The Run Melbourne half marathon.

Last July, I ran my very first half marathon, after completing a handful of shorter races within the previous 8 months. I had an awesome experience - it was the peak of a beautiful summer, I felt very prepared, and my solitary sprint to the finish was one of my favourite memories of 2013, possibly ever.

See Jane Run half marathon 2013

A few months ago I decided to sign up for my first Australian half marathon: part of The Age Run Melbourne, a large city celebration that starts and ends near the iconic Flinder's Square. This would be a very different experience than the See Jane Run half marathon, which was a small, mostly female crowd, with the tagline "I run for chocolate and champagne!" (which I now know are the two things I crave the least after a 2-hour run - but it's catchy advertising.) I was nervous to attempt 13.1 miles again, in a much larger field, and without much time to build my milage back up to the double digits. But I was excited for the opportunity to race in Australia, and in our new city. Training was tough, but also a great way to explore some of the towns we stayed in over the past few months: particularly Metung, Lakes Entrance, Portland, and Donald. 

Late July in Australia can be pretty cold and very windy, and Melbourne is known for its extreme weather fluctuations, often within minutes. Training in our neighbourhood was pretty intense, with the wind providing an excellent opportunity for natural resistance-training. However, the day of the half marathon was surprisingly beautiful, relatively not-cold, and pretty much the perfect conditions for an Australian winter race. 

me in my pre-race throwaway clothes. also, pretty much what I used to wear in middle school.

a beautiful day to run Melbourne!

Ben wasn't sure if he'd be able to watch me run, due to his work schedule - but he was able to make the trip, since Shepparton is only 2+ hours away (as opposed to six). It was so nice to see him after two weeks alone! He came home on Saturday evening just in time to watch me carbo-load, and then woke up super early with me the next morning. We walked from our apartment to the starting area with seconds to spare, but because I'm not the fastest runner in the world, I was perfectly content to line up at the back of the final starting wave. 

off I go!

there were hot air balloons at the start - so cool!

lap 2

the final stretch!

done!!

The event was well-organised, even with the huge turnout (not only was there a widely-attended half marathon, but also popular 5k and 10k events as well). All the hard-working volunteers were very friendly and helpful, as were the crowds of people cheering for us on the sidelines. Bands of all genres were stationed a few kilometres apart, playing upbeat songs to help move us along. And there were a few fun, creative touches along the way, such as colourful inflatable air dancers lined up against a bridge, and bubble machines blowing delicate spheres of soap into the crowd of runners. The half marathon course itself had a few gradual uphills and downhills, and was two laps around the central business district - slightly tedious, but running the same parts twice prepared me for what to expect in terms of pacing, hills, and water stops during lap 2.

I ran strong, did not get run over by a kangaroo, and was able to shave almost three minutes off my personal record! I was very, very happy. I was also very cramp-y after this particular race, and spent a decent amount of time clutching various limbs and making unattractive sounds of agony - next to a busy children's playground, of course.

4044th place - VICTORY! haha

The expo and finisher's area were all very well-attended by various charities and sponsors, handing out freebies and fundraising for various causes. Marvel was actually the sponsor for the children's race held the previous day, and some of my favourite superheroes were at the finish line to pose with children - and older geeks like me.

swoooon!

the expo

Runner's World had an awesome photo background to pose in front of... :)

In my limited experience, I've noticed a few differences between US and Australian road races. Distance measurement, for example. While some races in the US are measured in kilometres - the 5k and 10k of course - anything above a half marathon is measured in miles: 13.1, 26.2, etc. Australians (and other countries that aren't Liberia and Myanmar, I believe?) use kilometres to measure all race distances. So, instead of running 13.1 miles, I ran for 21.0975 kilometres. This sounds way more impressive, but was also a bit of a mental challenge on the course. Obviously the distances are the same, but running past the number "13" marker meant that I was a bit past the halfway point (kilometres), instead of " yay almost done!!" (miles) - and that was just sad.

Runner's World provided some pacekeeping bracelets in kilometres, thankgoodness!

my "13.1" fridge magnet means absolutely nothing here.

The cost of registering for an Australian (at least, Melburnian) race is pretty comparable to prices in the US, but without the numerous "perks" I've grown accustomed to - such as on-course nutrition (plenty of water and a few tables of electrolyte, but no energy gels or chews) and participant t-shirts. In the States, almost all races give out fun shirts with registration (often regular cotton, sometimes a nice technical fabric), which most people don't wear on the course - they save them for the post-race celebration, or for wearing with pride in the months and years afterwards. In Australia, most races don't give out free t-shirts - instead, runners can choose from a variety of technical gear for an additional $40-$60+ AUD, and purchasers are encouraged to wear their new swag on the course. There are a few exceptions - some races give out free shirts to the first x amount of people who register, and some full marathons provide a finishers shirt to those attempting the big 26.2 (or in Australia's case, 42.195 - yikes!). Not a huge deal, just an expectation-adjustment. And yes, race medals are still given out to participants for many races. Yay!

I'll actually be participating in two more races of varying distances this year - one in October (the Medibank Melbourne Marathon Festival) and another in November (The Sunday Age City2Sea) - and am definitely looking forward to more Australian running experiences. Special thanks to Ben for making the trip home just to see me run, and for taking all the nice pictures of me on the course! Especially since my official race photos aren't all that attractive (I look like I'm being chased by a dinosaur - so adorable!).

post-race bliss

Overall, I had a great time at my first Australian half marathon! Thanks, RunMelbourne for putting on an amazing event - perhaps I'll see you guys next year?

CK