Another Marathon Down – Gold Coast Glory. Ish. Kinda.

Well it's another marathon ticked off the list: the incredible Gold Coast Marathon. Four hours, not quite the 3:50 I'd aimed for... but honestly, no regrets. The energy and vibe out there were absolutely electric, making every step worth it. And past about 37km those steps took some effort.

I started strong, held steady until the mid thirties and then hit a bit of a wall. I suspect my nutrition wasn't quite right. Very late in the race, around 41.5km, fatigue had set in, and I briefly slowed down to a walk just to catch my breath. Suddenly, a guy wearing a "GCM Motivator" shirt appeared seemingly out of thin air and started giving me an enthusiastic pep talk. Then something amazing happened: a spectator spotted my name on my shirt and shouted, "Come on, Mark! You've got this!" Others joined in, and before I knew it, the crowd were egging me on. Powered purely by their incredible energy, I started running again and then they burst out in cheers, it was so positive and motivating. I crossed the finish line, lifted by their collective spirit. Truly unforgettable.

Massive respect to some extraordinary athletes I shared the course with. Running alongside wheelchair athletes like "Kaymayzing" was beyond inspiring. Equally impressive was the determination of a blind lady runner supported by her dedicated squad. Witnessing their journeys up close reminded me why I keep coming back to these events... real people with showing what community and resilience are.

Next stop: Sydney Marathon, in nine weeks. Legs, you've been warned... more running ahead... As soon as I can do those stairs at the front door.

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