BW: Congrats on your brilliant run for your marathon debut at Gold Coast Marathon earlier this year (2:13:56)! Can you describe your feeling as you crossed the line? Were you expecting this result?
LB: Thanks Benita! The immediate feeling was relief. The last 5 kilometres were some of the most challenging kilometres I have run so it was an incredible feeling making my way down the blue finishing tarp with friends and family cheering me on.
Based on my training leading into the race, I believed I could put that kind of result together. In saying that, there are many variables in the marathon – so crossing that line having executed the things I could control to the best of my ability was satisfying.
BW: What did an average week look like leading up to GCM and what weekly mileage were you running?
LB: During my marathon training block, a typical week would include two sessions (Tuesday and Friday), with a longer run on Sundays, around 2 and a half hours. Outside of Sundays, I was doubling every day, covering anywhere between 185km to 200km per week.
BW: Did you feel any pressure training for your first marathon? Had you been thinking about it for a while (to do a marathon)?
LB: I did not necessarily feel any pressure, other than the expectations I place on myself. It was more the pressure of wanting to put in a good performance after stringing together a consistent training block.
I had been wanting to race a marathon for some time, but for the past couple of years, I was managing quite debilitating tendon injuries which prevented me from committing to the full 42.2km distance.
BW: Most memorable race to date and why?
LB: Having grown up in Brisbane, it is hard to go past the Bridge to Brisbane. It is such an iconic event for Queenslanders. As a junior, I remember seeing highlights of the event and the many thousands of people running across the Gateway Bridge. Winning the race in 2022 (and again this year) was a truly memorable experience and something I am proud of.
BW: Congrats also on your Australian Half Marathon Championship win on the Sunshine Coast not long after GCM. How did you recover from GCM? Did you find it hard to drop down in distance after running a marathon?
LB: I recovered well after the GCM, probably better than I expected. I was doing easy jogs for about a week and a half before resuming some lighter workouts.
I enjoyed dropping back down in distance after the marathon. Not having to mentally and physically prepare for a marathon workout on Friday mornings was certainly refreshing.
BW: Fav running surface i.e. road/ track/ trails/ grass?
LB: Trails. I would say the UQ trail and Coombabah Forest are my two favourite running locations/surfaces in Queensland. It is also a bit softer underfoot, which is a welcome relief from the harshness of the road and track.
BW: Congrats on winning your free trip to Kobe Marathon (coming up on 17th Nov) thanks to GCM + QA’s mentorship program. How has your preparation been going?
LB: Preparation has been going well. I have been completing similar workouts to my GCM build, but with slightly quicker times. Running a PB over the half marathon distance in Melbourne under heavy fatigue was also pleasing and indicates that my body is adapting to the longer sessions.
BW: What are you most looking forward to about racing in Japan?
LB: Hopefully, some cooler weather! I have heard great things about Japan and particularly the Kobe Marathon, so I am most looking forward to challenging myself against an international field on a fast course.
BW: How important is it to you to have great training partners and coaching guidance?
LB: I don’t think I can understate the importance of having great running partners and coaching. From a training perspective, it takes the pressure off having to always be ‘on’ for workouts as I can rely on my training partners to hit splits or times. Having such an experienced coach means I have full faith in my training program and instils great belief that I can perform at my best when required.
BW: Thanks so much for your time. Good luck in Kobe! Photo credit @davidpearceproductions
