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Most of us have had one of those sessions where we strive to stay out in the water for as long as we can. Eventually we come stumbling in with cement arms, fried eyeballs and rashes around the nether regions that your partner should never see. However, 40-year-old, former pro surfer Blake Johnston has decided to take the idea of an ultra-marathon surf to an extreme place with his world’s longest surf session challenge.
At two a.m. in the morning on March 16, the father of two who runs a surf school, will paddle out into an inky-black ocean at ‘The Alley’ in Cronulla. His bold aim will be to ride 500 waves in the space of 40 hrs. That’s a little over 12 waves an hour, or a wave every five minutes until the clock hits 6.p.m on Friday evening. The immediate question that comes to mind is, ‘Why do it’? Blake is quick to answer. “I feel a responsibility to sort of live and challenge myself as best as I can so other people can say that they can run a business be a dad and still do some pretty amazing stuff.”
It’s not the first time Blake has set himself a monumental physical challenge. Just for the fun of it he ran a marathon in bare feet with no food, water or supplements. Another time he completed an ultra-marathon in the Royal National Park with nothing but a couple of bananas and Aussie bush to keep him company. However, these were quieter, personal crusades designed to cultivate a sense of achievement and well-being without attracting too much attention. This time Blake has turned his quest into a public event that is aimed at inspiring others to seek their own challenges.
“We get so much growth when we actually take it to the next level, it doesn’t have to be a 40 hour surf or run, or whatever, it could just be doing a little bit more to show your vulnerability and make life interesting.”
So how will Blake cope when it’s two in the morning, he’s 24hrs in; his retinas are burning and his balls are chafed and his brain is thinking about a warm bed and a soft pillow? Working in the surf school means Blake is already accustomed to being in the water for up to six hours a day, however he feels the real training base will come from his past endeavours. “The strength I’ve found from my past challenges, you know they do things to you I never would have thought about as a surfer… Running 100km’s that’s more of a mental battle than a physical one. So to be able to know the ups and downs, get through those waves in your emotions and knowing that I’m in my zone, I’m at home in Cronulla, I’m out in the ocean where I spend more time than 99.9% of the population. I’m going to be okay. I’m confident I can do this.”
As Blake clocks up the snaps and cutbacks, there will be a giant wave-counter on the beach ticking over like a scoreboard in a slow test match. While floodlights will be used to lend assistance during those long, pitch-black hours, Blake hopes his main source of support will be his mates and other surfers. He is encouraging people to come down to Cronulla and take part by catching a few waves with him; a kind of continuous pit crew of surfers paddling out to keep him company and offer a distraction from the daunting task. “A big part of mental health is community you know, having that engagement and feeling a part of something,” offers Blake. “So I’d love as many people as we can out in the water together. It’s definitely not just about me, it’s about bringing the community together.”
To broaden the event’s scope there will be ice baths on the beach to dunk yourself in and breath work seminars for people to participate in. Part of Blake’s goal is to make practises like meditation and breath work more normalised. His argument is that if they can help a red-bearded, father of two who runs a surf school then surely they can have practical advantages for others. “It’s simple and beneficial to start with things like breath work and breath holding techniques and gratitude lists and daily routines that we can implement in people’s lives. They can make a huge difference and it’s becoming more and more mainstream. Those things are easy to access for everyone.”
The current record is held by South African, Josh Enslin. Back in 2015 he caught waves for thirty hours and eleven minutes straight, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa . While Blake has been more of a solo Spartan in his past quests, this time he’s reached out to others to help ensure he can get the job done.
“I met with a dietician last week, and we’re gonna run through what my diet allows for us to be able to bring in the most energy we can get out so I can still be doing turns 20-30 hours – 40 hours deep.”
Last year Nedd Brockman captured the popular imagination when he ran across Australia. Likewise, iron-woman Bonnie Hancock earned acclaim for paddling around Australia in 254 days. Catching and riding waves saps more energy than just about any activity. If Blake Johnston pulls off his 500 wave challenge it will be one of the greatest feats of human endurance in history. All he has to do is use those famous surfing words 499 times over 40 hours. “Just one more Blake. Just one more.”
HOW WILL THE FUNDS RAISED BY BLAKE’S 500 WAVES BE PUT TO WORK?
Blake is passionate about supporting action-based initiatives on youth mental health that go beyond awareness and instead aim to provide tools for people to use to help manage their mental health issues.
The funds raised will be donated to the Chumpy Pullin Foundation, which sights mental health as one of its key pillars.
The Chumpy Pullin foundation will then use these funds to partner with established mental health charities and programs to deliver a roadshow to schools, boardriders clubs and community groups. Using a program tailored around Blake’s own journey and what drives his personal challenges, they will provide young people with knowledge and tools that help them achieve positive mental health outcomes.
