Auckland Marathon 2007 - Anne and Tanya's Report
“The pursuit of a passion matters more than the passion itself”
Dean Kanarzes – Ultra Marathon Man
5am and we were lining up at the ferry to take us over to Devonport. The queue was incredibly long but we were going to get on this ferry. We stood in trepidation and excitement as we kept checking our gear and food and the other athletes around us.
Tanya had bought these horns for us to wear as this was our ‘fun’ marathon. So we put the lights on and, as people chattered around us it relieved some of the tension. Over the water and to the starting area. Oh dear I have to line up for the loo, this took 40mins and with a few minutes to spare connected back up with Tanya to cruise to the very back of the competitors.
I have never seen so many people starting a race and probably never will again. The feeling was fabulous just to be there and to know we were doing the biggest race of all. We stood with our Taranaki race walking singlets and of course our ‘horns’ flashing away. Competitors around us were wishing us all the best and we were reiterating.
Countdown and we were away, actually we moved forward very slowly, taking us 9 minutes to actually set our transponders off.
Well this was it, this was our day and this was our marathon. We had worked hard for this and we were going to enjoy every minute of it and hopefully we were going to do the whole marathon together. My only thought was, did Tanya have enough words to last 5 ½ hrs!!!!
The weather was chilly and overcast and a bit spitty, perfect for the task ahead. We warmed up after a few k’s and were feeling comfortable. We went up the hills and down the hills weaving in and out of streets to lots of spectators supporting all the way. Tanya and I got comments all the way with our horns on and were called the horny little devils by lots of the spectators and competitors on our journey. People just had to say something to us and actually it was great and made the time go quickly.
“Annie I need a loo”.
“Ok next one we see”
“Oh no look at the queue.”
“Next one”
“Oh dear will I ever be able to go – Annie u go ahead”
My dilemma, what do I do – “I will walk slowly until you catch up with me.”
Ok BYE.
Up hill down hill, oh dear I’m getting close to the bridge, where is she, we’re walking over that bridge together. Then that all familiar voice from behind. Annie I’m here. Well she almost bolted past me as she’d race walked up the hill and down the hill to catch me. We were a team again and we quickly regained our comfortable speed. Top of the bridge and competitors were taking photos.
“Hey I have my phone, we’re getting a photo on the bridge.”
Get phone, pose, click, and let’s get going again. Lots of people, happy, a great feeling crossing over the Auckland Harbour Bridge, unbelievable view and time to take it all in as this was our cruisey marathon, well wasn’t it!!!
Closing in on ½ way we were thinking of Dave Wacky and how he had gone, Murray Nicholson had just passed us and he had used us as his rabbit so we were hoping he was going to do a good one. OOH there is Michelle, smile for the camera, oh and look there is Dave and Linda yelling out to us, oh wow this is feeling so good. We turn onto the marathon course and leave all the people heading off to the finishing line. No we feel good and this is the best part – I think. A guy just around the corner cautioned us to stop smiling cos that takes a lot of energy – der………..we didn’t like him.
Off we went heading to St Heliers, weaving in and out of streets, past spectators cheering us on. Just so many people. Tarns look, that’s the first runner and the 2nd and we’ve still got so far to go. Gosh they look good and what bodies!!
We had a great pace on heading out along the straight and we enjoyed the view of the water, this reminded us of Wellington which we really liked. We passed Darth Raider, Batman and Robin and hey that was the first walker. Here comes Eleanor and close behind Rob Davies, then trailing my Ross. Keep it up you guys! We had a head wind which was starting to take it toll a bit but I knew as soon as we turned it was going to push us all the way home. We counted 3 female walkers in front of us, we can get them if we just focus. Thoughts that Jeff has installed in my head over the last year were starting to crowd my impending fatigue. We can pass these females if we plan our attack.
We turned and headed for home, just 11 k to go and feeling good, this can’t be normal, usually I have this 32/33k downer but with Tanya beside me that was not going to happen. We carried on chatting, talking about our “hero’ Dean and wishing his knowledge and endurance upon us as we kept pounding away. 8 k out Tanya was very quiet.
“Well have you not noticed that I’ve stopped talking”
I sure had but we all go through our quiet patches and in this ‘quiet’ time my mind was working overtime thinking of the walkers up front that we WERE going to pass.
At 5 k to go it got very hot and we were struggling to take our water in.
“Drink” Tanya yelled at me and got me ready for the next station, our caps off our bottles ready for the ‘cup to the bottle’ trick. Plus time to pour a cup over my head – it was getting hot. We were in a fine pace and having passed 2 walkers we saw our orange rabbit up front. She had found a pacer and was looking good but we were better (positive eh). We stayed behind her for a bit and then the parting of the ways, we saw our opportunity and took off. Jeff always said if you are going to pass someone, make sure you have enough to keep going so they can’t catch you.
We did it, we had her and we were ecstatic. Was this really us doing this at 38k, the race walkers would be proud of us. Now the hard yards, no more rabbits just fatigue setting in. No, this is exciting, this is the time you are walking ‘with the heart’ –
“You Can Do It” – Dean, our ultra marathon man, our mentor, the book we read again and again.
“Are you two still horny after 41k” a man yelled out. Yeah right, Tarns answered “Get S…….”
Hey there’s Paul, jumping up and down and yelling at us, smiles forever,
“Not far to go, Ross has the kids, you look good, nearly there”.
Come on Tarns, we are going to put in a great finish, let’s do it.
Round the next corner and there was my Ross, smiling with excitement watching us finish knowing how we were feeling.
We were crossing that line together, our names blaring out from the man on the microphone, more photos as we crossed the line and the endorphins crowding our being.
There is no feeling like it, we had done it. We had walked the Auckland Marathon.
Most people never get there. They’re afraid or unwilling to demand enough of themselves and take the easy road, the path of least resistance. But struggling and suffering are the essence of a life worth living. If you’re not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you’re not constantly demanding more from yourself – expanding and learning as you go – you’re choosing a numb existence. You’re denying yourself an extraordinary trip.
Dean Karnezes – Ultra Marathon Man
