Nice little stroll along the river, checking the course for MAWA “Racecourse” 5km and 10km tomorrow. #mawa #masters #racedirector #racedirectorlife #nmmfg #makelifeamazing #perth #perthisokay #perthisok #swanriver @ Belmont Park Racecourse
Day 4... heading home. I feel sad to be leaving the Gold Coast and Brisbane. I always do. Of course, I am happy to be going home as well, but there’s something about this part of the world that has worked its way under my skin over the years. The place, the people I’ve met, friends old and new, and so many personal moments and challenges from 2 marathons, 1 half marathon and what felt like arriving home in 2015. Driving between Brisbane and GC, and driving and walking around the Gold Coast itself takes me past an inordinate number of memories. Some happy, some sad, some big and some small - but each one special. It really is as if part of me lies within the soil of this stretch of coastline... and part of it lies deep within me. See you again soon my other Australian home #wearegoldcoast #nmmfg #makelifeamazing #haa2015 #gcm19
Gary, haven't seen you in 45years? How you doing.
So, day 3... race day. There’s so much I could write about this event, the race day excitement, really loving being on the tram heading from Surfers to Southport, but the real issue of the day was whether I’d make the half marathon cut off. My last comparable event had me doing a half marathon in 3:35 but Gold Coast cut off was 3:20. I banker on being able to do a little more running and a little less walking and felt reasonably ok with the challenge. Except race morning it dawned on me - in zone E, we would have more like 3:10 to finish - the cut off is based on gun time, and it takes about 10 minutes for zone E to get across the start mat. What the hell - May as well go for it, even if it’s a big ask... my run/walk pace was pretty much spot on for the first 10km - passing the 10km mark with a few minutes spare. Just 2.5km later I was feeling dejected. More walking had been happening and I’d cut into my precious few spare minutes. I walked from 12.5km and mentally I lost it. Thoughts of being swept off the course filled my head and I decided I would stop when I got back to where my friend @lyndon__renee was watching (18km). The wheelchair race came past and we stragglers were asked to keep to the left. A bit later Marshalls we’re still telling us “keep going”. I wondered if something had changed with cut off policy. My brain was now a confused mess. The walk continued and the elite male marathon race went by in the opposite direction, helicopters overhead made me feel like a fugitive or something. Feeling sure I wasn’t meant to be on course... the elite men passed us, more helicopters and more feelings of being the hunted... We eventually got pulled shortly before the final turn before the “250m to go arch”, but instead of it being over, we were to be escorted to the recovery area where we could collect medals! Wow! Thankyou @gcmarathon for a great event and humane ending for the stragglers. Thanks to the support of friends and family, thanks to all the random strangers watching and cheering. And a huge congratulations to everyone who took part, but most of all, the stragglers who didn’t give up! #nmmfg #makelifeamazing #gcm19 #letsgohoka #letsdoepicshit @ Gold Coast, Queensland
WELL DONE..👍👍
Well earned medal 🥇 congratulations Gary
fantastic effort love you did it & got your reward a very special medal .Very proud of my very determined son xxx
What a legend, how cool they gave you a medal anyways. Well deserved 😊
Awesome work Gary, it’s a step in the right direction. Well earned medal!
Congratulations Gary. Medal well earned I’d say. Xx
Regarding time, I think I hit 3:20 around the 20km mark, which would have put me a little ahead of HBF half marathon time. I kept my watch going while we were escorted to make sure I recorded a half marathon distance 😊
It’s really good the way they did that - you did the distance, just not in the time frame. So you earned the medal, just didn’t get an official time to go with it. I overheard an American guy talking on the phone at the airport who was in the same situation for the marathon - still got a medal, just no finish time.
👏
Haha top fan! 😂
So you decide to show a bit of blue sky on going home day, huh, Surfers Paradise? I am sore, I am shattered, I will probably sleep for most of the next 2 days, and I have had a great time on the Gold Coast yet again. Didn’t catch up with everyone that I hoped to but enjoyed seeing those that I dd, even just briefly during the run -
eg @the_chocoholic_runner
Until next time!
