 |
| With 2018 Womens Champion Leigha Wills |
Before I go on I would like to give a massive shout out to the Sydney International
Regatta Centre staff and the folk at the NSW Department of Sport and Rec for
providing Western Sydney runners with an event in our backyard to be proud of. Over
the years the organisers there have listened to the punters and made subtle
(and big) changes to make it a better experience for runners. It's been great
to see the numbers continue to grow with inclusivity and
participation being the driving force., e.g. fees are kept low and there’s an event
for everyone in any stage of their distance running journey.
2010
The inaugural year of what was then branded the ‘Lap the Lake’, the event started with the marathon, a half marathon, a 10km and 5km race, all of which started at different points and looped, not surprisingly, around the main lake. As I was running the Melbourne Marathon a week later, it was the half marathon for me.
My memory of the race is hazy is best, but looking back at my own log it was ‘cold’ and looking back over all the results, there’s some interesting facts. Winner of the women’s 10km was Larissa Tichon, now coached by myself and over the last two years has become one of Australia’s leading road ultrarunners. The inaugural winner of the men’s marathon was Raymond Wareham, who would go onto wining two more titles, while local speedster Earl O’Brien took out the male 10k in a time of 31:37 which would remain the race record until only recently broken by David Criniti in 2018.
2011
The inaugural year of what was then branded the ‘Lap the Lake’, the event started with the marathon, a half marathon, a 10km and 5km race, all of which started at different points and looped, not surprisingly, around the main lake. As I was running the Melbourne Marathon a week later, it was the half marathon for me.
My memory of the race is hazy is best, but looking back at my own log it was ‘cold’ and looking back over all the results, there’s some interesting facts. Winner of the women’s 10km was Larissa Tichon, now coached by myself and over the last two years has become one of Australia’s leading road ultrarunners. The inaugural winner of the men’s marathon was Raymond Wareham, who would go onto wining two more titles, while local speedster Earl O’Brien took out the male 10k in a time of 31:37 which would remain the race record until only recently broken by David Criniti in 2018.
2011
Unfortunately I did not race due to representative duties in the UK for the
Commonwealth Ultra Distance Trail Championships. Raymond Wareham picked up his
2nd marathon title while Earl O’Brien also took his 2nd 10km
title. Athene Chariot was the female marathon winner, her first of two consecutive
victories.
2012
The last year of the ‘Lap the Lake’ – I took to the half marathon again and went stride for stride (literally, look at the photo) with the previous year’s men’s half marathon champion Dr Tim Cochrane. An epic tussle ensued, with surge after surge responded to by both parties before Tim made the strongest move on the last lap for a deserving victory. I've had many a good hit out with Tim over the years and he was a mentor in my early ultrarunning days.
The last year of the ‘Lap the Lake’ – I took to the half marathon again and went stride for stride (literally, look at the photo) with the previous year’s men’s half marathon champion Dr Tim Cochrane. An epic tussle ensued, with surge after surge responded to by both parties before Tim made the strongest move on the last lap for a deserving victory. I've had many a good hit out with Tim over the years and he was a mentor in my early ultrarunning days.
 |
| Stride for stride with Dr Tim Cochrane in the 2012 half marathon |
2013
This was the first year under the rebranded ‘Western Sydney Marathon’ and it was also the inaugural wheelchair marathon race. With one of my favourite trail events, the now disbanded Fitzroy Falls Fire Trail Marathon a week after, I took on (which is unlike me) a shorter distance – the 10km, and was very happy to walk away with the win in the two lap dash, finishing ahead of local masters legend David Riches, who remarkably, has featured on the podium of either the 5km or 10km race every year since! Quite an incredible achievement from this world-class athlete.
Winning
the marathon in a brilliant time of 2:28 for the men was Dr Alex Matthews, now
a Western Sydney local living literally a stone’s throw away from the Regatta Centre,
and for the women it was Heidi Rickard who would go on to claim victory three
more times to be the only 4 time winner of the blue ribbon event – with myself,
Raymond Wareham and wheelchair marathoner Erik Horie taking out three titles
each.
