Spence claims fourth marathon victory
BALLARAT runner Julian Spence overcame injury, limited preparation and fierce headwinds to claim his fourth consecutive Great Ocean Road Marathon victory yesterday.
The 32-year-old took the tittle once more after conquering the 44km race from Lorne Pub to the Apollo Bay Hotel in 2 hours and 35 minutes.
Spence battled a series of niggling setbacks in the past month — including a foot injury and a calf injury — compromising his preparation for the event and only made the decision to compete on Friday morning.
“I was borderline all the way through the week,” he said.
“I did one last test on Thursday morning with some faster running to see how calf pulled up and decided to race.”
Speed and endurance both came to the fore with Spence pushed “right to the finish” by good friend and runner up Peter Kerr.
“My lead in has been average and I didn’t get in as much training as I needed to so I started to feel quite sore early in the day,” he said.
“I love running with (Kerr), he had a great run ... I was a little scared he would come over the top.
“I was pushed to the very finish, harder than the last few years where I’ve been able to relax at 35km mark.”
The challenging course was intensified by strong headwinds, similar to that experienced by runners in 2016, particularly during the 15km.
“I wasn’t overly confident that the body would hold up but once you’re out there adrenaline starts running through your body and you get caught up in it all,” Spence said.
“(The headwind) was noticeable early so everyone really had to adjust their race plan.
“My goal was to do the least amount of work that I had to through the first 30km, which meant sitting behind people and conserving energy, because I knew I’d need it later on.”
After taking the title for a fourth time, Spence spent the day celebrating with runner up Kerr, and female half mara- last thon winner Ellie Pashley, who were all sharing a house.
Having grown up in Anglesea, the event is a highlight of Spence’s annual racing calendar.
The course can be a “lonely road” with little access to spectators but the scenery, he said, provides plenty of inspiration.
“I surfed until I was 23 and (yesterday) the surf was really good and I found myself looking out and getting caught up a little bit,” he said.
“It’s the only race like it in the world.”
Spence has again entered the Berlin Marathon in September with a goal of running a time that could see him make a representative team.