Malta Half Marathon 2012 and I

Saturday, 25 February. It is the eve of the big day. Days before are perplexing. In the commercial world, they are sometimes celebrated with more vigour than the actual day. The day before a half marathon, I want to preserve my energies as much as possible, thus getting into an idle state for much of the day. And that means a fusion of thoughts which cannot be beaten by a run. It has to wait till tomorrow.

It’s not the Olympics. The distance is not even found in the Olympics. But worldwide it is the fastest growing race. On a personal level, it is the longest distance I’ve raced, and it is seen as the stepping stone to the mythical distance of the marathon. Having spoken to a few would be marathoners in the build-up, I am looking forward to run in their own footprints, that have left the same starting line as me two hours before.

This time last year, I was at the same starting line for the very first time facing the challenge of 21.1 kilometres. I remember my own target was to never falter to walking. Today, everything is more familiar, some faces here are the faces of good close friends, and it’s the first time I am doing the same road race twice. ‘Walk’ is only letters for the Walkathon that is part of the event, and this year as am carrying no Ipod or any other music devise there is no chance that ‘Walk the line’ will cross my mind.

The church bell rang ten times and the gun went off. The sun was out for the day, its usually direct rival the rain nowhere to be seen. And coming from somewhere too was the wind. When off the ground, us Mellieha AC runners in our new light blue vests will camouflage.

Colds have been averted and I was feeling no discomfort anywhere. The distance from Mdina to the Sliema ferries can be now attacked in relation to my stopwatch.

I enjoyed every training session. Running is after all a lifestyle, and this race is a celebration of such a way of life. But admittedly sometimes, I was feeling that I am not in my best shape. The heart beat was somewhat higher than usual. My form in front of my hypothetical mirror was looking rather bloated. Today, I had to lean it as much as possible.

Mdina led to Rabat. Rabat led to its suburb of Mtarfa. Ta’ Qali was next, and we were amongst the marathoners. I was feeling fine in these first few kilometres. We were going mostly through gentle downhills under a blue sky and alongside the local brownish fields with a touch of green. As we got into Attard, the crowds were gathering with their cheering, and I saw my family there. It was hard not to feel good.

Half the distance was over and done with, the stretch of the Mriehel bypass was ran through, the flyover that looked like a rollercoaster negotiated, and now it was time for the more urbanised part of the island. Drivers glares complemented the fumes.

It was not a very happy time for me, and my prior doubts seemed to seep through the depressive surroundings and rise to the fore. I remember getting stronger on the sixteenth kilometre at the M2S race, but here the sixteenth kilometre was done in slightly over five and half minutes. Slight or slender I surely wasn’t feeling.

The sight of the blue sea at Ta’ Xbiex was welcomed. Most people would think Sliema’s only a throw of a stone away then. But with about nineteen kilometres in my feet I was feeling like carrying stones rather than throwing them nonchalantly. At the last kilometre, I allowed my breaths getting loud, made up some lost time, and then dashed for the remaining 100 metres of the route. The personal time was 1 hour 41 minutes 35 seconds.

I was expecting better but it’s another personal best so I’ve never been any better. I was surprised by the sight of our coach Has Kesra waiting for us one by one. A few words by the man transferred to a boost overshadowing any humbleness the odd kilometre handed me.

Another medal, another memory, another feat.

Characters of the Marathon

At fifty-nine years, retirement is the buzzword for most people. At the same age, Joe Farrugia’s determination and quest for new challenges made him return to a full marathon. A wife, three daughters and a grand-daughter will be cheering him on the sidelines.

Joe, I believe you have a background in football. What got you into running?

I always trained hard in football and had a good physique for it. I retired from football at twenty-nine years. Retirement led me to gain weight so I started running alone to get fit again. I met a friend who was part of an athletic club and he told me to join and I did so. Four months later he suggested I should take part in the Half Marathon and I did. I was very satisfied with my time so I continued training.

Apart from running, you also coach for Mellieħa AC. How do you manage to juggle the two – running and coaching?

Actually I’m a trainer not a coach yet. It’s not easy but since it’s something I enjoy doing I try to manage my time properly. On Wednesdays , straight after I finish work, I do my personal training at St. Aloysius Complex. Then I have a quick shower and go to Mosta to meet the beginners and do the training session with them. Regarding the coaching and running in the weekend, I don’t work on Saturdays and Sundays so it’s not a problem for me.

