PhD candidate Raùl Goldenberg attempted to run for the entire Relay for Life as a personal challenge - as well as raising funds to fight cancer.

Here's his account of the event, held at CQU Rockhampton over the weekend (May 19-20).

Started at 3pm. Kept to the schedule of running 4 laps and walking 4 laps; drinking every 4 laps and eating every 8. Dale was an absolute champion - he took care of everything for me and pampered me to the extent that I felt totally like a spoilt brat.

At 7pm I was feeling awful and kept thinking how I'd been told there would be ups and downs - this must be a down....

Ryan, Danya and Tim, Cally, Mitch, Bushy and Alecia Stafford all came to walk with me from 8 - 9 and, although I remember all conversations well, they have since assured me that I was totally incoherent. I also received a call from Yvonne, which lifted my spirits - it's very touching to have so much support. Thanks guys.

My left ankle was giving me hell as usual but my left knee was also playing up and I had a pain deep in my lower back that felt like my left kidney was being crushed.

At 9:30 I was ordered by my crew (Chelle; Dale - my new best friend; and Lisa) to lie down and they massaged my feet, legs and back simultaneously. It was awesome but I was in no state to appreciate it - I was just happy to be off my feet for 5 minutes.

I was pulled up off the floor and pushed back out onto the track where I kept up the run/walk until midnight (halfway point). I dropped at their feet again for another 5 minute massage and was pushed back onto the track. At this point I stopped running and resigned myself to walking the rest of the way.

This "low" had lasted over 5 hours and I thought it would never end. After 1 hour of walking (1 am) I felt a little better and decided that I might try to jog one lap at 4am. Then the craziest thing happened - I looked at my watch at 1:49am and commented to Dale that if I ran the next lap, I would have gone 152 laps at 1:52 am. Next thing I knew I was running (nobody was more surprised than me).

I ran a few laps and then back to walking. My knee was absolutely killing me and I could barely put weight on it. The "kidney" pain was now on both sides so I assumed it was just muscular. Dale was limping as much as I but he was single-minded in helping me in every way he could.

My new goal became 211 laps (double marathon). At 7am, they made an announcement over the PA that I was on my 200th lap and every person on and around the track (well in excess of 1000) cheered for me as I went past. I started running again at that point (I'm such a show-pony)

From 4 am onwards I probably ran only 10 more laps - the rest were done walking.

At 9am it was all over and I had completed 222 laps (88.8km). I didn't make my original goal of 100km but I felt pretty good about it anyway.

Today I am walking with the help of crutches as my left ankle is swollen and bruised. Chelle thinks it may be a stress fracture but I'll give it a couple of days to see if it goes down (my left ankle usually aches after 10k).

The only other "injury" was a blister I taped up at 9pm and stupidly took the tape off when I got home - taking all of the skin off my little toe. It looked hideous. I cleaned it and retaped it and I may never take the tape off for the rest of my life...

All up it was an excellent experience. I can't say I enjoyed it but I'm glad I did it.
Without being too self-indulgent I have to make a few thank-yous (I know I haven't won an Oscar or anything but here goes...

Thank you to Dale and Lisa, who were there for me the whole time. I can't express enough how far Dale went to help me. In every way, big and small, he went above and beyond. I'll also mention that he walked and ran more than 30km with me and was in a lot of pain pretty early on but kept going. He has my total respect and gratitude.

To everyone who walked with me and cheered me on; thanks heaps.

Thanks also to everyone in HHP for all the votes of confidence and well-wishes before hand.

Finally to everyone who put 5 cents (and some, considerably more) into the box, to those who made a donation, and for "terrible t-shirt Tuesday" - we have raised over $400. THANK YOU.

When I'm back on my feet I will bring in some cake and we'll have a morning tea to thank you again (I'm thinking early next week).

Have fun,
Raulski.

More Relay for Life news and photos can be found here http://www.uninews.cqu.edu.au/viewStory.do?story=4266 .