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Great Ocean Road Marathon (Athletics (Marathon))
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Marathon To Test Body And Mind
By Mark Humphrey
The 9th running of The Great Ocean Road Marathon takes place on the iconic Victorian coastal road tomorrow.
80 odd years ago men lined up to get a days work breaking up rock and carving out a road on the side of a cliff face. Hard work faced the workers day in day out with many having to work through extreme difficulties and hardship in order to keep their jobs. For a marathon runner they too have to work through pain and mental barriers in order to complete the normally 42 kilometre race distance. An extra 3 kilometres face contestants of The Great Ocean Road Marathon to add to the varying undulations of the course.
The running festival has attracted competitors from 23 different countries and includes 7 Africans who will contest the marathon. For the first time in the history of the event there will be 5000 + competitors across the rage of races with more than 2700 contesting the half marathon.
No doubt the pinnacle of the weekend is the blue ribbon event being The Great Ocean Road Marathon. Competitors from all backgrounds of life have made the decision to test their ability and mental strength against the gruelling course.
One such athlete is 24 year old local girl Rachael Thompson. Thompson is a graduate lawyer with Geelong firm Harwood Andrews and also holds down the position as captain of The Deakin Ducks Women’s soccer club.
Racheal Thompson crosses the line in the Geelong River Run as 4th female in her class.
Thompson’s history in sport is predominantly in soccer having competed in the Geelong Women’s League over the past 5 years and a season with the Geelong Cross Country Club. Competing in local fun run events has also been a priority for Thompson.
Prior to this weekend’s marathon Thompson has competed mostly in 10 km or less events with the exception being a half marathon distance race with the Geelong Cross Country Club in 2012.
Battling stress fractures in her legs for the best part of last year Thompson made a New Year’s Resolution to run a marathon and in doing so tick off one of the items on her bucket list. Not one for waiting around she elected to do the first marathon that was scheduled in her region which was the Great Ocean Road Marathon.
In 2009 Thompson suffered from Osteo Pubitis which was also affecting her knees. She sought out a recommended physiotherapist Brad Saunders from Newtown Physiotherapy to help her through this tough time in her life. Saunders has been managing Thompson’s ailments since their first meeting and has been instrumental in helping Thompson prepare for the marathon. When asked about the assistance Brad Saunders has provided Thompson said that she could not have got to this stage without his assistance. “Brad has been very good in treating my issues and keeping me on the right track. He worked out a running program for the marathon which involved running most days alternating with sprints, hill runs, interval sessions and easy running sessions. He also set my weekend running program that required me to run an extra 10 minutes each weekend up to the stage of my last weekend run which took 3 ½ hours to complete.” Thompson went on to say that her weekly training schedule was more than 5 hours per week on average. Couple this with the benefit of cross training through soccer and gym work and one feels that Rachael has left no stone un turned in her quest to complete this gruelling marathon.
Racheal Thompson on the way.
Asked what she hoped to get out of it Thompson replied “It is about self-achievement in completing the race, just feeling good about yourself and also the fact that you would belong to a club”
Rachael hopes to complete the marathon in 3 hours 45 minutes saying that all she is thinking about is just crossing the line in Apollo Bay. Depending on her experience with this race, she would like to organise future holidays around the world incorporating marathons as part of the holiday.
We caught up with Event Director John Craven to get his thoughts on the mindset of a competitor like Thompson tackling a marathon.
John said “For athletes it’s the most amazing life experience. They will have supreme highs and depths of lows throughout the race. On finishing the race the realisation of concoring the challenge will stay with her for the rest of her life”
Craven is “quite thrilled to be in the 9th year of the event”. He said “The original goal was to get 5,000 competitors and this year we have broken that barrier for the first time having 5700 competitors across the rage of races” He went on to say “This year is not only the biggest field but also the highest quality field the event has had. We have 7 Africans along with Craig Mottram contesting the marathon.” When asked about the preparation of an event this size Craven said that they have already started work on next year’s event which normally takes around 15-18 months of work to get it to the line.
The marathon kicks off at 8.00am from Lorne and finishes in Apollo Bay. For more information go to www.greatoceanroadmarathon.com.au
Sportingscribe.com will follow Rachael's progress throughout the race.
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Media release: Thursday, May 9
MARATHON
RECORDS SMASHED
THE Great Ocean Road Real Estate International Marathon Festival will welcome a
record-breaking field, with 5170 competitors to contest the event.
It marks the first time in the festival’s nine-year history that 5000 entries have been
received, much to the delight of marathon committee president Ross Stephens.
“When the marathon was founded by Les Noseda nine years ago, he had the vision to
eventually attract 5000 competitors,” he said.
“To reach this goal is fantastic and it’s a great tribute to Les.
“Running on the iconic Great Ocean Road is truly memorable and the substantial
number of entries shows that more people are taking up this rare opportunity.”
The appeal of the festival is evident, with five events welcoming a record number of
competitors.
The Great Ocean Road Real Estate Marathon has attracted 1154 entrants, while the
Fagg’s Mitre 10 Half Marathon has amassed 2652 competitors.