How many marathons have you done and when? What is your personal best?

I did three full marathons, one challenge marathon, seven half marathons and another two abroad -in Berlin and Edinburgh. My personal bests are 3.05 in a full marathon and 1.27 in a half marathon.

It seems that you dominate your age category. You’ve won the Mellieħa AC athlete of the year. But you’re still full of motivation for every race you do. What keeps your motivation so high?

The sense of challenge and the fact that running affects my well-being are the two main things that keep me going on. I am very determined in achieving my goals and when I enjoy doing something I dedicate myself to it.

And at your age, what’s made you return to the full marathon?

It has always been in my mind to try and do it in a better time. I don’t know if this will be the one but I will certainly try my best!

What is the best thing for you about running?

Running helps me to feel fit and healthy whilst at the same time you get to know new people and make new friends.

You have done marathons before. At what stage do you feel that the distance start dividing between the real athletes and the others?

When the front runners start the marathon they will be running at about 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds per km faster than the others. In fact, after two kilometres they will vanish from the others as they would be running with a competitive advantage.

Was there any difference from this year’s marathon preparation to the previous ones?

This year as you might have seen and experienced our beloved coach Has Kesra decided to start this so called fourth generation training programme. The training was completely different to previous years. However I think it’s a good type of training.

Finally, would you like to thank anyone who supported you through this period before the big race?

Yes, I would like to thank first and foremost my wife and family who are very supportive and they are always there for me. Secondly, the Mellieħa committee for their help and the athletes for their good advices. Last but not least, a big thank you goes to our greatest coach Has Kesra for his continuous dedication!

Characters of the Marathon

For the past nine years, Manfred Borda has been delivering the goods for Mellieħa AC from the backstage as a committee member. This year for the fourth time, he will simultaneously be at the forefront too as he will challenge the forty-two kilometres and a bit in the blue vest.

In the meantime he plays the role of a General Manager at the Canifor Hotel, act as a husband and lives the role of a father to his three year old daughter. Manfred is surely not too devoid of different roles. On Sunday he will be a returning marathoner.

Manfred, what got you into running? Do you have a background in any other sport?

I started running ten years ago when I used to go running for twenty minutes with two of my diving friends. I used to play basketball when I was younger and won the knock-out competition with Fiat Mosta.

How long have been involved directly with Mellieħa AC, and how did your involvement start?

I have been involved with Mellieħa AC for the last ten years. A friend of mine introduced me to Robert Vella. Back then, we ran the LRC 6 miles road race together in forty-six minutes.

How many marathons have you done and what is your personal best? When was your first marathon?

I ran three marathons – in 2005, 2006 and 2007, registering a personal best of 2.58.08 in 2006.

What has been your overriding memory of your past marathons?

Great satisfaction, happiness with my new times and gratitude to my coach Has Kesra.

Standing at the starting line, forty-two kilometres away from the finishing line, what will be your thoughts and maybe fears?

My fear is that something would happen during the race and I won’t be able to finish the race. Forty-two kilometres is a very long distance and everything can happen during the race. But I shall be looking forward to the finish line where my daughter will be waiting for me.

What made you return to the challenge of the marathon?

I was looking for a new motivation and running a marathon again motivates me no end.

Has your preparation for this year’s marathon differed from the past ones?

Yes this year the coach Has Kesra introduced us with the fourth generation training. For me it looks a very good training programme however more demanding.

Having to juggle between speed and endurance training, which part of training do you find mostly demanding? And the most satisfactory?

Long runs are very important and demanding but to do them alone is a little bit boring sometimes. Speed work always gives me more pleasure and satisfaction.

Psychologically, what has mostly kept you going through the preparation for the big day?

My wife, my coach Has Kesra and my friends who always keep supporting me during the training. Also I would like to thank my wife for her support and a big sorry to my daughter for not spending enough time with her.

Characters of the Marathon

The marathon has decided to call Hadrian Bonello back after thirteen years. Before then a serious shoulder and knee injury cut short his judo career whereby he was also part of the national team. But long distance running soon medicated the withdrawal symptoms of a life without judo.

