NO HOME RUN
COMMONWEALTH Games marathon gold medallist Michael Shelley has confirmed he will not take part over the 2015 Gold Coast Airport Marathon weekend – opting instead to continue preparations for a Sydney event.
Shelley, 31, planned to race the half marathon on the Gold Coast next month but said gruelling training before the Sydney Harbour 10km race had interrupted preparations for his home event.
“It will be great racing over the weekend and unfortunately it just doesn’t fit with my program this year,” he said.
“It would have been great to compete … it usually enjoys great conditions.”
Shelley said he was happy with his progress toward the 10km event on July 12.
“The last couple of weeks have been in the 190s (km) so it’s been pretty hard in terms of training at the moment,” he said.
“I’ve been running every day and having a session basically every second day.
“I have an afternoon off after I do a long one and that’s about the only time I get off at the moment.
“It’s pretty full on training at the moment.”
Marathon officials rate the man most likely to fill Shelley’s place as the favourite in the half marathon as Japanese runner Takehiro Deki.
Deki, 25, recorded the ninth fastest Japanese marathon debut in history and has the pedigree to win the ASICS Half Marathon on the Gold Coast.
He will no doubt be pushed by the event’s 2012 winner, Liam Adams.
Americans Sara Hall and Jessica Trengove will be standouts in the women’s half marathon field.
Trengove, 27, took bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and managed to defeat cross country and steeplechase champion Hall in the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon this year.
Shelley said Trengove had shown form recently and he predicted the race to be a close one.
“Jess is running pretty well at the moment so I’m sure she’ll give it a good shake come race day … I think she just set a PB (personal best) recently,” he said.
“It will be a good race to see how they go.”
The Gold Coast Marathon will be run next weekend.