"All downhill from here" you will hear them cry. "Less than a half marathon to go" others will say.
The best thing to do is shut up, not say a word, and just run.
Umlaas Road to the finish at The Pmb Oval:
19km to go. Seems so close as you read this now, but will seem so
far when you get there sometime in the afternoon on 2nd June. But
this is where the race starts.
There is nothing left in your legs, and if there was anything in your head, you would never have run this race anyway. But now you have to dig deep and keep telling the mind and body to move forwards. It hurts up to a point, and then it does not get any worse.
There is a nice long downhill from Umlaas past the chicken farms, and on tired and weary legs, this can be worse than an uphill. Fear not, your wish will come true.
Enter from stage left - Little Polly's. The blind. Don't be fooled - the real thing comes about 2km later. Enjoy the climb over Little Polly's to Ashburton, and the gentle short descent on the other side.
Polly's will be lying in wait, and the supporters and water points will certainly remind you of it's presence in case you miss it. But don't fear it. Polly's is actually not such a bad hill. It is just where it lies in the race that makes it such a landmark. Personally, I make a point to run it every second year.
Make up your mind that you are going to slog all the way to the top. This is a section that you can easily loose 10-15 minutes, so get your mind right and plod it out. Try run-walk up this hill - there are plenty trees and poles to use as markers and targets. Walk one minute, run one minute. Run between water points and walk through them. Whatever works for you. Just keep going. And before you know it, the short 2km climb will be behind you.
The top of Polly's is the edge of the PMB city limits, and the route to the finish is a bit gentler now. A little under 7km to go, and a medal is in the bag.
By this time though, it is quite hot, you are tired, but you truly are almost there.
There is a 'little bump' as you climb to the main road with 5km to go, but just put your head down and go for it.
The 'last mile' is always festive and well supported by the crowds and sponsors. Enjoy the vibe, soak it up and gain your composure for entering the finish. But keep your eyes open - there are a few speed bumps to trip over, and you probably aren't lifting your heels that high at this point. The route also gets very narrow in the closing 2 kms, so be on the lookout for fellow runners and possible congestion.
Club tents line the route outside the main stadium and through the Mayor's Garden, and you will be cheered on by those that have already finished the race and many supporters along this final stretch.
Keep going though - you still have another 400m to run!
On entering the stadium, lift your knees higher, stick your chest out, pull your shoulders back, and run for the line like you are going for the last gold medal. You have to run all the way round the stadium to get to the finish line - take it as a lap of honour. The medal is yours - the last few months of training and sacrifice have paid off!!
PS - if you get to the stadium before I do, please wait outside for me to pass.
Hope you've found these route descriptions useful (and enjoyable).
Good luck for race day, and I hope you achieve your goals.
Andrew.
Part 1
Part 2
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