Running Tasmania: The Cadbury Hobart Marathon

It was dubbed as the only marathon in the world that starts and finishes in a chocolate factory. Yes, the Cadbury Chocolate Factory in Claremont, Tasmania, some 16 kilometers north of the capital city of Hobart for this southernmost state of Australia. Testimony indeed that marathon running can be sweet, way Down Under! The event was the Cadbury Hobart Marathon.

The road to Hobart started in Melbourne where I was vacationing with family (and resting my sore ankle) since before Christmas. The run itself was going to be my second southernmost below the equator, surpassed only by a leisurely run around the Christchurch Botanic Gardens in New Zealand in 2006, a few years before the marathon mania bug bit me.

Arriving in Hobart and in Tasmania  only for the first time, I was immediately struck by how different life seemed to be in the peninsula as compared to that in mainland Australia- it was relaxed, slow and easy! The streets were still almost deserted at 9 AM even as the sun was way up high. Vehicle and human traffic this late in the downtown area was very light!

As it was a bit too early for hotel check-in, claiming the race packet became the first task for the day. This was to be at the Running Edge on Murray House, just a few blocks from the hotel. A specialist running and walking store, the Running Edge mission is to provide superior products and expert advice to the serious athlete, recreational runner, and social walker.

In line with its motto of Feet First Run Walk or Play, aside from selling products and offering advice, the store also regularly hosts or promotes running events in Tasmania. For January 2012, these were to be the Tassie Trail Run: Tasman Peninsula, Australia's fastest trail 10K, and the marathon year opener for all of Australia- the Cadbury Hobart Marathon.

Race packet claimed and still two days before the marathon, it was time to see some of Hobart's attractions. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony, Hobart is the home port for Australia's operations in Antartica. With only a little over 200,000 residents and a lush environment, the city is rated the 6th most sustainable in Australia. Mt. Wellington dominates Hobart's skyline.

One of the city's chief attractions is the Salamanca Market held at Salamanca Place every Saturday. There one can find anything and everything Tasmanian- from arts and crafts to fresh produce to wine and food, among other native products. They even had varied organic wood-fired pizza recipes to choose from. How about that for carbo-loading of the Tasman kind?

Marathon morning was a bit cold- about 12 degrees Celsius and even lower with the intermittent wind gusts that made me decide to wear a jacket. Runners assembled at 0430 in the Mercure Hobart Hotel where the night before, a race dinner was hosted. For $22, one carbo-loaded on pasta and fresh fruit while bantering with fellow runners.

From the Mercure Hotel, for a $5 fee, a race bus took the marathon runners to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory in Claremont, a 20-minute or so drive away. Like me, most of those who rode the bus came all the way from mainland Australia just to be able to experience marathon running in good, old Tasmania. The chocolate thing promised to make the experience sweeter.

Arriving at the Cadbury Chocolate Factory as dawn was breaking, Freddo the Frog and Caramello Bear, among others, were already waiting. Thus some marathon runners couldn't help posing! This Cadbury facility in Claremont is the largest chocolate factory in Australia and in the entire Southern Hemisphere. Chocolate lovers felt right at home!

For runners who could not collect their race packets earlier, on-site pick up as well as a bag drop were provided by the organizers. The race packet included a GU gel, the race number, pins, a race t-shirt, and an Ipico timing chip along with instructions. The chip itself had to be returned after the race lest one incurred a $20 fine.

Some 1622 runners were set to join the four events of this year- a full marathon (42K), a half marathon (21K), a Running Edge 5K, and a Caramello Junior 1.25K. It promised to be a sweet affair for the entire family with the money raised from the Caramello 1K to be used for bringing out laughter in children via Clown
Doctors, the official charity!

The 42K route started with two loops around the Cadbury estate then heading off to the Main Road, Brooker Highway, Derwent Entertainment Center and turning at Dowsing Point. Then it was back to Brooker Highway, Main Road, and to the top of Ten Mile Hill. The circuit had to be repeated before going back to the factory.

The full marathon runners numbered a little over 220. From the looks of it, most were veterans and battle tested, some even athletes, with very few in the 'recreational runner' category, or so I guessed. As I lined up with them for the 0600 gun start, I knew most would be home and resting before I would arrive at the finish line.

But no worries. I reminded myself that I wasn't here to compete for the cash prizes offered: $1000 (first), $500 (second), $250 (third), $150 (fourth) and $100 (fifth) plus a $1000 time bonus for breaking the course record of 2:23:39 for men and 2:46:272 for women. I was here to have fun!

And what fun it turned out to be! My left ankle that I thought had healed already began to bother me even as I had yet to log the first 3K. The low running mileage I logged the previous two weeks began to haunt me. Even at that early stage of the race, I knew it was going to be a long, long day.

