City2Surf: A How-to Guide

City2Surf

If you live in Sydney, chances are high that you’re familiar with City2Surf. This 14km race is billed as the world’s largest ‘fun run’, with nearly 80,000 participants entering each year. Held every August, the race starts in the city, close to Town Hall, and then winds through Rushcutters Bay, Vaucluse, Double Bay and the eastern suburbs, North Bondi, and then ends on Bondi Beach. It attracts all sorts, from serious athletes, moms with strollers, fun runners, and those in crazy costumes, raising money for charity.  I’ve done it a few years, and it’s also a lot of fun and a great way to get active, and always a bit of an adventure, for various reasons.

However, this year I completely was not prepared. It went something like this:

May– Decide to enter this year’s race and get serious again about training. After running a half marathon about two years ago, it’s safe to say I lost my running mojo, and have been trying to find it ever since.

I register approximately six hours before the early-bird discount ends, because the race is owned by Fairfax and is not cheap.

Race – 2 weeks– Realise I have done no training and it’s already August. Oops. This is going to be bad.

Race – 1 week– Realise the friend I am running with has also done no training (albeit due to injury, not laziness). Massive sigh of relief. Decide to both walk and forego the ‘running’ component of this run.

Race – 12 hours– Have a giant pesto pasta. Carb loading is still a thing, even if you’re walking, right? Set alarm, or three alarms, because the race is an early start. I am a morning person anyway, but one can never be too careful.

Race day

4:00am– Wake up for no reason

5:15 am– Wake up for no reason

6:00am– Wake up half an hour before alarm, just give in and get out of bed already.

7:00am– Throw on some athletic gear, grab some mandarins, and head out the door. Head across the street to grab a coffee. Not usually a coffee person, but sometimes I can’t resist. Am the first person in the cafe. Not sure they are open but they seemed willing to make a flat white anyway, so I go with it. A news reporter from the nearby Channel 9 studio walks in, perfectly put together. Wonder how anyone can make the effort to look that good at 7am on a Sunday morning.

7:15am– Hop on the train and into the city. It is, of course, completely packed with runners. The train literally smells of sweat and anticipation. Or, at least sweat. The man in the seat next to me decides now is the perfect time to change his phone ring tone, and plays through all the ring options, completely oblivious that this is not what you do on a crowded train.

7:20am– Reach Milsons Point station, where a man gets on, barefoot, race number in hand, and looks not quite with it. As he proceeds to put his shoes on, the abhorrent stinky shoe smell of death quickly permeates the carriage, to the point where those around him look visibly offended. He takes his race number out of the envelope and complains loudly that no safety pins are included. (Safety pins are never included.) In an act of kindness, I offer him some of my spares. Three other people sitting near me then also ask to ‘borrow’ them. Extra safety pins are a great way to make new friends.

7:45am– Arrive at Town Hall station, find friends. Was able to snag an extra number from a friend no longer able to run, and passed it over to an American friend. She had to do the race wearing a bib with someone else’s name, but it worked. There are now three of us, ready to tackle the day.

And we’re off

8:30am– Our race group starts. Packed like sardines on Elizabeth Street, we are in the back of the pack. Once we get going, we remember back to May and our original plan to run. As we are walkers in a running group, it is a bit like the Bulls of Pamplona, and we quickly make our way to the gutters to avoid getting trampled. I curse at my unfit present self for letting down my enthusiastic May self. Mental note for next year, do more running.

8:30am-11am– The race is a whirlwind of YMCA dancers, Heartbreak Hill, a runner dressed in full Borat mankini (no idea how one can run in that and keep everything ‘in tact’), and 80,000 of my closest friends. A good time had by all. We reach the sight of the finish line and consider giving it one last hurrah and sprinting to the finish line, but, why start now.

11:00am– Collect medal, collapse on the grass, start planning rehydration strategy.

11:00 am-7 pm– Beer, food, sunshine, repeat. If you have ever been to Bondi after the race, it’s probably the most hectic thing you’ve ever seen. Expect a jubilant atmosphere, crowds, and an extraordinarily long line to get the shuttle bus back up to Bondi station.

7pm– Get Uber home, head to bed. Another City2Surf for the books.

Looking for more great events to try in Sydney? Why not try out ocean swimming-it’s an awesome summer sport- there are plenty of great ocean pools to train in too.