My Marathon Story by Jo Sellick

So deciding to step up and do a marathon does have a lot to do with peer inspiration (not pressure).  When you watch your fellow GGG running a marathon you are in awe of their achievement and success.  You celebrate with them; you share their marathon journey; you support their ups and downs; you grow with them and then you begin to believe I can do it too!

So Sydney here we come…

For me this year (2010) has seen few too many injury set backs.  I was determined I was going to finish my running year on a high and why not do it in Sydney with my first marathon.

Ideally my training should have taken over 16 weeks, however this wasn’t meant to be.  After the Gold Coast ½ marathon, I had 10 weeks to train for the marathon.  Prior tho the Gold Coast I had 2 ½ weeks training after being out for 7 weeks with another injury.  I knew it was a big ask of my body.  My mind was going to play an even bigger part in this.

Right from the beginning, Colleen and Kerry told Megan and I that they were going to run the marathon with us, to support us and to see us finish.  For them Sydney was to be all about experiencing the atmosphere and celebrating the marathon.  We were in this together.  And this is just what we did.

In training my favourite Saturday run was the Kumbia run.  This was fantastic.  We were like the “awesome foursome” just cruzin’.  The k’s just passed on by.  For me it was a major hurdle in the marathon training.  I knew if I could run 28k’s in from Kumbia, I could do a marathon!  Thanks girls.  We had 5 weeks to Sydney.

The next 2 weeks of training were the hardest on my body.  I suffered from shin splints as a result of a loosening up of my ankles from deep tissue massage.  The last time I ran was with the girls on a Tuesday night, 2 ½ weeks out from the marathon.  After cutting the run short, I hobbled up

Fisher Street

with doubt flooding over me… What was I doing?  I went home to a warm bath, curled up in bed with the marathon book to refocus.

Colleen contacted me the next day.  She had already sorted out my training: I would rest and do some cross training.  I rested, stretched and focused on my goal of finishing the marathon.  Megan (with Finn’s wonderful help) gave me leg massages every second day.

The Tuesday before Sydney I went out for a short 2k run to see what my shins were like.  They weren’t that good.  I was in pain the whole way.  I walked back home with doubt flooding over me again.  Then as Colleen would say the Universe spoke to me.  I got an idea; if I strapped my ankles to restrict movement then my shins might be better.  I rang Colleen as soon as I got home and told her what I was going to do.  We met at the physio for a 10 minute update on strapping ankles and we were set.  Neither of us really knew if it was going to work but we were willing to chance it.  I had fitness, determination and wonderful support on my side.  My legs were going to see me through.  We also discussed running in out tutus for the last 1k.  It was going to be something to focus on and look forward to.  It was set the 4 of us will finish the marathon in out tutus.  True GGG spirit.

Marathon Day 19^th September 2010

The Marathon book was my bible.  I began a training diary.  I focused on my goal to finish the marathon.  I talked about the marathon.  I put my training schedule up on the fridge and gave myself a sticker with every run I finished.  I stretched every day.  I ate energy rich foods.  I had a physio, chiropractor or a massage appointment twice a week.

The morning of the marathon seemed to be so surreal.  The train ride; Megan rolling her ankle; the toilets lined up for a mile; getting my ankles strapped and Megan’s and then finally waiting for the start.

I knew that within the first 50 meters the ankle strapping was working and my shins would be fine.  My groin muscle gave me a dull ache from the start but, I felt I could put up with that.  I knew I was going to be able to finish.

We needed to do a 7 minute pace, this I could do.  I remember asking Colleen, “Is this the pace?”  It seemed easy.  The first 5ks just flew by.  Then we were at the 10k mark.  In the marathon book a woman had mentally ran 10k then ran 32.2k (splitting the run in two).  I thought I needed to do the same as I had run 32k before but no further.  I stopped the girls and asked them if they would like to run a 32k with me.  Funny enough the said yes (thinking I was crazy).  Maybe I am, cause at no point did I think I can’t run that far.  32ks was doable.

The morning just flew on by.  We admired old buildings.  We looked at beautiful gardens.  We sang songs.  We cheered other runners (and shirtless men!).  We played the alphabet song.  We joked and laughed.  We stopped for photos (few too too many).  We saw the sights of Sydney we wouldn’t have seen otherwise.  We played soccer “kick it to me”.  We had a ball!

We spotted Len way ahead of us, like 15ks ahead!  He was flying and looking good.  He wasn’t having as much fun as us!  It was so good to see familiar faces out there.   Brad, Lance and Teagan were all there taking photos and cheering us along.  I remember at 32k point Brad was waiting for us (he was worried I’d pulled out) ready to give me a kiss (girls thought it was a pash) and had to ask Colleen if I was okay.  He needed to know I was fine and I was going to make it.

At about 34ks my groin was aching.  I couldn’t go any faster than what we were doing.  We walked when we had our gels and filled our water bottles.  As we continued on less and less people were to be seen.  We spotted the “pick-up van” going in the opposite direction for the tale enders.  I was determined they weren’t picking me up (however nothing you could do as they had police with them).

All along the way I felt protected.  I had these wonderful women; Colleen, Meagan and Kerry supporting me till the end.  At 42ks we could see the tutus before we saw Julie and the crew.  This was my vision for the finish, crossing the line, hand in hand in our tutus.

It’s hard for me to describe how I felt running that last little bit in our tutus.  It was like running into the Olympic Stadium with people cheering and yelling and clapping us, like we were famous!  At that point I didn’t want it to finish.  I was so emotional, we were all emotional.  We did it, we ran for 5hours and 20minutes.  Finishing at 1pm.  We hugged, cried, laughed and celebrated.

It was wonderful to have everyone there at the finish.  It was like a dream come true.  If this is the only marathon I ever do, I could not be happier.  I couldn’t have done this without Colleen.  You have been my running guardian angel.  You have guided me.  You had a plan and you adjusted it to suit me.  When I was injured you helped me through.  You believed in me and in turn I believed in me.

Thankyou to Megan and Kerry for the opportunity to share this journey with you, it is one I will cherish forever.

Thankyou to the GGG, for all your support and admiration for us.    The old saying goes- If I can do it, so can you – just believe.

And lastly, to my family for your encouragement.  To Brad for your patience, support and love along the way and for being at the finish in Sydney sharing this with me.