Olympian Lee Troop determined to run the Gold Coast Airport Marathon despite blood clot

OLYMPIAN Lee Troop wasn’t about to let something as piddling as a blood clot stop him from running the Gold Coast Airport Marathon.

elite athlete Lee Trooper, of Geelong, loves the challenge of high altitude training at Falls Creek.

LEE Troop wasn’t about to let something as piddling as a blood clot stop him from running his final Australian marathon on the Gold Coast.

Just six weeks ago, the 41-year-old (pictured) was sitting in a US hospital hooked up to machines with a life-threatening blood clot on his lung.

But Troop, who has suffered the condition before, was not about to let it spoil his retirement party.

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Troop, one of Australia’s greatest ­distance runners will round out his ­distinguished domestic career on the Coast in just under a fortnight when he lines up in the Gold Coast event.

A former winner of the 10km, ­half-marathon and marathon on the Coast, Troop is not expected to be among the leading pack in what is being billed as the best field ever assembled for the event.

But just being there will be a victory for one of the sport’s most popular athletes, who gave himself little chance of lining up just over a month ago.

“I was in hospital six weeks ago with a blood clot on my lung – I had tubes all stuck into me and I wasn’t running,’’ Boulder-based Troop said.

“But the challenge for me was to get on the right medication and get myself healthy and get myself to Australia as quick as possible so I could do this race.

“I’ve put everything I’ve got physically, mentally and emotionally into getting this one last chance to compete and me stepping out there and racing is not just about me, it’s also about opportunity for my family and my friends who have supported me for years to enjoy that moment as well.’’

Troop is likely to complete his final marathon in New York later this year, achieving a life-long goal of running in the prestigious event.

While he has marked plenty of highs on the Coast, the event has not always been kind to Troop.

He was distraught in 2011 after failing to record a qualifier for the London Olympics – again after recovering from life-threatening blood clots – and after limping home with a hip injury last year was tempted to call time immediately on his decorated career.

“I wouldn’t necessarily just say it’s Gold Coast (that’s been unkind to me), that’s just the nature of the beast of me trying to compete at the top level and be a competitor,’’ he said.

“When I ran Gold Coast in 2011 ­trying to qualify for the Olympics in 2012, I was disappointed I didn’t quite get it right.

“I certainly think the good outweighs the bad and the fact that (Events Management Queensland chairman) Kerry Watson and Cam (marathon CEO Cam Hart) have been so good to me over the past 10 years.

“There’s no more fitting way I can thank them than doing my last Australian marathon on the Gold Coast.’’

Troop has been keen to repay the faith of Watson and Hart and did everything he could to ensure his fitness for the July 6 race.

“Going into this marathon, there’s plenty of people that have given me their opinions about why I shouldn’t run but for me, it’s a challenge to try and overcome, to be able to step up out there and do what I love,’’ he said.

“Regardless of how the race may ­unfold, I love getting out there and competing to the best of my ability.

“I won’t be at my fittest and I won’t be at my finest but I’m certainly going to give my best.’’

While several sub 2hr 10min runners will vie for the title, Troop is out to claim the Australian marathon championship also on offer. Hart said organisers were thrilled to have attracted a high-quality field of Australians.

“The calibre of the elites vying for the national title is exciting and we believe there is potential for these marathoners to post personal best times or even Australian race records,’’ Hart said.