68 / Seaford
Melbourne Marathons: x42 (Spartan Legend)
MM PB: 2:40.36 โ 1982
1978 Time: 3:32:10
2019 Time: 4:06:42
Wayne started running because he was โhopeless at football and cricketโ. He had always loved running as a kid, he โjust felt like [he] was floatingโ and was quite good at it too.
In 1978 when Melbourne announced its inaugural Frankston to Melbourne marathon. He thought โhereโs this marathon going to start in Frankston right near where I live.โ He had read about the Boston Marathon, where they ran from way out of town to the city and loved the concept of having a goal to reach.
โIt became my absolute passion. Iโm just so grateful that they put it on. Itโs been my focus. Itโs like a party along the road and itโs my way of celebrating life. Itโs a very profound experience and it defines my life.โโ
In 2000, work commitments stopped Wayne from training, but that didnโt stop him from keeping his streak. He carefully eked out a five-hour plus effort. โI hadnโt done any training so I ran at the back of the field with a gentlemen who looked like Danny De Vito. He was a politics lecturer so we just talked virtually the whole wayโ.
Wayne participated in the Virtual Melbourne Marathon in 2020 twice. Once on October 4th to commemorate the eventโs true date, and a second time in December when the Virtual event was on. He took first place for his age category with a finishing time of 3:20:21, impressive!
