t was an inauspicious start to the day, groggily opening my eyes at 4.30am<x-apple-data-detectors://0> to see Birchy’s hairy back on the twin bed next to mine.  But I was determined that things were going to improve from here.  Jumped out of bed to see Barts and Jeet starting the pre-race routine.  For Jeet this involves intense concentration and ignoring everyone around him.  For Barts it involves bagging everyone out and generally being a pain in the ass.  We were all checking every weather app we could find having spent the previous evening doing the same thing.  Consensus then had been still a stiff breeze (but nothing like what the 10km runners had had to endure) but only a 5% chance of rain.  Plainly we’d been checking the wrong apps.

Birchy set off early to line up in a good spot while Jeet, Barts and I jogged the 2km from Main Beach to the start line with nerves rising.  We jumped into the elite start area and nerves started going ballistic.  I was pretty pumped for this race.  Training had gone well, recent sessions had shown I’d hit a bit of form, I’d been close to my PB at Curl Curl Parkrun the week before despite a fall so there were no excuses.  My aims were sub 71, a PB and second HuRTs man home behind Barts who is untouchable at the moment.  With Jack Maxwell, Mikey Litchwark, Lachie Oakes (aka Delta Force) and particularly Neil Pearson all running well it wasn’t going to be easy.

Pre race in elite area.  No idea how Mickey got in there.  Wasn’t even wearing the right shoes.

Continued the warm up in the elite area (which I have to say is the best of any race in Australia) before lining up still in the pitch black.  God knows why we need to start at 6am but so be it.  I’m lining up next to Barts with three Japanese girls in front of us who, even if you lined them up top to toe, would still only reach Jack Maxwell’s shoulders.  He would later prove to be a good windbreak for them, although not vice versa.  The gun goes and I go out like a madman.  Super pumped, I’ve got the Vaporfly’s on, it feels great.  Go through the first km in 3:07, the second in 3:14, Barts is only just in front but has formed a group and I’m running solo.  It wasn’t meant to be like this.  I thought this race had huge depth, where is everyone?  I find out at about 5km.  At that point you swing a left and do a 300m out and back section.  At the U-turn, I look behind and see the biggest group I’ve ever seen in a race at this level, literally 25 strong.  It includes the leading 4 females (Sinead Diver, Ellie Pashley, Lisa Weightman and Sara Hall) plus 20 odd blokes.  It also includes Neil, Matt Ho and Pete Costello.  I realise it’s fruitless plugging away by myself so slow down to wait for the group to catch and then jump in with them, more like I’m in a bike race.  Neil is driving this bus so I jump in behind him.  And then the rain comes down.  5% chance of rain my ass.  The heavens literally opened.  It was like standing under a huge showerhead (certainly more effective than the pathetic dribble I’d been enjoying at the Pacific Waves Apartments).  The water is bouncing off the road, you can barely see where you’re going, but the group plugs on relentlessly, churning out 3:18’s per km like clockwork.

We turn at 11km for the return South and home.  I see Jack with Mikey just behind him but have a comfortable lead so just need to hold things together.  I’m finding it harder to stick with the group now with a slight headwind.  Everyone is jostling for the best spot behind the biggest bloke.  At 12km its hurting but I tell myself just to hold on for one more km at a time.  I sense Neil has dropped off so each km with the group is giving me a bigger gap on him.  At 14km the elastic snaps.  I go from running 3:20’s to a 3:30 in the space of one km and I’m now solo again into a headwind and risk things falling apart.  So tell myself to take each km at a time and not let one go over 3:30.  16km – 3:29.  17km – 3:29.  18km – 3:27. 19km – 3:29.  It involves constant effort and just not relaxing, occasionally putting in a burst of effort if you think things are drifting.  Into 20km and the headwind is quite strong now, definitely the toughest bit of the course.  3:34, arse.  But have a look at the clock by the road (not sure why I don’t check my watch but only look at it for km splits) and see that I need a sub 3:20 to get my PB.  Make a bit more effort, but look up and, as every previous year I’ve run here, the road seems to go on forever before the final turn.  You can see the crowds and the encouraging shouts help but it really is depressing.

Finally turn for the finish and hear Elle on the sidelines screaming her head off.  One final effort for the line but the PB passes for this race.  71:23 official time.  But given the circumstances I’m really happy.

Barts has the run of the day in an incredible 68:38.  He was solo for large parts of that too so scarily probably has a 67:xx in him.  Pete Costello and Matt Ho finish just over 70 after holding on to the leading girls until towards the end.  Neil is next HuRTs man home dipping under 72 with Jack Maxwell running a great 72:40 and PB.  Lachie also runs a great PB in just over 73 which is super impressive given his recent Comrades run.  Mikey had an off day and if you study his Strava splits you can work out exactly where his toilet stop was.  Fellow housemates Jeet ran a 78 which he felt so-so about but Birchy was happy with his 94 and quickest Half in his 40’s.

Lovebirds Mickey and Jerome in recovery

Then we watched Enda, JC and the superstars in the Marathon.  Awesome to see but quite frightening when you realise just how hard it is.

Hobbling back to watch the marathon post-race

Then, of course, the festivities – and the real reason we all make the trip to the Gold Coast – began:

This was my 10th Gold Coast weekend; three Marathons, three Half’s and four 10km’s.  I’ll be back.