Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel...

...that you, too, can become great (Mark Twain)

City to Surf 12km run (cross-training/competing)
Sunday 31st August, 2008

This is my favourite ‘community’ event of the year and since becoming a cyclist I have been advised against entering. But because of the current ‘off-season’ situation and needing to take a few weeks break from competitive cycling, Andrew said that it wouldn’t be a bad thing to do (NB: kids do not try this at home).

My running training for this event over the last two years has consisted of short sprints to the port-a-potty prior to cycling race starts, running from the car park into the grocery store at closing time and after the dogs at the park…you get the idea. A few of my friends (inc Matt- pictured here) were entered and most of us were a part of the Flight Centre team.

I was impressed that someone at the Good Sammys (clothing recycling store) has been thinking and the competitors wore their old, warm clothes to the start line. Just before the start they could whip them off and then donate them in the Good Sammy’s bin. I took along a woolen number of Luke’s from a few seasons ago.

The usual jostling for start positions occurred- which is redundant amongst 37 000 people unless you are actually in the hunt for a final placing. The individual timing transponders are not activated until you go through the start banner, so seeding yourself too high only serves to create a hazard when reverse gear is located up the first hill, less than 1 km into the race. The first 6kms involves weeding out most of these hazardous punters. Sometimes there is a warning, like the (I am putting way too much stress on my heart) heavy breathers or the swayers (unable to run in a straight line/pick up ones feet). But often there is nothing and before you know it, the person you are pacing behind has put on their brakes.

For me, the second half of the race is about targeting people (usually any random women in distinctive clothing 100m or so in front). I was being very conscious of not pushing myself as an injury would not be good at this stage. So I was chatting to people around me and waving back at the spectators on the side of the roads- keeping a eye on the lady in the bright pink running dress and the tall girl in the yellow top further down the road.

We came to the final uphill, it is quite a long drag and I remember motivating Meghan (pictured)last time we raced with something to the affect of “walking is not an option, toughen up”. Mrs Pink Dress and Miss Yellow Top had taken the walking option about ¾ up the hill, shame. The final km came and I was hopeful for a sprint opponent…Miss Pink Tank-top appeared, weaving her way through all of the runners. Unfortunately she started her final run too early and ran out of gas well before the line, but a good effort nonetheless.

I found Andrew (coach) and Jane (Andrew’s wife) after the finish line to confirm that no permanent injuries had been sustained. Flight Centre had arranged a joy team breakfast and massage at a Restaurant across the road, good deal. I will wait for the final times to be posted, but assume, like every year, it will be about 1 hour.