push things a little more along here, knowing there’s a 1.5km downhill section coming up soon to take me into Bondi
Eleventh km
The long straight section continues, and the road seems a little harder, but I keep pushing hard towards the 11km sign
Twelfth
Here’s where I make up for time lost on the uphills, and run my fastest km. The reasonable decline starts at 11.5km, so I just go for it, knowing that it’s 1km to go from the bottom of the hill.
Thirteenth km
I keep the legs turning over quickly on the downhill, and continue to make sure I take the shortest route possible. Usually it’s hurting a bit by now, but I remind myself the worst is behind me.
Fourteenth km
Time to really push it home, I work really hard up a slight incline for about 300m, keep pushing around the curve taking in the crowd support as it flattens out, focus on the u-turn about 400m ahead. I pick it up another gear if possible around the downhill turn to head north to the finish about 400m ahead. Over the last 100m or so I go flatout (which might not actually be too fast by now), trying to crack the 48 min mark. To date, I’ve missed it by 13 seconds, damn it!
I’d love you to add your version of the race in the comments below!
Stroke is the second biggest killer amongst Australians, yet many of us would not be able to recognise the symptoms of stroke if we saw them. The Australian goverment recently announced $2m in funding to promote awareness of the F.A.S.T campaign, aimed at helping people to recognise the symptoms of stroke.
According to National Stroke foundation (NSF) CEO Dr Erin Lalor, only about half of Australians know the signs of stroke, and one in ten of us could not spot a stroke if it occurred right in front of us.
“A stroke can cause the same kind of brain injury as a serious car crash and needs the same urgent medical treatment but despite the fact that one in six people will have a stroke in their lifetime, most Australians don’t really understand what a stroke is or what to do about it,” Dr Lalor said.
Strokes occur when a bleed or blood clot on the brain starves the brain of oxygen, and causes parts of the brain to die. Medical attention is required ASAP to restore blood flow to the the brain, if serious disability or death is to be prevented.
“One-third of stroke patients will die and one-third will be left with a significant disability that will make it impossible for them to live independently. Prompt medical treatment will save lives – and the signs of stroke are easy to learn. Someday it might be your own life you save,” Lalor says.
There are around 1000 cases of stroke per week across Australia, so learn to recognise the signs of a stroke. You could save the life of a family member, friend or colleague by reacting quickly.
F.A.S.T.
Face – has their mouth drooped?
Ask the person to smile. . Is one side of the face able to move while the other side droops or feels numb? A common symptom of stroke is weakness or numbness on one side of the face.
When I was about 16, the boy next door suffered from Bell’s Paulsy (generally sudden onset, but temporary, paralysis/weakness of one side of the face). I remember we were in his living room having a joke about something and instead of smiling, he snarled – or at least I thought he did – it was just a one-sided smile. He also couldn’t feel or taste any of his lime cordial as he swallowed it. He just thought he had a bit of a cold. If you happen to notice something strange about the way someone smiles at you, check it out, don’t just assume they thought you weren’t funny!!
Arms – can they lift both?
Ask the person to lift both arms. Does one feel week, or drift down while trying to lift it? Strokes often cause numbness or weakness in one arm or leg.
Speech – is it slurred, can they understand you?
Ask the person to say a simple phrase such as “The grass is green” or “The sky is blue.” Another common stroke symptom is slurred speech or mind confusion. If the person doesn’t understand what you’re saying, they can’t repeat the phrase, or if you can’t decipher what they are saying, it may be the result of a stroke.
Time – is critical. If you see any of these signs, ring 000 straight away.
Every minute counts when it comes to stroke. The most effective treatment for stroke must be received within the first three hours following onset of the stroke. After that small window of time, treatment may not be available. Early intervention care may mean a good outcome.
If you are watching someone having a stroke, note the time of the onset of symptoms, as this can aid in their treatment.
Signs and Symptoms in Women and Men
Men and women may experience the same signs and symptoms of stroke, including facial, arm, and leg weakness and numbness; speech difficulty; vision problems or dimness usually in one eye; dizziness; loss of coordination; a severe headache; or a loss of consciousness. These symptoms may worsen over time or go away.
However, women often report stroke symptoms that men don’t seem to experience. These symptoms all come on suddenly and include limb or facial pain, hiccups, weakness, chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, or heart palpitations. These unique symptoms may accompany the symptoms noted in F.A.S.T.
Any time you suspect stroke, play it safe and seek emergency medical attention.
Stroke Prevention
don’t smoke
drink only in moderation,
control diabetes if you suffer from it
control cholesterol and blood pressure
get regular exercise
eat a diet low in sodium, calories, fat, and cholesterol.
If you take control of your health today, you may just avoid a stroke in the future.
A while ago now I wrote a post entitle 
Drinking water
Snacking on Fruit
Cutting fat from your diet
Exercise
Being Positive
Stroke is the second biggest killer amongst Australians, yet many of us would not be able to recognise the symptoms of stroke if we saw them. The Australian goverment recently announced $2m in funding to promote awareness of the F.A.S.T campaign, aimed at helping people to recognise the symptoms of stroke.