7 Marathons in a year ... my biggest year yet

2024 was the year of the Marathon! 7 in total - a new record for me. I didn't set out 12 months ago to achieve this - it just sort of happened. Having done 7 would I do it again? Probably not. I'm not chasing a number or a series or anything like that. In short, it got harder as the year wore on - and my motivation dwindled (for lots of different reasons). Here's a review of the 7: JANUARY - Cadbury Hobart Marathon. Planned. Great to start early in the year. Made for a fun weekend away with friends. What's not to love about Tasmania?

MARCH - Wangaratta Marathon. Planned. A reason to go and visit friends in Wangaratta. Funnily enough, they left town to visit other friends so we had their place to ourselves! A typical little country event. I died in the second half and had to work hard, but got it done.

APRIL - Ballarat Marathon. This wasn't planned at all! I think it was the result of too many red wines after Hobart and the crew having such a good time together that we planned anther weekend away. And it was a ripper inaugral event. Well done to Ballarat. And here the journey takes a previously unplanned route ...... suddenly we have a Boston Marathon qualifying time in our family and we're starting to dream ...

JUNE - Brisbane Marathon. Unplanned. Snuck away by myself on a secret mission - get a BQ! And I did! Fastest marathon of the year and I'm stoked.

AUGUST - Sunshine Coast Marathon. Ths one was planned and booked late 2023. A great weekend with our running crew, including watching the Olympic Marathon together the night before. Not a great run as I was unwell coming into the event and blew up, but still a goodie.

OCTOBER - Melbourne Marathon. Number 12 for Melbourne and this one is a standard, 'don't think, just enter'. I hope to get to 15 and get a blue Spartan singlet. Anything after that is a bonus.

DECEMBER - Honolulu Marathon. This one was planned as well and coincided with a birthday trip.

Strava tells me that I did more hours and more kilometres than 2023 - and the story above tells some of that. So it's been fun, but I'm looking forward to 2025 and doing just a few. 1. Melbourne - of course. 2. Boston - that's the biggie. 3. Inverloch - rinse and repeat of the Ballarat story! and maybe 4. Sydney. Im in the ballot but who knows, we have to wait and see. Signing off on 2024, the year of the Marathon.