Q&A with Troy Foster: From Spectator to Half-Marathon Runner at Lumary City-Bay

Q&A with Troy Foster: From Spectator to Half-Marathon Runner at Lumary City-Bay

What inspired you to participate in the Lumary City-Bay for the first time?

The first time I participated in the Lumary City-Bay was in 2013. After attending the Melbourne Marathon as a spectator, a friend kept insisting that I’d be able to run the half. The 12km City-Bay event seemed like a good way to experience a large-scale running event and see if running more than half a half-marathon was possible.

It also had the benefit of being a well-known local event, so it’d be easy to get to and would have plenty of support along the course. Even though I’d been a spectator before, I was still surprised at the huge number of people at the starting line. The 12km event is always massive!

Can you share your journey from running the 12km to tackling the half-marathon? What motivated you to make that leap?

Because I was originally training for a longer event, my approach to running 12km was a little bit odd. I tend to need to modify my training more if I’m running the shorter course.

I’m a bit of a plodder, so I actually prefer the longer distance. That way, I don’t feel that I have to run too fast, just find my groove and keep going. It helps that there are a lot of local half-marathons to use as a goal to keep my training going throughout the year.

I find that the City-Bay is a great half-marathon course. As an out-and-back, you find out what you’re in for on the way into the city. Then you get to roll all the way back down to the bay. Plus, you get all the entertainment along the course and at the finish line.

How did your training routine evolve when you decided to prepare for the half-marathon compared to the 12km race?

When I train for the 12km race, I tend to run shorter distances. Longer runs are around 8 to 10 kilometres. I also try to put more speed work in, with shorter, high-intensity runs. For the half-marathon, my long runs are closer to 17 or 18 kilometres.

Another difference in my preparation is the amount of time I taper before the event. Tapering is when you reduce the amount of training leading up to the event so that you have enough energy for the day. It’s a little bit counterintuitive and can often be one of the bigger challenges. Once you get used to consistently increasing your distances as you build up for the event, it can be a bit of a mental challenge to run less in the week before the event. As your energy builds up, it can be tempting to want to make the most of feeling good to squeeze in some last minute workouts!

What does a typical week of training look like for you when preparing for the Lumary City-Bay half-marathon?

I tend to try to maintain a vaguely consistent pattern of training, even when I’m not preparing for a specific event. But when I’m getting closer to something like the City-Bay half-marathon, my program might look something like the following:

Monday – 2 x 20km cycling
Tuesday – 8-10km run, strength training
Wednesday – Strength training or cycling
Thursday – 8-10km run
Friday – Rest
Saturday – 15-18km run and dedicated recovery
Sunday – 5-10km run, depending how Saturday went!

It looks a bit stacked, but most of my runs are at an easier pace. This helps build up my cardio base without needing longer stretches of recovery time. If I start feeling an increase in inflammation or struggle to recover between runs, I’ll add in an extra rest day, usually on a Wednesday.

Have you encountered any significant challenges during your training or races? How did you overcome them?

The training challenges are fairly consistent. There are usually illnesses and injuries that crop up that can impact my training plan. The main thing I try to do when that happens is to avoid doing anything that makes things worse. This can be easier said than done, as it can be frustrating when you have to change your training and maybe modify your goals.

Good recovery routines can help reduce some of these challenges. Looking after yourself while you’re not running can be as important as the work you put in while you are. Foam rollers, spiky balls, rest days, good food and listening to your body if it tries to tell you that something’s going wrong.

Weather and motivation can also present challenges. Fortunately, I like to run in the cold and rain. But there are often days when I can’t imagine I’ll be able to run as far as I’d planned. For those days, I find it helps to just start and see how it goes. I’m often surprised by how quickly my motivation can come back once I actually start to move.

One of my biggest race-day challenges has been getting to the start line on time. I’ve found myself crossing the start line just as the organisers were starting to close it on more than one occasion. To avoid this, I try to make sure I know as much about the situation at the starting line as possible. Where to park, where the nearest toilets are, what roads will be closed on the day, where the actual start line is! If I’m having to hustle to get to the start, I try not to panic. Fortunately, I’ve had a lot of practice at starting in last place and it usually makes a pretty good story once it’s all over.

The trickier race-day challenge for the half-marathon is estimating how much energy to use while I’m out on the course. With all the energy accumulated from tapering and all the excitement of being in a big crowd of runners at the start, it’s difficult not to get caught up in the moment and take off way too fast. I try to keep in mind that it’s not possible to make up huge amounts of time at the start of the run. It’s better to take it easy and let the crowds sort themselves out than trying to sprint to the front and set an unsustainable pace.