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #thisisqueensland #wearegoldcoast #gcm19 @vocogoldcoast
I know right! Had to find my sunglasses this morning 😎 safe travels
Missed cut off, got the distance done. More later 😊
Gary Wilmot can you walk a half marathon? & what does it mean you missed the cutoff time? I'm thinking I would like to do this event next year? But doubt I would be able to do it in that time frame
Nice work mate. Glad you got the distance covered & the medal. Sorry I didn't make it down there!
You finished Gary!
Gorgeous medal!
Congrats Gary on completing the half, well done champ!
Great work Gary, so happy you still got a medal x
Well done Gary!
Well done mate. Was looking out for you at the tail of the field.
Great work regardless of time
Awesome Gary
Well done love xx you did it in your own special style 😍
Well done Gary.
Nice work Gary Wilmot. I looked for you but I missed you x
Well done!
Well done!
Nice job Gary.....love this medal
Got it done! Got the medal! Who cares about cut off!?
Woooooohoooooo 😜😜😜 Great work Gary!
You did it 👏👏 and got the bling !! What else matters 😍😍
Knew you would get the job done..👍👍
Wowsa!!!!!!
Another step closer to the next challenge. Awesome stuff. See you in Busso
Way to get it done!
Cool bling 🤗 well done!!
You got it done. Well done
Made it to the start line, step 1 achieved. #nmmfg #gcm19 #thisisqueensland #wearegoldcoast #timetofly #letsgohoka #letsdoepicshit #makelifeamazing @ Gold Coast Marathon
No more sleeps. #raceday #nmmfg #letsdothis #adventureoclock #timetofly #letsgohoka #thisisgoldcoast #gcm19 #justthehalfforme @gcmarathon @hokaoneoneaustralia @heartsacrossaustralia #makelifeamazing
Good luck!
Good luck! x
Best of luck Gazza!! Have a great run
Good luck today Gary 😊
good luck love your gonna smash it !! x
Good luck Gary.
Good luck Gary!
All the best!
See you soon!!
#gogary
Go knock em dead love show them what a Wilmot can do Xx keep safe xx
Run strong
Gooooo Gary!!!!
Rock it Gary ❤️❤️
Gone a bit tubby boy lol xx
Go get it Gary!
Can’t remember the last time I did a #flatrunner post. All set for the morning. The very best of luck to everyone running the full and the half @gcmarathon tomorrow #gcm19 #nmmfg #thisisgoldcoast #letsgohoka #timetofly @hokaoneoneaustralia @run_down_under #letsdoepicshit
It’s going to be a good day! See you tomorrow xx
Have a terrific day Gazza
Good luck love xx hopefully it will be everything you want it to be 🤗
Have a good one!! <3
Good luck Gary, you smash it x
Good luck Gary
Smash it Gaz
day two on the #goldcoast started with a trip down memory lane, and down the coast, to Kingscliff, NSW. Having walked along the parkrun course in 2015, it was great to record an official #parkrun there. After parkrun (and breakfast, not shown) I made my way to the @gcmarathon expo to pick up my race number. This was followed by a late lunch in the hotel, and then putting my feet up for the rest of the day. Feeling pretty relaxed, well-fuelled and properly hydrated - looking forward to our 6am #halfmarathon start 😜
I love visiting the Gold Coast
All the best for the run Gary. 6am seems way early for a half start O_o
Third time here, but first time doing the half marathon distance at @gcmarathon - will take some effort to beat the 3:20 cut-off in all honesty, but it’s all part of the long climb back 😊 #nmmfg #gcm19 #thisisgoldcoast #makelifeamazing
You go Gary, whatever the time you are a winner! 👟👟🎖🏃
Goid luck. I am doing the full
Good luck Gary. 🏃♂️💪
You'll completely surprise yourself, mark my words, you'll do great, good luck Chief 🙂
Have a great run buddy
Good luck!
You can do it! One foot in front of the other...and enjoy the journey!
Have fun
All the best 💪🏼🏃🏼♂️
Stay safe and enjoy xx
Go Gary!!!!!
Go well. All part of the fun!
Good luck Gary!
Go you good thing!
You’ll be ok, have faith. What time are you catching the tram? See you in the morning x
Good luck Gary. From experience all I can say is if you are close to the finish line when the marathoners get close to finish you had better run like you stole something!!!
