Rain and mud fail to dampen spirits
A DIET rich in carbohydrates and years of experience running longer distances helped power Cairns runner Jenny Damon to her first major win at the Great Barrier Reef Marathon in Port Douglas yesterday.
The ultra-marathon runner jumped over the finish line as she finished with a time of 4:05:07 – more than a minute ahead of second-place getter Sonia Lewis.
The 37-year-old transport planner said she had no trouble navigating the course despite the wet and muddy conditions hampering some runners.
“I’m pretty stoked and excited,” Damon said. “The course was fairly flat even though it was very, very muddy.
“I only ran in the one pair of shoes but I train a lot in the rain.
“It does wear you out more when you’re running through the mud but it’s a lot cooler this year so that definitely helped me.
“The drizzle and the rain was actually really nice.”
Damon said running in ultra marathons had prepared her well for the event.
“Last year I did the ultra marathon and the heat really wore me out,” she said.
“This year, it was quite nice just to run the marathon.
“I think the training, running in ultra marathons definitely paid off.
“I felt really strong in the second half of the event whereas that’s where some runners can drop off.”
Asked what she’d eat to celebrate, Damon said: “Probably some pizza, wedges and a couple of beers”.
“But I think you need to eat what you feel like and have a varied diet,” she added.
“I’m no sport scientist but there are a lot of people who run ultra marathons because you can eat what you want.”
Event manager Jess Uhlig said around 2000 runners from 17 different countries participated in the event this year despite the challenging conditions.
“We’ve climbed pretty significantly as an event this year,” Uhlig said.
“The weather some real hurdles.
“It was a tough day for the runners but they did a great job and I saw a lot of smiles on people’s faces as they crossed the finish line.”
“In terms of injuries here were a few rolled ankles and at least one runner suffered from dehydration but it was much quieter than last year when it was so hot.”
The marathon raised more than $75,000 for James Cook University’s marine research charity, Run for the Reef.
I’M NO SPORT SCIENTIST BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO RUN ULTRA MARATHONS BECAUSE YOU CAN EAT WHAT YOU WANT
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