Jess Trengove comes second in Gold Coast Marathon with personal best, to donate $40,000 pay cheque to charity

ADELAIDE marathon star Jess Trengove ran a personal best on the Gold Coast on Sunday and collected a $40,000 pay cheque, driven by thoughts of how she could give it away.

ADELAIDE marathon star Jess Trengove ran a personal best on the Gold Coast on Sunday and collected a $40,000 pay cheque, driven by thoughts of how she could give it away.

Less than two months after winning a bronze medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Trengove returned to the same course and finished second behind Kenyan Ruth Chebitok in 2hrs 26mins and 31 secs, which was a 30-second personal best.

Inspired by brother Jack, who made his Port Adelaide debut the day before, Trengove said the last thing she watched before her race was a video of his guernsey being presented to him in the rooms by Power captain Travis Boak.

But when the going got really tough in the final few kilometres, the lure of $40,000 and thoughts of how it could make a difference to people in need got her to the line.

Jess Trengove came second in the Gold Coast Marathon with a personal best. Picture: Richard Gosling

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Gold Coast Marathon, organisers promised a $40,000 kitty to any Australian male runner who could go under 2hrs 10mins and female under 2hrs 28mins, and Trengove was the only one.

“I wanted to run this race anyway to try to get a PB, so that’s just a really special bonus,” Trengove said.

“It’s an awesome incentive for Australian marathon runners to chase that sort of prize.

“I’ve got a few special charities I work with like the Little Heroes Foundation and Jodie Lee Foundation that are really close to my heart so I’d like to contribute a bit to them and my boyfriend Dylan Stenson sadly lost his coach to cancer late last year and she had a few charities she really wanted to support so I’ll be able to put a bit there too.

“And some towards supporting athletes in SA, I don’t know how I’ll do that but they were some thoughts when I got to the final few kilometres and it was hurting and I could see that time bonus, I knew I’d like to support a few charities.”

Trengove said her aim was to run a 2:25 but was still thrilled with stopping the clock at 2:26.

“A PB is a special feeling no matter what it is,” she said.

“It was very different to the Comm Games, the whole race was different and the pace was on from the word go.

Jack Trengove during his Port debut at the weekend against Carlton. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty

“We went out aiming to run an even pace and there was a good pack, I felt cool throughout and had a very structured hydration and nutrition plan off the back of the Comm Games because I felt that was an area I could have improved so we have worked closely with a dietitian to put that strategy in place.”

Trengove watched Jack’s Power debut on TV from the Gold Coast and said she was inspired.

“If they hadn’t won yesterday (against Carlton) it might have set a very different tone for the weekend,” she said with a laugh.

“But the last thing I watched before stepping onto the start line was a video of Jack’s jumper presentation from Boaky and that was really special.”

Having run two high-pressure and elite-level marathons in the space of two months, Trengove is now set for a three-month holiday in Europe.

“Dylan and I are going over to see some of the world together and properly holidaying for the first few weeks,” she said. “Dylan will train and do some European racing so I’m looking forward to supporting him because he’s supported me so well.

“It will also be nice to see Europe without a heavy training schedule and if I feel like a walk I will, not having to push myself every day and find convenient places to train.”