City to Surf

The City to Surf is one of THE most fun things I've EVER done. YOU SHOULD ALL DO IT!

For the record it started way back in 1971, but this year was my third or fourth time. I joined more than 70 000 people in the annual 14km Sydney race, which has become the largest timed running race in Australia. The course starts in four groups. We were in the "Back of the Pack" group which is for anyone walking, using a wheelchair or pushing child strollers - or if, like me and my friend Kimmy, for anyone who hasn't done it in a few years.

The route starts at Sydney's Hyde Park in the centre of the CBD and winds through some of Sydney's most exclusive suburbs of Kings Cross, Rushcutters Bay, Double Bay, Rose Bay, Vaucluse, Dover Heights and ends up with a killer run all the way along Campbell Parade does a u-ey to then make you go ALL THE WAY BACK DOWN AGAIN onto Bondi Beach to the finish line. The most difficult part of the course is "Heartbreak Hill" at the halfway mark, a 2km long steep ascent from Rose Bay to Vauclase along New South Head Road. According to Kimmy though it was a breeze and said she didn't know what all the fuss was about. (show off)

The course record is 40:03, set by Steve Moneghetti in 1991. The women's record is 45:08 minutes, set by Susie Power in 2001. Amazingly, Kim and I came very close to breaking the women's record with our time of 84 minutes and 24 seconds. We were happy with that.

Non-Australian athletes have typically won the race in recent years, including repeat winners Laban Chege (1999-2000), Patrick Nyangelo Lusato (2003-2005), and Dickson Marwa (2006-2007). This year, Martin Dent became the first Australian winner since Lee Troop in 1997. Both Marwa and Nyangelo were instead competing in the 2008 Olympics. (thank god)

But the best part is the energy you get from all the other competitors. From the moment you arrive at Hyde Park for assemby in the freezing cold early that morning, everyone is jumping around and being excited little jumping beans. We all take our warm clothes off and throw them up into the trees for the charities to collect afterwards and you can feel the excitement. It's an absolute bun rush at the start and you usually end up walking / shuffling for the first 10 minutes. Then it's elbows out, push over the grannies and mums with strollers to get ahead, knowing full well that they're doing the same to you in the mass surge to weave through each other and get into some open space for the race.

Everyone's lawns and the nature strips get trampled as people tend to spread out. Heaven forbid you leave your car parked out on the street on race day... they're fair game. Loads of amateur bands performe along the suburban roads, on pub rooves and in open garages. Everyone is out on their apartment balconies and front lawns getting pissed, with BBQs going and you run through hazes of sausages, steak and of course barbequed onion smells which hang in the air. The non-runners do like to punish the fit idiots.

Everyone is blowing those big plastic horns you get at the footy and the best sports of all get dressed up in novelty themed costumes. It's not unsual to see a horse, a lifesaver, a gorilla or even superman fly past you en route. God knows how they do it with all that extra weight and body paint.

The end is a great and overwhelming thing and it's Gaterade all round. Bondi Beach is humming with people - competitors and hungover locals just down to look on for a bit of a laugh while they order their full fry ups in the cafes lining the streets. Kim and I had been training so we didn't feel the pain too much... and we crossed the line together with our arms punching the air. Oh YEH! :-D

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