Inspirational Gary!
Have fun!
You got this 👍 have a great time 😁
Have a good half 😄
You’ve got this Gary Wilmot!
You can do it Wilmot 👍
Good luck Gary! You got this!
good luck Gary Bet you can do it
so that was my Friday this week - landed in Brisbane around 5:10 am, drove down to the Gold Coast, with a trip to Tamborine Mountain for breakfast, before checking our parkrun Australia’s offices in Southport. Spent the afternoon sleeping, avoiding the cold, wet, grey weather, then some unplanned catch-ups with some great running pals! Love the @gcmarathon weekend, even if the sun 🌞 is currently a no-show 😜 @ Gold Coast, Queensland
Perfect Queensland weather 🤗
It’s a bit miserable 😕
Perfect Queensland weather 🤗
latest addition to the fleet, and my first time with the Clifton. The rocker feels quite pronounced, and that marshmallow feeling is definitely there. loved the personal message from Bruce, and good to know that @keeponrunningfloreat are going to have some more shoes in my size soon 😊 @hokaoneoneaustralia #timetofly #letsgohoka
I can't do Clifton's but totally understand the new Hoka feeling 😍😍
I had to take a photo of these... bumped into a group running the Eagle Trail in the opposite direction, ahead of the @perth.trail.series Eagle and Child event. The group consisted of a couple of experienced trail runners who were “introducing road runners to the trails”. There were one or two protests about having done trails previously... and then I saw them... a pair of pristine white deck shoes, gym shoes, tennis shoes? Who knows... but we all had a good laugh about it 😜
Did you “christen” them?
What did they look like after they really hit the trails I wonder?
Plimsoles 😂😂😂
It turns out that today is the 6th anniversary of my first marathon, and it’s fair to say that a lot has happened in those 72 months!
My plans for today’s run changed a few times due to various things, and then I saw a post by my Perth Triathlon Club clubmate “Birdy” saying he would be doing two laps of the Eagle Trail at John Forrest National Park as part of his training for Wild Goose.
Looking back, it’s been two years since I ran the Eagle Trail, and it’s one of my favourite places to be. Good for the soul, even if the legs complain.
So I headed off at Adventure O’Clock this morning, and spent a few hours doing a single 15km loop, then waited for Graham to complete his second.
This was followed by a steak sandwich and a pint of Guinness at the Tavern, and we were joined by local trail ultra misnavigation specialist (and all round nice guy) Felix and his good lady (sorry guys, should have got a group selfie!)
T’was an awesome morning and was good to catch up with some awesome people. Thanks for giving me motivation to get out and enjoy some trails Graham!
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #tribe #letsdoepicshit #smallsteps2greatachievements #ptcaccountability #gotvert #felixnav
Looks like a fantastic place to run
Beautiful photos!
How many Gary Wilmot’s are there 😯
So with @gcmarathon just a few weeks away, here’s another important piece of planning taken care of - which parkrun to do!
This year I’m taking a trip across the border to Kingscliff! Who else fancies going interstate? 😜 #parkrun #loveparkrun #goldcoast #qld #nsw
Ooh too far... I'm hoping Broadbeach local will be happening...
I’ve never taken part in the half marathon distance at @gcmarathon before, so I am taking this new experience as a positive. The reason for switching down is a continuation of a theme that has lasted a couple of years now, but which has finally bottomed out and leaves only “upwards” as an available option to move. Switching to to half marathon is part of an overall reset, which includes applying to defer my Ironman entry to December 2020.
Effectively, this is the start of an 18 month journey to the full #ironman distance, one that will be more enjoyable, and provide a much better quality of experience and memories than forcing myself across that line in 6 months.
It’s a complete back to basics approach, understanding fully that I really do have to put the physical components back together from scratch.
If chapter 1 was “no more mr fat guy” and chapter 2 was “hearts across Australia”, then this is chapter 3, “the accidental Ironman”
Today is day 1. #nmmfg #heartsacrossaustralia #lifestylereboot #smallsteps2greatachievements #theaccidentalironman #ptcaccountability @perthtriclub @heartsacrossaustralia @hokaoneoneaustralia @ironmanoceania @tailwindnutritionaustralia
I've been following your journey off and on since discovering NNMFG. Love your journey. Love your determination. Love that it is real. Great job on figuring out a realistic path *that will work for you*! Half's are a blast, and way different than training for a longer or different endurance sport. Enjoy the next part of this journey! (From a US fan).
