The marathon was hot … and I don’t mean sexy!
Team Ottawa waiting to march into the stadium at Gay Games VI, Sidney, Australia, 2 – 9 November 2002
It seems like a lifetime ago now, but memories of the Gay Games in Sydney in late 2002 are still fresh. Even the less favourable memories from the marathon event have faded. Well, not quite …
Late fall in Canada is early spring in Australia. For marathon runners, the change in climate isn’t too drastic. In Canada, late October weather can be fine, with temperatures ranging from 3 to about 12 degrees during the days. Spring in Sydney is usually temperate – about 15 – 20 degrees. So, not too big a difference in the climates.
I had the pleasure of arriving about two weeks before the marathon, so I attended events that friends were participating in and got to know the city of Sydney. The weather was beautiful. Also, there was plenty of opportunity to train in the slightly warmer weather.
Where we were staying in Redfern, there were two parks close by. One in particular was perfect for running. It had a long path that circled it, with an equestrian park in the centre and many flower gardens to admire. Australians like the outdoors and are typically very active. So there are plenty of parks and lots of facilities. Their weather is conducive to outdoor life.
The weather got warmer through the week leading up to the marathon. And then it got hot. The day before the marathon, I went out to the Olympic park to pick up my race kit. It was 30 degrees or more. Being a fairly seasoned racer, one thing I noticed when I looked around was that there no portable toilets in place (trust me, that’s an important detail). And I was informed that the single course race, which had already been downgraded to a double-loop course, was now four loops. I could tell it was going to be a great race. Not.
Athletes and friends waiting for the train to the marathon event
On the morning of the race, I took the first train out to the Olympic Park. I was glad I did. Those who took the next train were so late the officials had to have a separate start time for them. That would have freaked me out.
I got there in time to join runners fighting with the race officials. The latter wanted to call the marathon off due to the heat. Our big argument was a legitimate one – heat or not: why did we travel across the world to have our race canceled?
In the end, a compromise was reached. Anyone completing the third of four loops after the 4-hour mark would be pulled out of the race. By 11 a.m., officials knew there would be full-on sun and heat. Race officials were justifiably worried.
It got to 36 or 38 degrees that day. It was certainly the hottest race I’d ever been in. And there were forest fires, too, so the air wasn’t clear. Perhaps worst of all, it was the most boring course I’ve ever been on. Lots of charmless parking lots and scrubby fields.
Many water stops and walks later, I finished the race in what was, in retrospect, a comparatively respectable time.
The Gay Games marathon in Sydney was not a good experience, but I wouldn’t want to leave readers with an impression that it was all bad. At some point, you just have to chalk a bad race up to experience and laugh about it. The truth is that I got to meet a lot of great people, saw a lot of memorable sights, and enjoyed myself at the opening and closing ceremonies.
Will I be in Montreal? You bet!
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