Too many people
No, I haven’t written anything about the City to Surf. In part because I didn’t complete my goal of running the entire way - I got a blister 10km in and made the mistake of drinking the Gatorade and had to walk for a bit. To say I’m disappointed is somewhat of an understatement, and I must admit that I’ve considered not writing anything about it at all. But that would be silly. I’d been working towards it for months.
In the end my time was 107:24 and I came in 24,202 out of a field of 63,562. That’s only a minute and a half outside my best time so I must have been motoring along before the blister got me! It’s still the size of a 20 cent piece. I’d done so much running that my trainers had worn and the stitching rubs on the inside of my foot. So this weekend we’re off to spend yet more money on trainers. I reckon Asics owes me some moula - I only bought those shoes about eight months ago!
It was a simply glorious day - clear blue skies and sunshine. And organisers gave out red caps so they could take a photo from space. Unfortunately, it didn’t really work that well, but it was a good idea, and that sea of red was certainly incredible to be a part of.
It was as if the entire run was some weird movie where everything was in fast motion. I don’t remember a lot of it but here’s some things that stuck in my mind:
* How quickly the race got under way once the starting gun went off (somebody told me it would take about 10 minutes to get to the actual start, but it seemed like 10 seconds).
* Running through the tunnel at Kings Cross with thousands of people
* All the men stopping for a pee on the other side of the tunnel! 
* The metal band playing on the awning of the pub in Double Bay
* All the people walking up Heartbreak Hill (something I did NOT do..woohoo!)
* The pain of the 10 km mark (after which it all becomes a bit of a blur)
* The thousands and thousands of people waiting for buses afterwards
* People passing me, and passing me and passing me, and passing me. People everywhere.
But enough about me - let’s hear it for the man of the day - my beloved MIKEY, who managed to cross the finish line in 78:16 and place 8785. Awesome! That’s pretty darned amazing. We loves ya babe.
The best pic I’ve seen is a series of shots that’s been stitched together into a panorama QuickTime shot:
http://www.mediavr.com/citytosurf2006.htm
Wonderful!
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My wife being the mistress of understatement, I thought you would be really interested to know what really happened to her: This was her first major competitive run, she’d never done anything like it before in her life - i also happens to be the second biggest fun run in the world and as experts such as Olympian and race record holder say, the hardest fun run in the world.
She got her blister at about 4km then ran with it for 6km - every serious runner will tell you that your race is over once you get a blister. You don’t want to rupture it for fear of infection and the pain. She then began drinking gatorade - something she has never drunk in training. There is an old adage: never do anything different on race day. The drink caused a massive imbalance in her body and completely messed up her electrolytes; the result was her body basically shut down. Combined these two problems would have been enough to finish 99% of runners. Instead, she took a little walk, found some water at the next drink station, got up and started running again. She only stopped once more - the pain being such she had to, the ran the rest. At the 10km mark she was actually about 6-8 minutes under her best time. As her husband I have never been prouder of her for the sheer courage and guts she showed to sort all this out, get up off the floor and finish the race. As runner, well - I have been running for much of my life - apart from a fat, boozy, smoking, get wasted block of about 15 years - and it is one of the most inspiring stories I’ve heard. Next year we will train harder, a little wiser (I learnt a lot too from this race) and with health I’m sure she’ll smash her best time. Brilliant, babe. Love you, Mike
George, that’s awesome. Mike is right - you did great. I’m so impressed that you ran all the way up Heartbreak Hill. And you ran 6km with a blister and came close to your best time.
Well done to both of you!
George, I would heartily encourage you to go again next year. The only reservation is that I generally avoid recommending something I personally wouldn’t do
Although the panorama shot made fired up my “just try that thing once before you die” instinct.
So go and buy some snazzy new trainers, let your blister heal, then git back on the wagon.
George, you should be proud! It’s a great achievement, especially given the blister & Gatorade problems. I bet you’ll do even better next year
I’m hoping in the near future to be able to walk further than just the local shops (as has been the case for a while now) - can’t imagine doing 14-odd km.
Also, I know it’s super late, but I’d like to wish you the happiest of birthdays! I’m sorry I didn’t get around to ringing on the day (I remembered briefly), but I hope you had a great week of feasting and celebrating.