As I reached Brooker Highway, the lead runners, no doubt pros with a few even coming from other countries, were dashing downhill the other way, on the way back already. The next turnaround point would be on top of Ten Mile Hill, less than 10K away.

As in the Hobart city center, traffic was light at this time of day but policemen were present nonetheless to keep one lane of the Brooker Highway for use by runners only. At the intersections, car drivers yielded to the runners politely.

With the sun already beginning to heat up, drink stations became all the more necessary. And there were three set up on the course, with all being accessible from both directions. They were at Berriedale Park, Derwent Entertainment Centre, and St Virgils College. Each station offered both water and GU Brew electrolytes.

As in some other marathons participated in by pros, a special table was set up to accommodate the even more special and multicolored brews. These drinks were to be handed in on race morning only at the race operations center in Cadbury.

While most full marathon participants were men, more than 70 (or 30%) were women. I of them spoke to me while we were running and told me that she too was a 5-star Marathon Maniac, already on to her 92nd 42K. Bothered by pain in the left ankle and then calves most of the way, most of the women marathoners sped past me.

At the marathon turn around on Dowsing Point, two cheerful and elderly race volunteers in their yellow uniform shirts were waiting. They congratulated me and wished me well and godspeed. I was to see them in that exact same spot again a few hours later that day.

And on the way back to Brooker Highway, I was to encounter the pros in the lead pack already on to their second circuit with the finish line just a little over 10K away. Alex Matthews would emerge the winner with a time of 2:28:07, Scott McTaggart with 2:32:08 would be second and Asheber Germa with 2:34:09 third.

Then the much larger group of 566 half marathon runners, almost with as many women as there were men, I would meet in several packs racing downhill while going for their first 11K. They were to head to the Derwent Entertainment Center and then to Ten Mile Hill before going straight back to the factory.

And there would be interesting folks I would encounter on the course, one of them wearing a Superman-like cape, the Marathon Man. Turns out he would be one of two other Marathon Maniacs who raced that day- Trent M or MM# 3720 from Sydney who already was on to his 54th marathon that day.

Reaching the U-turn slot on the top of Ten Mile Hill was not that easy as it was uphill all the way. This was probably the highest elevation for the entire course. Two race marshals were waiting and I had no idea it would be my last time to see them that day. I felt happy having reached this point though as it meant I was halfway done already.

On the way downhill to begin my second circuit, I encountered the pros leading the half marathon runners racing neck to neck at breakneck pace for their last 5K. Dave Thomas would capture first place with of time of 1:07:30 while Wondwosen Geleta would come in second at 1:07:59.

There would be spectators along the route that offered cheers to the runners. But there were very few and in only a few places- at the starting point and the Main Road. After all, this was Hobart where life as mentioned was supposed to be relaxed and easy. Moreover, it was still early morning on a Sunday.

From time to time, serious and recreational bikers would share the route with the runners that, halfway on to my second circuit, were already few and far in between. The shade provided by the trees along the highway made running under the southern sun and unforgiving UV rays a bit easy.

For the temperature level had risen already and it was going to be a hot day! Thus, I would hydrate at every water station on both ways. And at the drink station on Berriedale Park I would pleasantly find something to boost my dwindling energies- a box of assorted milk chocolates from Cadbury!

I was forced to run a slow pace with my left leg bothering me. It was slow enough that, in my last 3K, police had already opened the roads and asked those remaining to run on the sidewalks. By the time I reached the U turn slot on the top of Ten Mile Hill for the second time, the race marshals had packed up and gone already.

Racing back to the factory after completing my second loop, it was a most pleasing sight to see these two signs, one pointing me to the Cadbury facility and the other telling me it was just only one more K. It was an uphill and winding climb, the few hundred meters to the factory.

And as I approached the finish arc, the barbecue party, the running gear specials, and most of the runners were nowhere to be found already. But not this amazing 3-year old kid named Enzo who earlier that day finished the Caramello Junior 1.25K. He was patiently waiting and immediately dashed to meet me. With the crowd cheering, together to the finish we ran happy!

Like the race t-shirt given to the marathon and half marathon runners said, 'I started 2012 by running the Cadbury Marathon'. I would just add 'slowly but happily'. Just as expected, running the Hobart Marathon way down under would be as sweet as candy and give the best value for the money.

This 26th marathon finish, the first for 2012, while being the slowest and most pain-ridden for a 42K, was one I enjoyed tremendously. Not because of Cadbury, but because I would finish the race with family! May the rest of running year 2012 be not as slow but just as or even more happy!

Interested to run next year's race already? The 30th Cadbury Marathon will still be held on a Sunday, on the 13th of January.

Way to go indeed Tasmania and Cadbury!