I’m not going to call it a mid-life crisis, but shortly after turning 50, I did reflect on my life to date – happily married to Megan with 2 kids Sebastian and Charlotte, and a great career in a profession I love. I felt I needed to achieve more – perhaps when the time arrives, to have a lengthy eulogy or to be the envy of the Aged Care home.
I dialled up my Type A personality, and increased my runs, added long rides and swims and started competing in Half Ironmans. From there, Half Ironmans became Full Ironmans.
Through mutual friends I made contact with Anna Liptak and Adventure Time Travel and with 2 guys from work, we signed up for the New York City Marathon in November 2022. The 6-months leading up to the marathon was exciting – discussing what training we would do as well as what tours we would sign up for, to make the most of the experience.
Anna took the pressure out of choosing hotel accommodation, or getting to the expo to collect the race bib and merchandise, or arranging a bus tour of the course or getting to the start of the marathon – which is a challenge even for the locals.
New York Marathon will forever be my most favourite Major due to the 50,000+ runners and millions of spectators. Anna’s attention to detail with our running tops having the Australian Flag and our names on it – I never thought I would see spectators 6-8 people deep lining the course calling out my name, egging me on and calling out Aussie Aussie Aussie. I thought spectators go to marathons to cheer on their friends and family members only!
Overseas travel to run a marathon and to visit landmarks and locations of interest – I was hooked! Whilst not a Major, I ran Paris in 2023 through ATT with Megan as my supporter which was a special highlight for me. Same year I ran the Berlin Marathon through ATT which was a flat and fast course. 2024 saw me run Chicago and London Marathons both through ATT and both exceptional experiences.
2025 saw me run Tokyo & Boston Marathons (both through the charity option) and the Sydney Marathon through ATT by August achieving the 7-star but also leaving me time to train for the Busselton Full Ironman in November with 4 guys from work.
All eyes were on Cape Town Marathon in 2025 to see if, upon being successfully held, it would meet the criteria as an Abbott World Major Marathon candidate. The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon organisers made the painstaking but sensible decision to cancel the 2025 marathon due to severe overnight winds that would have made the event potentially unsafe to host. The result of this decision was the 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon would be a provisional star and if their candidacy is successful would become the 8th major and all those that ran the marathon would receive a star.
I ran Cape Town Marathon in May this year through ATT and fortunately for me and the other 27,000 runners, Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is now the 8th World Major Marathon having been confirmed by Abbott on 10 June 2026. Along with Anna Liptak, there are only a handful of other runners in Australia that have obtained their 8th Star.
All eyes are now on Shanghai, China to become a World Major Marathon in 2027 and the 9th Star and there is no other tour operator that I would go with than Anna Liptak’s Adventure Time Travel.
I have witnessed other tour operators who leave an unmanned desk in the hotel foyer, their runners sit and eat their meals alone and their runners don’t get the support or experiences that Adventure Time Travel runners or spectators experience. Anna’s attention to detail is faultless, working long hours to make sure every runner and spectator is having an experience to cherish for a life time.
Circling back to the reference of the mid-life crisis – perhaps a second-hand convertible may have been the cheaper option, but I will have a life time of memories and bragging rights and this would not have been possible without Adventure Time Travel.
Do yourself a favour and sign up for an overseas marathon with Anna Liptak’s Adventure Time Travel. You won’t regret it.
