Jules Mackin's South West Rocks Running Festival journey wasn't about the gruelling 42.2 km distance.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
While it was no walk in the park, considering her last marathon was an Ironman event seven years ago, the 45-year-old said it was more about her purpose than her performance.
When Jules was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2008, she looked for a positive outlet. In running she found fitness, health and a supportive community, and this year wanted to give back with a meaningful marathon.
Now, with over $1000 and counting raised for the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation (ACCF), the local school teacher is "over the moon" at having doubled her target.
"The marathon itself was amazing but hard", Jules said.
She conceded that it was the 26 km mark where she started to struggle.
The fact that she was running for a cause and had the support of her community, got her to that finish line in 3 hours and 41 minutes.
She told her supporters: "having such an important purpose meant I could run with my mind and heart, the legs just had to follow."
When the South West Rocks Running Festival committee found out Jules was raising money for the ACCF, it decided to support her by contributing all gold coins collected from the 1 km Charity Run.
Despite her concerns, Jules still took out first place in her age group.
She was one of more than 500 competitors who ran in the annual long weekend festival, which, in addition to the marathon, offered a 21.1km half-marathon, a 10km, 10+, 5 km and Charity Run events
Spokesperson for the Hat Head Triathlon Club Peter Needs, has provided the following wrap of festival events and results.
Festival wrap
Race day events were started by Aunty Cheryl with a sunrise welcome to Dunghutti country at Trial Bay Goal. They finished with the awarding of medals to placeholders and participants.
Bryson Azzopardi was this year's Race Director, assisted by Stacy Moffatt and Anne Kirkwood.
Kempsey Shire Council Mayor Leo Hauville, Peter Townsend from Coastline and Bruce Robinson from the South West Rocks Country Club, welcomed competitors and assisted with presentations.
This annual event, now in its 40th year, was started by Bill Killmore and the Kempsey Jogging Club. The course ran from Kempsey via Gladstone; finishing at the Gaol at Trial Bay.
It evolved to being a race to Hat Head turnoff and return and then to the current course which caters for four different distances. It now takes runners away from main roads to a combination of bush, headlands, bays, and river and ocean scenery.
Runner results
Clear sunny skies greeted a combined field for the Saturday and Sunday events with over 500 competitors starting at Trial Bay Goal and running along the paths and walkways out to the Macleay River.
The marathon of 42.2km with 45 competitors saw Brett Currie from Port Macquarie finish first in a time of 2:56:02; following in second place was Christopher Pell from Port Macquarie in 02:59:39; with third place taken by Aaron Eichner from Forster in a time of 03:00:45. The first female to finish was Kate Currie from Port Macquarie winning in a time of 03:19:15; followed by Amy McGuiggan from Woolgoolga in a time of 03:25:29; and Claire Bradshaw third in a time of 03:31:11. First Macleay Valley resident was Jules Mackin from South West Rocks in a time of 03:42:20.
The Half Marathon of 21.1 km with 136 competitors was won by Cameron James from Port Macquarie with a time of 1:18:05; followed by Robert Fish from Port Macquarie in second place with a time of 1:20:05; and James Eather from Macksville placing 3rd in a time of 01:21:56. The female division saw Belinda James from Port Macquarie winning in a time of 1:31:43; followed by Olivia Hubert from Gunnedah in 01:34:26; with Carly Terrett finishing third in a time of 01:34:26. The fastest local Macleay Valley residents were Paul Bolger from South West Rocks in 01:29:50 followed by Jo McGoldrick from West Kempsey in 01:51:31.
The 10 km run with 155 competitors was extremely close with the leaders separated by mere seconds. It was eventually won by Paul Gagliardi in a time of 0:35:45 followed by John Binskin in a time of 0:35:51 with Stuart Eddy in third place in 0:35:52. The female division was won by Miah Noble from Port Macquarie in a time of 0:43:55 followed by Christine Lalor from Port Macquarie in a time of 0:46:41 with Fiona Bagley from Port Macquarie third in 0:47:06. The first local Macleay Valley resident was Peter Fletcher from Kempsey in 0:43:25.
The 5 km run/walk with 128 competitors saw Daniel Williams from Nambucca Heads winning in a time of 00:16:20; followed by Trent Alley in 00:17:25 in second place; with Tristan Byrne from Green Point third in 00:18:32. First female was Indigo Duncan from Port Macquarie in a time of 00:20:24 with second place female going to Amelia Wilson from Aldavilla in 00:23:50 and Elysa Blemith third in a time of 00:24:34. The first local Macleay Valley residents were Wilton Townsend from Crescent Head in a time of 00:18:35 and Amelia Wilson from Aldavilla in 00:23:50
The best represented club was Run Port Mac, from Port Macquarie, followed by Port Pacers second and the Terrigal Trotters.
All proceeds go to community volunteer groups who help marshal and run the event.
