City to Surf - RunOther

This was my first City2Surf but I've wanted to do it every year since I moved to Perth 7 years ago. Pregnancy, PND, illness and my lovely Dad dying stymied me and for the last 18 months, I've been rehabilitating a trochonteric bursitis and haven't been able to run more than a few km. With that now sorted (touches wood), I've been building up my base over the last couple of months towards this race, so it was a big deal for me.

40000 people took part in this event (there's a marathon, half-marathon, 4km run/walk as well) and it's the biggest race, per head of population, in the world. It didn't dissappoint - the atmosphere was brilliant. Lots of people were watching and cheering us on, kids were lining up to high five runners and some were handing out chocolate frogs. As we turned into Hay St, all I could see, right up to the horizon, were thousands of people running and I had a big lump in my throat.

Favourite things of the day include the father and daughter dressed up as identical fairies, the hairdressers with beautiful coifs and t-shirts saying "don't run with scissors" and the three lads taking it in turn to push their mate in a wheelchair. That and running past blokes half my age who were walking up the hills :-)

Nothing really, I prepared as much as I could since my hip has healed. Have money on me so that I could have something to eat - it took over an hour to get my bag back and all I had was my free apple and Powerade.

A few stretches and wandering around the tents at the end, then sitting reading my free Sunday Times while waiting for the bags to arrive and be sorted out. Then back on the train and the boys picked me up for a big lunch.


Lack of natural talent mostly and having very short legs.


The organisation of the race was fantastic, getting 40000 people into the CBD and back home again is no mean feat. All public transport to and from the race was free, with lots of extra trains and there were free shuttle buses from the finish off the race back to the start. A huge number of buses had been laid on so didn't have to wait long even though the queue was enormous. Getting my bag back took ages but I was prepared for that and I don't really see how this can be done quicker, although there was a lot of unnecessary complaining about it. Most runners just mucked in and helped sort the bags while I saw others going around picking up litter while they were waiting or lending their mobile phones. Great event. Next year the half-marathon I hope.