Well done love xx
Well done buddy!!!!
Good for you Gary, you still have it mate xx
Great tactics 🙂
Less than 2 hours until registration closes . Every WA registration is another km for WA house leader Cassie to run 😜
mumrunner.com/game-of-zones-everything-you-need-to-know/
...I'm confused... I thought I read somewhere that most average k's per runner wins??!!??? That could mean an army of two runners with high mileage can still win? Pls correct me if I'm wrong!
CALLING ALL RUNNERS AND WALKERS FROM, IN, OR OTHERWISE AFFILIATED WITH WESTERN AUSTRALIA...
We need you to join the WAnsullied army for the June “Game of Zones” virtual run challenge, where we are up against all the other states and territories.
Sign up for the challenge ($18.50) Log all your runs on Strava, and the state with the most logged kms will win a donation for their Children's hospital - so in our case the Perth Children's Hospital
There’s some very cool spinning bling 🏅
So why not join other WA runners and help our kids!
A pretty decent run this morning after a day of very sore legs. A run/walk that resulted in about the same overall pace I am targeting for @gcmarathon #nmmfg #makelifeamazing #marathontraining #baldivis #timetofly #lovelace #happyfeet #badhairday
The start line of @hbfrun half - it was cold, and I think I’ll process things a little first before posting a recap. Suffice to say for now that I finished - probably my slowest half at 3.5 hours #nmmfg #makelifeamazing #letsdoepicshit #smallsteps2greatachievements
I saw you coming into the finish area. But lost you in the crowd. Well done for finishing.
You’re amazing Gary ❤️👍
Congratulations on finishing another tick against your name 🤗
Great work on finishing!!!
Still the same distance as a 1.30 though 😉
So... next up on the plan is my official birthday party, though @hbfrun are insisting on calling it “Run for a Reason” 😜
In previous years I’ve run this event for the Heart Foundation; this year sees a different, but related reason..
If you’re inclined to do so, please use the link below and help new parkrun events to get established.
www.gofundme.com/haa-defibs-4-parkrun
#nmmfg #makelifeamazing #smallsteps2greatachievements #letsdoepicshit #runforareason #parkrun #defibs4parkrun #loveparkrun #haa @heartsacrossaustralia
NB: this is a personal crowd funding campaign, and not officially affiliated with parkrun, or parkrun Australia. The funds raised will be deposited with me, and then subsequently donated to parkrun for the purposes outlined on the crowd funding page.
I’ll be happy to finish my 4km walk 😁 VERY excited!!! Run well 🙂
Was going through one of many boxes that have been in my garage since moving to Baldivis - well it’s only been 15 months and you can’t rush these things... Anyway, I found this collection of @run_down_under milestone memorabilia - hopefully the missing ones jumped into a different box... 😊
That's really great to hear love xx they look fab xx
Did you opt in for them. I think they discontinued them unless you paid extra last year
They are Awesome
The popular choice was clear... Europe!
Remember I’ll meet you in Amsterdam mate 👍👍👍
I’ll meet you anywhere Gary 😃😃😃😃
Call in for coffee and a roast beef dinner xx
You’re home!
The official highlights package from this year's SunSmart Busselton Festival of Triathlon - was a great weekend watching the race, and hanging out with and supporting Perth Triathlon Club clubmates.
Was not just a lot of fun, it was also very inspiring to see hundreds of participants take on a huge challenge, in pretty tough conditions, and some very gritty and determined performances were there for all to see.
It had two significant effects on me; firstly, it brought home the scale and brutal reality of what I have got lined up in December, and also pumped me full of energy and enthusiasm to achieve that goal.
And what have I said before, about things that simultaneously scare and excite you?.... I definitely should probably do this #AccidentalIronman thing!
December..... #goals #accidentalironman #makelifeamazing #nmmfg #smallsteps2greatachievements #letsdoepicshit #ironman #swimbikerun
