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When Pat Tiernan stood initially line eventually weekend’s Houston Marathon, he had one time working by way of his head — 2:08:10.
The Olympic normal time.
It could require him to run the 42.195-kilometre course at a tempo of three minutes and a couple of seconds per km.
“It is a fairly daunting activity … it is solely 19 seconds between that and Deek’s (Robert de Castella) previous Australian file,” Tiernan mentioned.
By the point he crossed the end line, he had not solely achieved his aim — he additionally turned the third Australian to ever end a marathon in “the sevens”, in a time of two:07:45.
“I do not suppose it is actually sunk in,” he mentioned after working a time that ought to see him chosen for the Paris Olympics in August.
“However I ready for it and felt greater than succesful once I obtained to the beginning line … and let the racing instincts take over from there.
“I do not know whether or not it is going to absolutely sink in till after the Olympics, as a result of that is what I am right here to do … compete with one of the best.”
Tiernan is not any stranger to the massive stage.
The 2-time Olympian gained the hearts of Australian sports activities followers when he collapsed with exhaustion earlier than getting as much as end the ten,000m last on the Tokyo Olympics in a private greatest time.
The 29-year-old from Toowoomba hung up his observe spikes after the Video games in 2021, setting his sights on an Olympic occasion steeped in historical past.
The Tokyo Video games had been delayed a yr due to the COVID pandemic, shortening preparations for the subsequent occasion by 12 months.
“My highschool coach at all times had a sense I would be a marathon runner,” Tiernan mentioned.
“However I feel up till the final couple of years, 42 kilometres simply appeared like a very great distance.
“It was only a matter of once I felt I used to be able to do it, and that point is now.”
The Paris marathon course has 4 instances the elevation of the equal route in Tokyo.
However Tiernan, who grew up on the hilly streets of Toowoomba, will not be daunted.
“I positively suppose it might be a course that I can run properly on; it is only a matter of, as soon as once more, studying this new occasion,” he mentioned.
“I can use the hills to my benefit, however I’ve nonetheless obtained to have the ability to deal with the gap itself.”
“After I’m working — even now — if it will get powerful, I will be like, ‘Oh, you probably did some runs in Toowoomba that had been positively more durable than this, whether or not it was the hills or making an attempt to run on the grass as a child … you’ve got handled more durable circumstances, suck it up!'”
The reverence with which Tiernan speaks of the marathon distance has impressed considered one of Australia’s greats.
“It is a great distance, and a hell of a run … and it is a actually wholesome that factor Pat respects the marathon,” Robert de Castella mentioned.
“As a result of for those who do not respect the marathon, it’s going to chunk you on the bum.”
De Castella cheered Tiernan from his dwelling in Canberra, and was excited when he crossed the end line, although the time he ran eclipsed his personal greatest.
“I am completely thrilled that we’re beginning to get again to sub-2:08 marathon runners representing Australia, and I feel that is simply going to encourage extra folks,” he mentioned.
Solely three Australians have gone underneath 2:08 — Brett Robinson, who set a brand new nationwide file in 2022 (2:07:31), Tiernan (2:07:45), and De Castella (2:07:51).
“There are such a lot of different proficient male middle-distance runners … [who] shall be impressed by Pat’s run and suppose, ‘Effectively, you recognize, perhaps I can step up and have a crack on the marathon as properly’, De Castella mentioned.
“You have clearly obtained to have fairly good endurance for the 42km, however you’ve got [also] obtained to be actually sturdy.
“The energy comes by way of in that final 5 or 10 kilometres, and with these guys coming off the again of actually good observe performances, they’ve that endurance health, and so they’ve obtained the legs to essentially stand up there and be aggressive and aggressive over that final 5 or 10 kilometres.
“That is what I am actually excited to see; runners like Brett and Pat stepping up, and actually taking it to the remainder of the world.”
De Castella ran his greatest time in 1986, to win the Boston Marathon.
It took 36 years for an Australian to run quicker.
However De Castella is happy the 2 runners which have eclipsed his file have performed it just lately and may each be on the beginning line on the subsequent Olympic video games.
“I feel it augurs properly for an thrilling future,” he mentioned.
“With Pat and Brett up there, hopefully they’ll actually push one another.”
Tiernan is humble in response to the reward.
“We’re simply the sideshow,” he mentioned.
“Our ladies are crushing it; I feel there’s about 5 or 6 of them which have the (Olympic) normal.
“It is a good time for marathon working.”
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