I ran a Broadbeach to Dbah out and back 50k'er today. I did the 25k of this event last year and was looking forward to the 50k version. I like the event - its really low key and a good course right down the full extent of the Gold Coast coastline - lucky the surf was nothing special or it would be frustrating as we run around all the Goldy points, in saying that there were some nice clean little peaks on my way back around Burleigh. Weather on the day was really hot summery 30º-35º light offshore breeze. Super humid to start then blazing QLD sun for the 2nd half made it tough. Definitely one of the hardest things I've done. There is no cheers from spectators, minimal support and few other runners to spur you on, so the focus is internal and acute. I was having a pretty hard time during about 35-45km suffering near mental breakdown - I kind of had the wrong mantra in my head of "I wish I could stop now" rather than a positive like "Yes we can!" - I guess that's where experience plays its part for endurance, it was my mind that broke me again more so than the body (even though I hadn't properly prepared for this distance and my legs felt like marshmallow) I know this because the last 5km was some of my fastest and most solid simply because my mantra changed with knowing my suffering was almost at an end. So it was my mind state that let my body believe it had nothing left and in that I lost nearly 3/4 of an hour with walking, sitting in the shade and whinging to myself. My 25km time (half way split) was 2:01 (and I consciously slowed it down to conserve). Finishing time was 4:44:41 - 15th place out of 60 something. Obviously the heat got to some of the others too : ) It always spins me out how hard it can get then 5 minutes after finishing I'm thinking "gee that wasn't so bad, I'm such a pussy, what was I complaining about". When talking about the torture of the 3rd hour to Ayako she asks would I do it again and I responded without hesitation "yeah absolutely!" mmm I still don't have a rational reason why
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