Gold Coast 100km run

On 13 June I lined up for the 100km ultra marathon on the Gold Coast. This was the first time I had attempted this distance and, having done the Comrades Marathon in South Africa only 2 weeks before, I wasn't sure the body was ready.

Why wasn't I sure? Well I hadn't yet had a decent nights sleep since I had come back from South Africa, which was only 5 days before the run. And of course I hadn't done any training since Comrades, which at 89km, is bound to leave a bit of fatigue in the body.

After being crowded in the 16,000 plus runners of Comrades, this was a completely different event. There were 28 starters in the 100km event... and I was given number 6. Yep, single digits...

Race kit collection was "very" low key. You went to a nearby shopping centre and found the right sports store, where someone wrote your number on bib. You didnt even get pins until race morning, let alone a t-shirt or drink bottle! This was very much a low key event.

With such a small field, there were no road closures. You ran along the public footpath and did your best (a) not to look silly running along with a number on your shirt (b) to avoid prams, people and dogs and (c) to make sure you knew where the course went.

The 100km course was made up of 4 loops of a 25km course, 12.5km and 12,5km back again. It was described as flat and fast, which I guess it mostly was, if you ignored the 83 steps you go up and the 5km mark... and of course coming down them again on the way back.

Still at 6am I was there lined up with everyone else, shivering a bit in the cold, but prepared to run (or at least run / walk) for the entire day. The event had a 12 hour cut off.

At 6am we lined up and we were counted down and then the organiser said "go" and with that, we were off.

I felt good for the first 1km, but by 2km I was in a bit of trouble. My quads were sorer than they should have been and my heart rate was too high and I was already at the back of the field. I had to keep going at a reasonable pace though, as I wasn't 100% sure of the route (the maps werent that great).

However, all I wanted to do was to finish, so I set about keeping a few people in sight so I wouldnt get lost, and getting through each 12.5km section inside 1hr 30, which would keep me on track for a 12 hour finish.

I made it through the first 12.5km in 1.17.21, well under time, but the average HR of 152, was 15 beats per min higher than where I wanted it to be. And my quads were hurting badly already.

At 25km and completing lap one, I discarded my run jacket (even though the wind was still cool) but got there in 2.35.. well under the 3 hour target mark, but the pain was increasing.

At 37.5km the pain was considerable but I was still mentally strong, even though I was now running at almost half ironman intensity, even though it was much slower than marathon pace. I was in significant pain and slowing a bit, finishing this section in 1.24.23... but I was still gaining time on the 12 hour cut off split.

Coming back to finish lap 2 and 50km, the pain was significant and I was having longer walk breaks and finished this section in 1.27.55, and the 50km in 5.27.24.

I asked the organiser at this time whether finishers medals would be provided for anyone who finished after 12 hours (thinking that it was highly likely I would slow down for the second half) and happily he said they would. He didnt give me a final cut off, but indicated that as long as you finish in a reasonable time, all would be good.

In a good space, I set off hobbling down the road again. The quads were so sore, I could barely lift my legs. The soles of my feet were rubbing along the ground with every step and my hips were extremely sore with sharp pain in the hip joint, something that I had never experienced before.

I was still mentally strong so I kept waddling on until at about 52km, I had to walk. It hurt to recommence running, with the pain in the hips, so I decided an extended walk would be the go. After all, the time constraints had been lessened.

However I was walking in pain and certainly not fast.

I got to the 55km point and those dreaded steps and tried to hoist myself up the hand rail to get up the first step. The pain in my hip as I tried to lift myself up was really bad, and with 82 more steps to go, and what was looking like 45km of painful walking to get to the finish line... I decided that the body had had enough.

So I slowly and painfully hobbled back to the aid station that was about 400m away, and got a lift back to the start and pulled out.

It was disappointing not to finish, but it was definitely the right thing to do. I was barely able to hobble (you couldnt really call it walking) and I am not even sure I could have done 45km like that.

So it was back to the hotel and soaking the legs in the ice cold swimming pool for a while and then just try and recover.

So my first 100km effort ended in disappointment and a DNF. But I will be back to try again!!