Ipswich club runners show marathon of elite quality
IPSWICH marathon runners Matt Casos and Stephen O'Brien won't be training for three weeks or tackling another event for at least a month after completing yesterday's 42km challenge in Melbourne.
However, both athletes were thrilled with their efforts amid an Australian record number of entrants at the Melbourne Marathon.
"It felt fantastic," Casos said, after completing his fifth marathon in ideal conditions.
"It was the Australian marathon championships so I was really happy with it."
In a field of 7000 runners, Casos covered the course in two hours, 52.33.
"It was a nine-minute improvement from the Gold Coast and get closer to my PB of 2:45," Casos said, feeling fatigued but satisfied.
O'Brien also performed well, finishing the course in two hours, 54.38 minutes.
"Stephen ran a fantastic race for his first marathon," Casos said.
"It was really controlled and he finished strongly."
Having run last year's New York Marathon, Casos is preparing for the Tokyo Marathon in February.
He enjoyed yesterday's flat and fast course.
"To run around Albert Park and St Kilda and then finish with a lap at the MCG was really a highlight," Casos said.
O'Brien was undecided about whether he'd run a marathon again.
However, he was also delighted with yesterday's effort.
"I'm extremely happy," O'Brien said.
"I didn't really know what to expect being my first run.
"I was pretty sore after the race but I feel a lot better now.
"Tomorrow morning will be a real test."
A social Ipswich runner Aaron Hewitt ran the marathon in three hours, 40 minutes.
A fourth My Run Club member John Stumer competed in the half marathon, covering the distance in one hour, 50 minutes yesterday.
Superb effort
THE My Run Club team's effort in Melbourne came on a day Ipswich athlete Kym Jaenke finished second in her age group at the Hawaiian Ironman championships.
Jaenke, 35, covered the epic journey in Kona in nine hours, 53 minutes and 18 seconds.
She swam the 3.8km opening leg in 58 minutes, 11 seconds before riding the 180km in five hours, 31.42 minutes.
She completed her amazing feat with a three hour, 18.04 minutes marathon run.
Jaenke finished 289th overall at the world championship event.
