SBS Christchurch Marathon race report

SBS Christchurch marathon barefoot race report


The week leading up to the race I looked at the weather forecast and it was for fine conditions with no
rain, perfect conditions for barefoot running. Did my last 2 training runs barefoot for the week and was
all set to achieve my goal. Then on Friday night before the race I checked the weather and yes it had
changed. Rain, rain and more rain with a little cold southerly wind thrown into the mix. My worst
nightmare come true. Running 42kms in the rain barefoot on tar seal was a going to be a challenge let
alone my goal of completing the marathon under 4hrs.

Race day dawned and sure enough it was raining cats and dogs. Gear packed, gobbled down the usual
race day breakfast off porridge, porridge and more porridge, and departed for the Town hall (start area
of the race). The entrance area of the town hall was packed with people all getting ready for the race.
Twenty-five minutes to race start the music was pumping and all the competitors were being called to
the start area. Time to lose the shoes and go and line up on the start line. Its a strange feeling to be the
only person amongst thousands of people not to be wearing shoes. Fifteen mins to go and I am lined up
in a sea of people. They were everywhere and there I stood with my ice breaker beanie on, ice breaker
top, water proof jacket leggings and no shoes (I must have looked like a right plonker). People started
to notice that I had no shoes and I answered the normal questions of “Where are your shoes? You’re
not going to do it barefoot?” followed by “Oh my god you’re not doing the marathon barefoot!”.

With the music pumping and the atmosphere electric the count down started 3 2 1 go we were off and
racing…. well, waiting 2 odd minutes for the few thousand people in front of us to get going. The start
line was area was of concern to me as this was where my bare feet were most likely to get trampled on.
Seeing the start I was away and focused at the task ahead and my race plan to ease into it. Running well
I started to pass people and found my rhythm and found that my feet were fine and the cold not to be
much of a issue. It is amazing peoples reaction to being passed by a person running barefoot. They
don’t like it. Often I would pass someone only to find them to come sprinting back to pass me. I would
have a little chuckle to myself and focus on the task ahead. All was going well and I was on target to
achieve my goal of a sub 4 hour run.

At the 19 kilometre mark I started to feel a hot spot on my right forefoot and knew there was a blister
on the way. This was my concern with running in the rain on tar seal with the skin on feet being wet for
such a prolonged time, that the thick skin on my feet would rub between the two major layers of skin.
There was not much I could do about it but to keep running and focus on maintaining good running
technique. As I approached the end of the first lap (start finish line out side the town hall) I knew in my
heart that I should be calling it a day at the 21km mark. As I looked up at the race clock which was
reading 1hr 48mins I was at a conflict with in myself about what to do. Do I stop or do I continue, what
damage could I do, am I being soft, is it all just in my mind? These were just some of the things that
were running through my mind, then I focused on one of my core beliefs “If I start a race I finish it”.
Anyway I was now on the smooth part of the course (nice smooth tar seal). Brilliant. Up went the
pace and I was back on track. Rounding the turn and heading for home it was a great feeling to know
that there was only 12km to go and the realisation that I was going to achieve my goal.

What amazed me more was all the reactions of the officials and spectators. They were amazed that I
was still going and that I was still running. Around the last turn and two kilometres to go. Brilliant, and
up the tempo goes and back to that nice tar seal. Round the park, down the home straight, there is the
finish line. Bloody brilliant! Crossing the line in 3hrs 58 minutes and 13 seconds.

As I crossed the finish line I was left with a interesting thought “ What are our physical and mental
limits and why don’t we use our abilities to capacity any more?”