Can you describe the atmosphere and experience of running the Lumary City-Bay half-marathon?

The earlier start means that, if it’s a hot one, the half-marathon usually kicks off while it’s still a little cooler. We also get cracking while most of the bayside residents are still waking up, so it’s an interesting balance of excitement and energy against a backdrop of early morning quiet and calm.

The start’s usually pretty relaxed. The number of runners has been increasing, but I still manage to get across the start line in a reasonable amount of time and without too much chaos.

The quiet morning vibes usually continue as we run up toward the city. On a clear day, there might even be a nice looking sunrise to keep the mind occupied on the way to the turnaround. At my pace, there’s usually an opportunity to marvel at the incredible speed of the elite runners as they head past on their way back down the course toward the finish line.

By the time I make the turn and start heading to the bay, things are usually heating up. There are more spectators dotting the course, the quiet morning is starting to give way to the entertainment and cheering, and you can sense the build up for the big wave of 12km entrants that will soon be heading out onto the course.

Somehow, the longer sections seem to have stretched out even further for the return trip, and it sometimes seems like you’re running on the spot. But, eventually we get to Jetty Road where there’s always a ton of spectators cheering and checking things out, or just enjoying a nice breakfast as we weave our way along the tram lines.

Then it’s around the final corner and straight into the big party atmosphere of the finish line. Grab a drink and a bit of fruit and don’t forget to snag your medal! There’s always heaps to do once you pass the finish line, with all of the sponsor tents and tables to visit. And of course, there’s all of the post race analysis, bragging and excuses to get stuck into.

What are some of the most memorable moments you've had while participating in the Lumary City-Bay races?

As a Lumary employee, one of the more memorable experiences was hitting the final stretch of the half-marathon and seeing all the Lumary banners and signage! That and spotting Luminaries along the course. It’s a great opportunity to see and experience the business as part of the community.

I’m also always humbled by the support and encouragement from other runners, spectators and volunteers. At last year’s event, another competitor gave me a bit of encouragement at exactly the right time and helped me push on to the finish. The volunteers are amazing – I try to make sure that I appreciate the amount of work and effort that goes into giving people like me a chance to do something I love.

Being a local, it’s always great to see friends and family along the course, too. High fives and smiles always come in handy when your legs are starting to let you know that they’re getting weary.

Do you have any tips or advice for runners looking to transition from shorter races to a half-marathon, especially for the Lumary City-Bay?

If you’ve already run the 12km, it’s not that much further to run the half-marathon. You’ve already run more than halfway at least once!

But, seriously, it doesn’t take a lot of huge adjustments. Probably the main thing I’d recommend is to find a good training plan and give yourself enough time to build up to the longer distance. There are also a lot of runs of varying distances where you can try building up to a longer event. You can also find endless streams of advice on podcasts, in books and from running groups.

A few of things that are important at any distance can be particularly helpful at longer distances:

• Recovery – include enough rest and recovery time in your training plan to get the benefits of your hard work and avoid injury and inflammation. As with tapering, it’s often a challenge to do ‘less’ when you’re training for a goal, but proper rest and recovery can help make sure that you get quality outcomes for your hard work.
• Strength training – build up your physical ‘running’ strength with traditional strength training. If you’ve ever wondered how many core muscles you use when you run, try doing a core muscle workout before your next run. Strength training can also be a great way to rest some parts of your body while building up others.
• Cross training – use different types of exercise to build up your cardio without ‘pounding’ the pavement. I’ve personally found cycling and swimming great ways to continue to build up my stamina and reduce the stress impact on my legs.

I’d also suggest setting realistic time goals and to try not to worry about them too much. As long as you’re ahead of the cut-off time, try to enjoy the event. Focus on the fun! I’ve gotten caught up in the numbers on my watch and personal records in the past, but as a casual runner, I’ve found it’s often better to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the party.

I recommend not going out too fast at the start. This is as much advice for myself as for anyone else. With the taper and the build up and the excitement and the watch and the crowds and the other runners, it’s easy to get caught up and to try to sprint the whole thing. But even though there have been a few times where I’ve tried to run as fast as I can the whole way, I’ve never succeeded. Most of my best results have come from slower starts.

My biggest tip would be to have fun! Whatever distance you end up doing, and whatever your result, it’s a great opportunity to get out and join in on one of our biggest local events. You can be part of something that pretty much everyone is going to be talking about.