Sydney Marathon 2022 by Nicola Silsby

Blackmores Sydney Marathon 2022

By Nicola Silsby

Plus Rejoov group results 50 runners+

My debut at the Blackmores marathon was unfortunately 3 years in the making thanks to Covid. Every year I had managed to get to the 36k mark in training only to have the event postponed in the final weeks leading up to it. But this year I finally made it to the start line!

The lead up to Blackmores had been an interesting one, with a very poorly planned trip to the UK to visit family, returning only 2 weeks before the race. But thanks to Greta’s training plan I managed to run (nearly!) all of the sessions and maintain the fitness I had built from Tuesday and Thursday’s at Centennial Park.

The last two weeks of training was a mixture of tapering and jet lag, however I was excited and felt strong heading to that start line. We could not have asked for more perfect race conditions with a beautiful sunrise and a clear sunny day. I knew whatever happened after the start gun, I had to embrace the incredible atmosphere and enjoy every moment.

I was incredibly lucky to have amazing support throughout the course, and seeing so many Rejoov singlets out there helped push me on. The first 20k I felt strong and I could feel those months of training paying off, but everyone has always said, the race starts at 32k, so I knew I had a long way to go.

Running around Pyrmont, it was so quiet and surprisingly hilly, I started to ask myself what on earth I was doing running a full, when half’s were just such a great distance! But turning into Darling harbour and knowing I had run this straight a hundred times before in training, I got my head down and wanted to finish strong.

I had a goal time in my head, but never having done the distance I had no idea what to expect, so when I ran past the 40k mark knowing I was close to the time, I had one last burst to get me to that finish line. Running around Circular Quay was truly amazing, seeing the support for all the runners really did help you get over that line, and finishing at the Opera House could not have been more iconic.

I can truly say I loved the race and would not have changed anything, and it was all down to the support and guidance from Greta and the Rejoov team. Training with such a strong group of people helps push you further than you think you can go, and I know I could not have done it without them! Here’s to an extended post-race rest…then on to the next one!

Blackmores rejoovers in alphabetical order:

HALF MARATHON
Adam Priest 1.47 pb running with Maddy
Alexandra McCaughan pacing a friend
Anthea Burton 92.53
Cathy Rowney 2.18 last year in the 50-59 age group :)
Cheryl Greenway 87.21 pb
Chris Don 77.26 Pb 19th male, 3rd in age group
Chris Knight 90.07 pb
Claire Cregan 1.41.36
Dan Mouat 87.58 pb training for 3 Bridges marathon
Flavia Caspary 2.01.56 backing up with Melbourne in 2 weeks
Georgina Beck first event back post injury
Graham Knox 1.48.35 pb
Graham Long 86.49 pb
Harriet Beavis 90.06
Ian Gabriel 81.08 pb 40th male, 1st in 45-49 age group
Jenna Wald 2.13 with partner Dave
Jonny Pisanelli 88.37 fuelled on pastries ;)
Laura Stevens 1.47
Louise Chisholm 1.39
Maddy Leggoe 1.47 pb
Mat Pirotta 1.39 pb
Nicole Katz 1.51.17 pb
Olivia Beck bib didn’t register
Penny Johnston 2.01.15 with hip injury
Sarah Melrose 1.48.27 with knee injury
Sharon Antonir 1.44.23 part of long run for Athens marathon

MARATHON
Alice Kendall 3.12 pb 14th female
Chris Khan 3.43 training for UTA 50k
Chris Truscott 3.15 pacer
Jasper Muir 3.23 pb training for UTA 100k
Megan Paton 4.37 pb
Michelle Woodman 4.23.47 pb
Neil Rosenbaum 3.17 pb
Nicola Silsby 3.22.37 debut 28th female
Oliver Gafen 4.25.57 debut

10KM BRIDGE RUN:
Alex Loftus 57.41
Andre Pech 43.16 with calf injury
Emma Trehy achilles guiding
Erol Sertbas 36.37 pb first event back since Canberra back in April
Josh Arthur 36.20
Harriet Don 51.01 post Oxfam Trailwalker 100k!!
Louise Burgess Cox 45.31 - 5th in 50-59 age group out of 798 in that age group wow!
Mitch Weber 55.24 - 57yrs after an 80km cycle training for St Kilda half ironman
Yury Glikin with 10yr boys Oscar Glikin 49.33 6th & Jaden 49.29 5th, top 6 in under 12s / 180 kids.

FAMILY RUN 3.5KM
Maya with her 10yr old sporty twin girls - we had to shout out to Olivia 15.13 4th out of 849 under 12 kids and Zara 17.28 30th, wow so awesome!