The Geelong Advertiser 14km Paradise run (942 competitors) and the Mizuno 6km
Apollo Bay to Marengo and return (411 competitors) have also proved popular, while
the TAC Wheelchair Athletes’ Challenge will feature about a dozen athletes.
It includes dual Paralympic gold medallist Richard Colman and rising star Jake Lappin,
who is expected to challenge Colman.
Stephens was pleased to announce that international entrants were also at a recordhigh.
Participants are travelling from 21 overseas countries - China, Hong Kong, Ireland,
Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Canada, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, The
Philippines, Spain, United Kingdom, America, Austria, Germany, South Africa, Ethiopia,
Holland and even the French Polynesian island of Moorea.
“We’ve also got competitors from all Australian states and territories,” Stephens said.
Free-striding Kenyan James Kipkelwon spearheads the field for the main event, the
45km Great Ocean Road Real Estate Marathon from Lorne to Apollo Bay. The two-time
defending champion is aiming to break his course record of 2:27.42.
The festival features six events, kicking off on Saturday, May 18, with the 6km Mizuno
run from Apollo Bay to Marengo and back, the 1.5km family-friendly Vetta Pasta Kids’
Gallop, the 14km Geelong Advertiser run to Paradise and return, and the TAC
Wheelchair Athletes’ Challenge, also from Apollo Bay to Paradise and return.
Sunday, May 19, sees the running of the Fagg’s Mitre 10 Half Marathon and the Great
Ocean Road Real Estate Marathon.
The Great Ocean Road International Marathon Festival is supported by Tourism
Victoria and three municipalities – Colac Otway Shire, Surf Coast Shire and the City of
Greater Geelong.
SUPER SIX SET FOR MARATHON WEEKEND
SIX top-class Africans will contest the 2013 Great Ocean Road International Marathon Festival -
the largest African contingent in the event’s nine-year history.
Joining two-time reigning titleholder James Kipkelwon in the 45km marathon from Lorne to
Apollo Bay is compatriots John Maluni, Philip Kiplabat Kigen and Pkorir Joel Chepkopol.
Fellow Kenyan Festus Talam, who is coached by Kipkelwon, is also making the trek to Australia.
The young gun is aiming to become the first athlete in the festival’s history to take out three
events.
On Saturday, May 18, Talam will compete in the 6km Mizuno run from Apollo Bay to Marengo
and return, as well as the Geelong Advertiser 14km trek from Apollo Bay to Paradise and back.
He will back-up in the Fagg’s Mitre 10 Half Marathon from Kennett River to Apollo Bay on
Sunday, May 19.
Festival director John Craven hopes the 18-year-old can pull off the incredible feat, which was
attempted by Jason Woolhouse in 2011, when he won the 6km Marriner’s Lookout race on the
Saturday but was unable to claim the remaining two events.
Craven is excited about the quality of this year’s international athletes, with former Burundian
refugee Donatien Buzingo also adding depth to the marathon field.
Buzingo, who gained South Korean citizenship in 2010, has taken out the Han Gang Marathon in
Seoul the past nine years, which has a similar course to the Great Ocean Road Marathon.
“He ran a 2.18 on that course, so he should be a genuine contender in this year’s marathon,”
Craven said.
“The Great Ocean Road International Marathon Festival is certainly living up to its name, with
overseas entries continuing to roll in.
“Just like locals, international competitors are pouncing on the opportunity to run on one of the
world’s most stunning stretches of coast.”
Buzingo is a world-class runner who initially ventured to South Korea to compete in the Summer
Universiade, a tournament organised by the International University Sports Federation.
He sought refuge in Korea when civil war broke out in his home country, claiming the lives of his
parents.
Buzingo is expected to provide a challenge for Kipkelwon, who is aiming to become the first male
athlete to notch up three consecutive victories in the Great Ocean Road Real Estate Marathon.
He is also hoping to break his course record of 2.27.42, set in 2011, when he clinched his first
title.
Kipkelwon’s personal best time in a marathon is 2.15, with Maluni (2.11.53), Chepkopol (2.12.55)
and Kigen (2.15.57) also holding blistering PBs.
The Great Ocean Road Real Estate International Marathon Festival features six races.
Events cater for participants of all ages and abilities, starting with the Mizuno 6km run from
Apollo Bay to Marengo on Saturday, May 18.
Other events on Saturday’s schedule are the 14km Geelong Advertiser run from Apollo Bay to
Paradise and return, while the TAC Wheelchair Athletes’ Challenge will follow the same route.
Dual Paralympic gold medallist Richard Colman, of Highton, is a leading contender in the latter.
Rounding out the day is the family-friendly 1.5km Kids’ Gallop in Apollo Bay, which welcomes
Vetta Pasta as the naming rights sponsor.
On Sunday, May 19, the festival continues with the Faggs Mitre 10 Half-Marathon and the
headline event, the Great Ocean Road Real Estate Marathon.
Enter online at www.greatoceanroadmarathon.com.au