Brenton Vannisselroy: The Mavericks

By: Brenton Vannisselroy | Friday, October 26, 2012 6:02 AM

"If you want to win something, run 100 metres. If you want to experience something, run a marathon."
Emil Zatopek - Czech runner and four-time Olympic gold medallist

What started out as a joke is about to become a reality.

On Sunday, three of my colleagues and I will get to experience one of the purest events in sport, well half of it at least. Competing under the Mavericks Running Club banner we’ll line-up in the Auckland half marathon.

I signed up for the Auckland half to try and motivate myself to become a bit more active in 2012 and after a bit of banter around the office I soon had three workmates to join me. The Mavericks were born!

I planned to start running two to three times a week from February and build steadily four months out. Unfortunately my best intentioned plan failed to account for the London Olympics, which took over my life from June, right through July and into August. This pretty much left me starting from scratch with less than 10 weeks to prepare for the event.

Thankfully for me, the rest of the Mavericks were in no better position. Post Olympics, Andy Rowe was only just starting to jog having fought his way back from a snapped Achilles, while Guy Heveldt and Jenni Haslam were waiting for direction as to just how to train for their first half marathon.

This is when the Mavericks really started. Training with Andy, Guy and Jenni has made the chore of going for a run far more enjoyable and we motivated each other. In training, both Guy and Jenni have managed to run around three times as far as they ever have in their lives, while Andy’s led the way, already covering the half marathon distance.

All four of us have the same goal on Sunday: to finish. We’re seeking an experience, not a race. Well that’s until the gun fires and it’ll be every Maverick for themselves.

The Mavericks will be wearing 2XU gear during the Auckland half marathon. Look out for them during the race and follow their exploits pre and post-race by searching #mavsrc on Twitter.

Photo: Photosport