Patzold prepares for emotional 320th marathon in honour of mother

Each of the first 319 hold a special place in his heart, but this one will top the list.

Patzold's first marathon was the 2001 Sydney Marathon, the Albion Park resident running to honour his late mother, Edith. Since then, he has completed the distance 319 times, including 11 in the past month.

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His journey to contest that first marathon, and every one since, started with the symbolism of his mum's year of birth, 1943.

"To put it simply and with mum being born in 1943, I get to the 42km mark of every marathon and then head off on that special part of the 43rd kilometre but I never get there because mum's not there, which is why I stop at 42.195km and my whole reason for running marathons," Patzold said.

Patzold started running to help cope with his mum's cancer diagnosis, conceding he ran away from the challenge of watching Edith battle cervical cancer.

While running was not his childhood passion, Patzold was inspired to win the Oak Flats High School year seven cross country title in 1977. It was a race his mother was unable to attend as her health deteriorated.

"As young kids we all react differently to grief and I remember I couldn't handle seeing mum suffer and for the last three years of her life I would get home from school and just run the streets of Oak Flats until dark as my form of escape.

"One of my lasting memories of mum's strength was telling her of my first place finish that evening and her enthusiasm for my achievement even in her dying days, is something that drives my passion for running and I know that no pain in any marathon will ever be as tough as what I witnessed mum go through."

Sunday's inaugural running of the Shellharbour Marathon will see entrants complete two laps of a 21.1km out and back course that takes them from Shellharbour Surf Club along the coast through Warilla, Lake Illawarra and Mount Warrigal before turning in Oak Flats and returning to the surf club.

For Patzold, the run will take him close to a number of special locations, his mother's resting place just one kilometre from the start line.

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As is the case with every marathon he contests, Edith will be by the 56-year-old's side for the duration of the race. This time, however, her presence will feel even more powerful.

"I'm not religious, but I am spiritual. Every one I've done, I look up to the heavens at the start and then when I get between 30 and 42km in, when I'm in bloody pain, I look to the skies and tell mum to help me out.

"I always get emotional as I approach destination 43. When I enter that 43^rd kilometre, that final 200 metres to the finish, I'm always sprinting, no matter what my body's doing.

"For the finish line to be so close to mum's burial place at Shellharbour and exactly one month before the 43^rd anniversary of her death, it will be an emotional day."