A marathon was done in 2 hours 47 minutes where he placed as the second Maltese and the eighth overall. That was back in 1999. For nine years since that day, he has been juggling everything that life throws around raising up his daughter Isabella with the required love, dedication, patience, understanding and energy. The role of a Senior Principal Environmental Health Officer, where Food Safety is his realm is also played.

Running serves to keep his sanity in place.

Hadrian, you were considered as a top athlete in the past. At your prime you seemed to have disappeared. Last year you got back and was a very solid performer, constantly winning your category at different races. What lured you back to running? Did you keep on running leisurely when you weren’t doing so competitively?

Yes, after the marathon I did a few more races but then stopped altogether for some years, my knee had started playing again and I also started to travel a lot too so running became secondary. I used to go for a jog for a couple of days a week just to keep the fitness but I was no longer interested to get back again to the usual routine. The interest had died away when Isabella was born and my priorities were towards her. In 2011 right after the marathon I started jogging again on a daily basis increasing the momentum. I was enjoying it again and started to follow a programme which I obtained from the internet. I targeted the Veteran’s 10k road race. On race day I met all my running mates of old. Everyone was still running and there were too a few new faces as well. I had really enjoyed the race and time-wise I was on the right track. From that race onwards I never looked back. I joined Mellieha AC again and started training under Has Kesra, who was still coaching the team.

Looking back to those years, what has changed in the long-distance running in Malta? For a start, it seemed athletes back then were posting better times than nowadays. Would you attribute such a phenomenon to anything in particular?

Back then we did not have the technology of today with GPS’s. Heart rate monitors were used but not as much as today. There were some really outstanding runners back then, the likes of Ricky Baldacchino, John Buhagiar, Kevin Zammit, etc. They used to post times that today are still considered as very difficult to attain. I think that we still a need a few more years to start seeing a new cycle of elite athletes or the current top athletes to achieve their times. I think as with all sports every club needs to have a dedicated nursery to nurture young kids to take up the sports and guide them appropriately. Mellieha AC has started this initiative under the guidance of Has Kesra with the assistance of some of our experienced club runners. I am sure that in a few years time the fruits of this venture will reap some good athletes.

How different do you think Hadrian at this year’s starting line will be to the Hadrian at the starting line thirteen years ago?

Thirteen years ago I was thirty-four years old with about six to seven years of running in my feet. Next week it will be twelve months after I started running seriously again. I don’t think I will be any different than the last time. I know that I have prepared myself properly so it’s important to be focused and follow the race at the tactical pace.

Having done it before, do you see the marathon as familiar ground, or does the whole forty-two kilometres make it a different challenge altogether to any other you’ve faced before?

I have only done one marathon before so for me this one is going to be like my first again. The course has totally changed from 1999. It is a new challenge which I am looking forward to. What I know that this year unlike 1999 when I ran the whole race on my own, there are a handful of runners who are on the same running pace as me so we will be helping and pushing each other to post a good time.

I imagine you have been under different coaches since your last marathon. How has the preparation for this year’s marathon different from your previous one?

When I started running in the nineties I just used to go out to run every single day, listening and taking advice from other runners. Then I started being coached under Charles Darmanin of St. Patrick’s who guided me better and under his tutelage I managed to improve my timings drastically. Then when I joined Mellieha AC the training under Has Kesra took a different direction. Training was totally different and running was becoming more enjoyable too. Also I kept on clipping off seconds during races. This year training is totally different than thirteen years ago. So much has changed. Training is not as hard as it used to be back then. It has become more technical and though there are some hard sessions in the program that we follow, overall it has become easier. The methodology of ‘no pain no gain’ or ‘train hard to win easy’ is no longer the way forward. We follow a fifth generation style of training on the same level as that of the north-east Africans. It is working perfectly as everyone is running fast and doing personal bests. I can vouch for that because I am a few seconds off from my personal bests of thirteen years ago. So this training concept works and gives you time to recover better too. Also in summer when the long distance running season is slow, our coach asked us to cross train by including swimming and cycling to our casual running. This year I participated in a few triathlon events which have helped me keep an optimum level of fitness.

I imagine three hour long runs have been part and parcel of your preparation. How much do they take out from you, physically and mentally such long runs? On the other hand, how gratifying are they?

