Team RunRunner Stephan Zajac is on a quest to run a marathon on each of the seven continents. On June 1, he ticked off Oceania, running the Brisbane Marathon in a PR time of 3:47! However, as you’ll read, the PR is only a tiny fraction of what this race meant to him. These are Stephan’s words:
Far Beyond the Finish Time
At the heart of what I do, I’m a storyteller. Numbers alone — without context to scaffold and shape a narrative around them — don’t say much about what really happened from Point A to Point B. If I told you that I trained 6 months with TRR Coach Mike Sheehy only to shave a minute off my PR, you might not be very impressed. You might not think that flying all the way to Australia to run the Brisbane Marathon was worth the time or money I’d invested.
Well, there was a point when I thought earlier this year, even earlier this month, that I was never going to make it to Brisbane at all. Throughout this entire training season, I’ve had to really channel my inner resilience and strengthen my mindset to overcome a series of obstacles. But that is life. And, as Eliud Kipchoge says, “Marathon is life.”
Injury Lows and Learnings
Having incurred a series of ankle tendon injuries earlier this season, I feared my 2025 marathon journey might be over before it had even begun. It was an excruciatingly painful experience, both physically and mentally, that tested my resilience. Instead of quitting, I met with an amazing PT who taught me a whole new set of ways to better protect myself. Slowly and surely — through dedication to various stretches, lacrosse balls (a favorite on the calves), targeted foam rolling, posterior chain strengthening exercises, and other mobility work — I came back stronger, faster, and better prepared for the future than I was before. What I thought was a failure turned into a skill asset for not just this marathon season, but for seasons to come.
No Two Marathons Are Alike
From a geographical perspective, this race taught me that no two marathons are alike. My previous marathon was in Napa, California, during March. It was very cool, crisp, and overcast: perfect running conditions. There were no sharp twists or turns with hard banks. It was also a net downhill course: perfect for running fast.
Brisbane, on the other hand, was very challenging. My watch informed me that I trudged through nearly 6,000 feet of elevation gain. Numerous hills, cliffs, and bridge climbs made the views of this subtropical city so beautiful, but much more physically demanding to attain. Add to that heat, humidity, and the sun beating down on you after mile 20 while climbing uphill over and over again. Needless to say, the Brisbane Marathon was not conducive for setting PRs, but great for building mental strength!
There’s More to Life Than Running
Finally, this has been a very difficult year for our family. In late January, my partner’s dad, Greg, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It has been a heartbreaking journey since. He passed away two weeks before the Brisbane Marathon, fighting strong until the very last minute. We were back in Iowa to celebrate a graduation, when the very next morning he quickly and unexpectedly passed in his home surrounded by loved ones.
I never thought I would be the one to perform CPR on someone I loved and cared about so deeply as we shared the last moments of his life together. It was a traumatic experience and one I will never forget. I truly didn’t imagine I would make it to Brisbane to see this through. That just wasn’t my priority at the time, there’s more to life than running, but his family encouraged me to see this through.
A Marathon With Greg
Greg was an important part of my journey, and he was always everyone’s biggest cheerleader. I was lucky just to be at any table with him, surrounded by his love. A runner himself when he was younger, Greg followed my training, excited to hear about my race in Australia. Before travelling, I remembered that my partner’s sister always wore a personalized purple wristband in support of their dad during his pancreatic cancer journey. I wanted to honor Greg by running with this wristband during the marathon.
And, when I crossed that finish line in Brisbane, Greg was with me. He was with me the whole time. I could hear his calming voice in my head telling me, “You’ve got this,” or, “You can’t quit now.” I cannot explain it. He was with me during the most challenging moments of the race, and he helped me to push through. And eventually it also became my voice. The power of [spoken] self-affirmation is extraordinary. I was not only running this race for me, but also for Greg. It was so very healing for me.
… and a Run for Many More
I was also running this marathon for The Stroke Foundation. With the generous support of so many loving friends, relatives, coworkers, teammates, and more, together we raised over $1,800 to help stroke survivors, and their caretakers, navigate the challenges of life after a stroke and connect them with critical resources for care. I lost my beautiful grandmother, who raised me with so much love and care in her own home, to a stroke 8 years ago: I ran this race for her too. I thank everyone who donated so generously to this cause.
“Marathon Is Life.” – Eliud Kipchoge
So, long story short, I shaved 1 minute off of my prior marathon personal best. But there’s more to life than running. The real achievement was in completing such a challenging race during the most trying time of my life. It taught me invaluable lessons that I’ll always carry with me. I’m stronger today because of this journey I’ve been on. I look forward ahead to more marathon [life] journeys ahead.
Follow Stephan Zajac on LinkedIn here.