Challenge The Rhino

Hello Friends,

Well CHALLENGE 7X7 is officially underway. Check out my fund raising pages:

SIDS and Kids QLD: http://www.everydayhero.com.au/mark_barrett_challenge_SK

Garvan Institute: http://www.everydayhero.com.au/mark_barrett_challenge_gi

We kicked things off last Sunday with the 50km run which involved x2 25km loops from Kurrawa down to Palm Beach and back. Familiar faces out on the course make these days even more special so it was great to have so many out there. Therese, Sam, Kristy, Jo, Adam, Ben and Jerome all did 25km and a special thank you to Ben who ran the 50km with me.

A 50km run is hard work at the best of times but I had to go into this one with very limited preparation so I really didn't know what to expect. Even at the 12km mark I was experiencing a fair bit of pain which I hoped was just due to the cold. As the temperature warmed things seemed to get a little easier. Otherwise the first 25km was great, it was a beautiful day, plenty of people enjoying the beach and particularly memorable were a group of yoga girls being photographed at the southern end of Miami Beach!

At around 35km the hills at Burleigh Heads really took their toll on me and I knew I was going to have to work hard to get home. From this point on all I remember seeing was the road in front of me. By the time I got back to North Burleigh with 6km to go I was feeling tradgic. I remember running up Hedges Ave feeling that I had to explain to on-lookers that I actually WASN'T trying to imitate a wounded orangutan, this was me just trying to get to the finish line.

Finally I spotted Kristy nursing a six pack of Corona, signifying that I had hit the finish line. Challenge 1 was complete and it was time to celebrate.

Thanks very much to the Gold Coast 100 organisers and volunteers, including the Miami crew of Marina, Allan and Amanda.

Thanks to Therese and all my friends (mentioned above) who got out there and had a crack on the day.
Thanks to everyone that helped us celebrate afterwards.

So after tomorrow's 160km Brisbane to Noosa ride it's ON ON to Challenge 2, the Gold Coast Marathon on 5th of July.

Oh and if you are looking for a little inspiration check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vrjp2P0GlE