Those doing the full marathon only had a one three hour long run which we did a couple of weeks ago. But we were being built up gradually for this long run so it was not that hard to do. I think it is an important part of our preparation because the marathon is an endurance race and in long distance races you need to stay on your feet for quite some time. Running for such a long time takes quite a bit out of you physically. But it is important to be very well hydrated before starting and to remain hydrated during the run as well. Mentally, if you are focused positively that you can do it, then the long run will be the most satisfying part of your training.

Returning back to running after quite a few years, has your lifestyle changed?

Like I said earlier, my life rotates around my daughter so I have to fit in my training to accommodate her timetable. I run whilst she is at her ballet lessons and doctrine classes. On other days I run from my parent’s house. If I had to tell you that my lifestyle has changed from thirteen years ago, yes dramatically actually. But comparing today to the past five years not much has changed. I don’t go out as much as I wish to especially on Saturday nights since Sundays are reserved for my long runs. But I don’t regret this. I am really enjoying my running and it has once again been etched into my life. I feel better, fitter and just as strong as I was back then.

There will be once again forty-two kilometres between you and the finishing line on Sunday, 26th February. What’s the main motivation that you believe will keep you going?

My daughter at the finish line and the belief that mentally I can do it.

Finally, anyone in particular you would like to thank for their support?

Mum and dad for their help and understanding, Isabella who constantly on a daily basis asks me what my running schedule is for the day, Has Kesra who coaches me and who gives me the motivation when the days are tough and last but not least all the Mellieha AC family. Family? Yes, I don’t consider it just a running club but a true family of friends.

Characters of the Marathon

With over 300 athletes toeing the starting line, a crowd ensues. But, someone like Jason Martin earns the right to be at the very front row, and probably rather being daunted by the whole distance before him, will be thinking of economising the time spent at every single kilometre of the forty-two before him. With six marathons to his name, the Mellieha AC runner is returning to this year’s Malta Marathon starting line as naturally as a bird returns to his nest when the sun sets down.


Jason, when was your first marathon? Looking back, since the first ones how different do you treat your preparation?
That was back in 1999 in Rotterdam, Holland. I can say that today my preparation is quite different especially training methods which have a more professional approach. My weight is also lower which means I am more conscious as regards my nutrition.

What is your personal best in a marathon?

My personal best is 2 hours 33 minutes. That was in 2009, where I finished second overall and placed as the first Maltese.

Which particular marathon is your favourite and is still etched in your mind? Why?
Berlin is a fast course , don’t mind doing it again.

You are going through a very good season, and you’re the undisputable leader of the MAAA Road Race League. To whom and to what do you attribute most of this good form?
Mostly to my coach Mr Has Kesra, and obviously to all the commitment, sacrifices and self-discipline. These are after all standard issues if you want to succeed in this sport.

The MAAA Road Race League apart, do you still see the marathon as the ultimate challenge for the local athlete?
Regarding the distance surely it’s the ultimate challenge, but as regards satisfaction track running is very rewarding especially winning or doing well in the national championships.

You have been running now for a number of years. Considering the low profile the Maltese athletics enjoys, what make you still put in the miles week after week and toe the starting line for most races, be it a marathon or a 5k?
Most of all satisfaction. I like endurance sports and no other sport satisfies me as much as running. It is a fact that you have to suffer and endure so much and challenge yourself to overcome it all. But when it’s all over, and you know you’ve overcame it all, the satisfaction with yourself is priceless.

Being at the starting line of a marathon, with 42 kilometres and a bit before you, you must use some sort of psychological faculty to help you. How much do you think psychology plays a part over physical fitness itself?
A lot for me it’s a 50-50 combination. You have to be very strong mentally. Frequently marathons are won by those most mentally strong.

Talking from past experience, which kilometres are usually the hardest, and you have to dig in as deep as possible?
The last 15 kilometres are the hardest.

For a marathon you have to balance speed and endurance. In your case, is it speed or endurance training that you feel ask most of your body and mind?
40% speed 60% endurance or somewhere round that equation.

Finally, any people you would like to thank for their support?
Mostly my fiancée, my coach, my club Mellieha AC and all my friends both those that run or don’t.