Gold Coast Marathon

I choose the Gold Coast Marathon as the benchmark for the San Francisco Marathon, in an effort to see how my fitness was or how much work I would need to do in the next 3 weeks for the main run.

However, like most things in life, the best layed plans never go to plan:

Friday had come around and I started work at 6am in order to get an early departure from the office, heading down to the airport, I felt ok, but a few hours later on the flight my stomach started to tell me things were just not right.

I boarded a mini bus in Brisbane headed for the Gold Coast, which was kind of fun, the bus was full of people doing the marathon, a couple from NZ, a Couple from Melbourne and a couple from Geelong doing their first ever marathon.
The two hour bus ride went like a flash, marathon and adventure stories being told amongst the group, I even found myself giving words of wisdom to first time marathoners HOW Funny !!!!!!
My biggest piece of advice, 1. Finish and 2. Make sure you let everyone know wear that finishers medal! You earnt it! – But really no pacing, GU’s and all things running

I ended up struggling through the night, cracking open my first aid kit with anti nausea tablets, and a few other things......
Went and registered Saturday Morning than back to the hotel to rest, by 8ish I was in a world of pain, stomach cramps, and a few other undesirable things......

Taking strength from my last commitment to never give up by 10ish into a taxi and off to the medical centre, now this Dr Mitchell was awesome, he knew exactly what to give me to get me ready in 7 hours, and more than that he was a positive person, he even told me of how he had seen Steve Monagetti a few days earlier with exactly the same thing, and how he was going to try and run a 3hr marathon...... hmmmm now the parting words he left me I hope you do run the marathon......

Ok off to bed and waking 6.30am toss and turn will I won’t I, remember you must try! I get up and jump into my running gear, than into the taxi, pin on my bib, put on my shoes in the taxi, now Face book and Angela was a huge motivator, calling me nuts and egging me on!
I got to the start line, no food in two days, can’t keep down fluids, stomach cramps and I am going to run a marathon in a world of pain before the start.
I started, no watch no goals apart from finishing, I just ran, and ran and ran, the difference was I stopped and composed my stomach cramps, I slowed, I walked, I crawled but I never ever gave up.
It was the mental strength required to achieve...... this had a special meaning; it proved to me I could do more than I thought I could.
I finished in a little over 5 hours, far from my regular times, but I had such a smug glowing sense of satisfaction, back to the hotel, shower pack up ....... oh #@$% the stomach cramps UNBEARABLE, into the shower, than out BOOK the next available flight to Melbourne, off to the airport slumped over and waiting for a airplane.....
Really sore, off for a massage Monday – than trying to get well again!
This was a benchmark alright, will I beat it in San Francisco – I am reluctant to make a prediction if the last two challenges can tell me anything, anything can and will go wrong, be prepared for the unexpected, be comfortable with being uncomfortable......
Than every challenge will be a success...........

Stay tuned for San Francisco in a couple of weeks, than later on the Mt Everest Base Camp and Island Peak at 6,119 meters

Some Serious Challenges ahead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers
Jeff