This was the first year under the rebranded ‘Western Sydney Marathon’ and it was also the inaugural wheelchair marathon race. With one of my favourite trail events, the now disbanded Fitzroy Falls Fire Trail Marathon a week after, I took on (which is unlike me) a shorter distance – the 10km, and was very happy to walk away with the win in the two lap dash, finishing ahead of local masters legend David Riches, who remarkably, has featured on the podium of either the 5km or 10km race every year since! Quite an incredible achievement from this world-class athlete.
 |
| 2013: Smiling post race with Dr Alex Matthews...happy that I didn't choose to go up against him in the marathon! |
2014
Work commitments hosting a training camp for the Buffalo Stampede trail events kept me from participating this year. Raymond Wareham returned to take his third marathon title, Heidi Rickard her second.
2015
My first foray in the Western Sydney 42.2km marathon and it was a head to head battle with Sydney Strider and three time winner Raymond Wareham; I eventually prevailed to take the flowers home. Yes, dried wildflowers have been a most welcomed prize over the years that has kept me in the good books on the home front, and a jet pack gift voucher that I’m still trying to offload to someone (this is not a joke, message me if you want one as I have a couple of them up for grabs to anyone more courageous than me!)
 |
| 2015: My first foray into the 42.2km distance |
2016
My first year as a Race Ambassador and I defended the title on a hot Spring day – this was a particularly challenging day from a weather perspective with both wind and heat.
 |
| Defending the marathon title in 2016 |
This was one of the few times in my career when I’ve raced, when I quite simply
should have stayed home in bed. Nursing the dreaded ‘man flu’ I somehow got
myself to the start line and while I gave it my best in the state I was in, I was
overrun in the second half convincingly by Ben Harris who took a deserving
victory. The infamous ‘Western Sydney Westerly Wind’ featured heavily again
today much to every participants joy down the back straight, before joy turned
to anguish on the home straight!
2018
The first year the event wisely moved from a late Spring date to a Winter date, meaning the heat wouldn’t be an issue, however the wind today was just as damaging! Off the back my the Ultra-Trail Australia 100km victory I went into the WSM race confident my fitness was peaking for a crack at a sub 2:30 marathon. After an early tussle with race record holder Alex Matthews, I pulled away only for the wind to really hit hard in the second half. Pleasingly though it was my fastest marathon victory to date here!
 |
| In the zone in 2018 |
2019
I will be back for the marathon again this year, and excited to be once again part of this wonderful Western Sydney event.
The Summary:
Year
|
Race
|
Time
|
Position
|
2010
|
half marathon
|
1:14:35
|
1st
|
2011
|
Did not race
|
||
2012
|
half marathon
|
1:15:32
|
2nd
|
2013
|
10km
|
0:36:00
|
1st
|
2014
|
Did not race
|
||
2015
|
marathon
|
2:43:49
|
1st
|
2016
|
marathon
|
2:43:24
|
1st
|
2017
|
marathon
|
2:57:20
|
2nd
|
2018
|
marathon
|
2:36:12
|
1st
|
2019
|
marathon
|
?
| |
Away from myself, there's been a few other outstanding achievements, and a quick glance over the results archives shows three runners having completed all 9 marathons to date; Renae Brock, Rick Patzold and Ray James - that's super impressive from these three gladiators of distance running.
For me the most pleasing thing that I’ve noticed over the years has been the growth in participation, particularly in the shorter events and especially the number of women now competing. I’m not sure of the exact numbers but I’d be pretty safe in saying that in the shorter events the women would now outnumber the men significantly which for me is a healthy state of affairs. Lastly, I would just like to encourage everyone to consider coming out to the regatta centre and participating this year; with a marathon, half marathon, 10km, 5km and kids 2km, there's a race for everyone. For the racers watching their watches, the course is super flat and friendly and when the conditions are right, it lays a claim to be arguably the fastest course in Australia. For the recreational, it's scenic and the multi-laps allow you to manage your race easily and never be far from support.
To see more details and register, go to the website.
All followers of this blog are entitled to a 10% discount by using the code: UPCOACHING19
See you all on the 1st of June!
 |
| The flowers are dead, the beer's been drunk, the shorts well worn and the restaurant voucher used...but the Jet Pack voucher remains the 'ungiveawayable' prize. I have two. Message me if you want them! |
