Great Scot September 2019 Great Scot 157_September 2019_ONLINE | Page 73

LEFT: MARK PURVIS
(’75) RUNS WITH
GENE DYKES IN THE
WORLD MASTERS
MARATHON
CHAMPIONSHIPS.
RIGHT: MARK HITS
THE MARATHON
FINISHING LINE IN
THE EXCELLENT
TIME OF 2:58:48.
Treading dangerously in Toronto
I have been an active member of the
Old Scotch Athletics Club for more than
four decades, and I have run 18 marathons
in that time. It is a curious addiction, but
the marathon is a seductive temptation
for hardcore distance runners. In 2016, I
set myself to run under three hours for the
marathon after turning 60. In late 2018, I
felt that I finally had the necessary fitness
to attempt my goal, so I entered the World
Masters Marathon Championships in
Toronto, Canada.
The morning of the race dawned fine and
cold, but a little windy. I was feeling great. All
of this is typical of the marathon’s seductive
technique, which causes a runner to be
filled with optimism, leaving him blind to the
hazards.
From the gun, I had a nice clean start. I
had heard that Gene Dykes, a 70 year old
from Philadelphia, was aiming to break the
world M70+ record. Within a kilometre or two,
I spotted a white-haired runner ahead of me,
going at a very good pace: I knew that I had
found Gene. I fell in beside him for a chat.
We discussed our respective goals and I
suggested that we might run with each other.
As the race went on, however, it became
clear that Gene was the principal pacemaker.
He was relentless, running around 4:08 per
kilometre.
A successful marathon requires being
faithful to a plan, despite distractions. Many
runners get carried away in the initial opening
rush, while others expend too much energy
early in the race. I felt strong through to
halfway in 87:29, which was a minute ahead
of my target pace. I told myself this was good,
and I now had more leeway for a slowdown
later in the race. The marathon is adept at
leading runners into self-delusion.
After halfway, Gene upped the pace
slightly at a point when I would have preferred
to back off a little. I tried to go with him, but
by now I was working really hard. A significant
headwind and the regular hills on the course
began to take their toll. At around 34km I felt
a wave of intense fatigue, and I knew at once
that I had hit the dreaded wall.
Hitting the wall is the point at which the
marathon loses its allure, and you recognise
it for the devious adversary that it is. An
invisible lasso brings down the reckless
and over-confident, and there is carnage all
around you. A runner suddenly moves from
running confidently and strongly into a state
of physical and psychological meltdown.
There is no warning and nothing you can do
about it, except hang on for dear life.
My sudden meltdown was characterised
by shooting pain in both quadriceps. I blew
out to 4:30 per kilometre. As I ran downhill
off the last bridge, it felt as if hot pokers
were being jabbed into my quadriceps with
each step. It really, really hurt. Finally the
road flattened out and I ran the last kilometre
swearing continuously under my breath in an
effort to distract myself from the pain. But it
worked – suddenly I was there; it was over.
My time was 2:58.48, under three hours,
thank goodness.
After the race, I learned that I had won a
bronze medal in my age group. The winner of
my division finished just over a minute ahead
of me. We had been close for the majority of
the race, but neither of us knew it because
there were no age groups specified on our
race bibs! I was well and truly trounced by
Gene Dykes. He ran 2:55.18, missing the
M70+ world record by just 30 seconds. I
congratulated him after the race. When I told
him I was 61, he said, ‘Just imagine how good
you’ll be at 70!’
I was delighted to achieve my sub three-
hour goal. But a fairytale ending in Toronto
would have been to run under three hours,
break the Victorian M60+ record (2:57) and
win the world championship; and although I
went close to the last two achievements, they
were not to be. And therein lies the rub – I
now have unfinished business with my most
dangerous adversary, the marathon.
MARK PURVIS (’75)
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot
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