It’s the annual road race from Hyde Park in Sydney’s CBD to the iconic Bondi Beach, attracting tens of thousands of people from all walks of life. The Sun-Herald City2Surf is truly a community event, bringing together serious runners competing to break a previous time, casual walkers looking to have a good time and everyone in between.
So, whether you’re aiming for a “personal best”, raising money for charity or simply enjoying a spot of exercise with friends, here are 14 tips — one for every kilometre of the course — for when participating on Sunday 11th August, 2013:
For energy, eat plenty of carb-rich foods like rice and pasta the night before the City2Surf. On the Sunday morning, make sure you have breakfast at least two-to-three hours prior to the race.- If your running shoes are new, make sure you do a few kilometres before race day to break them in– blisters are not fun! Pedometers are ideal for tracking how many kays you rack up.
- Check out Harvey Norman and its range of fitness equipment, whether you’re into running, or even cycling, golf, swimming and water sports.
- Get lots of rest and plenty of sleep the day before. Don’t forget to set the alarm clock, Sleepyhead.
- Even though it’s winter, make sure you wear a hat, sunnies and sunscreen.
- Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water the day and night before the race. However, don’t drink too much in the hour or two before the race starts.
- Go to the – ahem! – toilet BEFORE the race. You do NOT want nature calling in the middle of a race amongst thousands of people.
- Fifteen minutes before the start of the race, warm up your muscles. Go for a little jog to get the blood flowing before you stretch.
- Set a goal, whether it’s beating a previous time (sports and running watches keep tabs on performance) or simply finishing the course.
- Run your own race and pace yourself, regardless of how fast or slow others around you are going. Don’t go too hard early on and run out of puff — or worse, injure yourself — before the finish line.
- Stay positive and focussed; an inspirational playlist on your iPod can help you get through the mental “wall”. The classic ‘80s song Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor is an automatic inclusion.
- Don’t burn yourself out before the halfway mark and the infamous Heartbreak Hill, from Rose Bay to Vaucluse, which continues for two kilometres. Heart rate monitors are a convenient way of keeping an eye on your vital stats.
- Be sure to warm down and stretch after the race – this reduces the risk of muscular soreness.
- Most importantly, have a great time! Enjoy the sense of community, the spectacular views of Sydney, the feeling of achievement… It is a “fun run”, after all.