City 2 Surf Race Report

Long overdue I know, but a bout pre & post race flu has knocked be about, leading to dire neglect of this blog. Apologies.
Preparing for the C2S was like fumbling around in the dark. I had never run the race before, I had nothing to compare the race to, and the unique topography of the course makes predicting a first off time difficult. Heartbreak Hill plays havoc with your times, as does any race that is not flat.
Add to the above the terrifying prospect of a race with 63,500 other runners! After submitting race times I managed to get a prized preferred start just behind the seeded runners. The race starts at a 4 way intersection at Hyde Park and heads hell for leather down the road to a tunnel at Kings Cross before turning left towards the harbourside suburbs and some great views.

In the week preceding the race I filled the equivalent of North Pine Dam with run off from my nose [snot], a 7km cross country on the Wed before, a 12 hour drive to Sydney, and more rivers of the lemon curd to fill half of Sydney harbour.
Having a preferred start saved me from lining up for too long before the start. I was able to warm up in a park before taking my place 15min before the start. I filled a few bins in the park with tissues trying to get as much mucus out of the orifices of my head before the start so that I didn't share it with fellow competitors.

Making my way to the start down Oxford Street was a culture shock. As I'm walking down the road in my running gear ready to flog myself others were pouring out of bars and lining up outside nightclubs [early morning clubs]. I guess both cultures revolve around punishing your body? I would like to think my form of flogging results in good?
Near the start I chanced upon Adro's Army [he of Biggest Loser fame], a group of oversized runners getting ready to take on C2S. Yo respect! At least they were having a crack. Adro has fashioned a faux military uniform with camouflage style hat and T-shirt.

It became clear to me after lining up at the start that staying alive was the first priority of the start. Falling meant certain death, either that, or 60 odd thousand footprints all over your face and torso and barely alive. Once the gun went off the mad dash was on. At one point 50m down the road the bloke behind me stumbled and grabbed onto my right shoulder and started pulling me back. If its you reading this I hope my elbow didn't do too much damage!

Once we reached the tunnel things got a bit more orderly as the hills always sort out the wheat from the chaff. Talking of hills, much of the focus is on Heartbreak Hill, which is aptly named. However, there are more than a few hills on the way to Heartbreak which achieve the same purpose: lactic & terror!

By the time I reached the base of Heartbreak I realised that I was in for a fairly neutral day: not very fast, not too slow, nothing to write home about other than a half decent 56 minute finish and a first C2S under my belt. Now that I have my first under the belt I can plan on a return to avenge my ordinary day and at the very least get in under 55min preferrably further down into the early 50's.

The view from halfways up Heartbreak across the harbour is worth the climb. Once Heartbreak is over its pretty much downhill, and the body needs to adjust to stopping gravity rather than struggling to overcome it. The run down into Bondi is spectacular and even though the finish seems so clos but so far its a great way to end a race.

For a race that has so many competitors the logistics are superb. Not sure my racing calendar next year will fit this race in. I will never drive to Sydney again for a race, that is for sure, its not good for your legs! If I was to choose between Bridge to Brisbane or C2S I think I would go for C2S, just a tad more exciting and beautiful!