So race 2 out of 3 is over for this year, the famous City2Surf. So how did I go? Well, not quite as well as I’d hoped. I finished the race in 65:07, a few minutes of top of the 62 minutes I was hoping for, but still almost 30 seconds quicker than my old time from when I was 16, so I guess that’s nothing to be ashamed of

Admittedly, I’m a little disappointed, but I understand the time, since I spent so much bloody time during the race trying to duck and weave past much slower runners and walkers. The first 300 metres at the start I had to physically shove my way past some oldies who for some reason decided they should be right at the front of the pack (I was in the HSBC group). A sentiment that I heard from quite a few people over at the Cool Running forums.

Also I felt pretty crap most of Saturday after having a few birthday drinks on Friday night, so that’s a lesson learnt for next year

But my time does qualify me for the faster A1 group next year (runners who completed the race in under 75 minutes), so that does make me happy. I think starting in that pack will have me finishing much closer, if not under 60 minutes. Plenty of time to train until then, so I don’t think its that unreasonable a goal, considering this time last year I had a hard time walking up hills without breaking a sweat. Really dreaming, I’d like to get down to the 55 minute mark, but that’s real dreamtime stuff, which perhaps I can work towards.

So next month I’ll be doing the Sydney Bridge Run which is a 10 kilometre run. If I stay away from alcohol and keep up with the running, I should be able to knock that over in under 45 minutes. Its a flatter run that C2S as well, so I should be able to keep up a faster pace. I’m really psyched for that one!

So on Sunday I entered my first fun run in 13 years. The last one I was in was the City 2 Surf back in 1993. Sunday’s race was the 7 kilometre Bay Run, around Iron Cove, which is surrounded by Leichart, Five Dock and Rozelle amongst other suburbs. I got up nice and early for the race, 6am.. ergh. Rozie even came with me. I was really appreciative of the support since I know how much she loves sleeping in.

After registering, I was given an ankle tag and my racing bib. I spent some time, like others jogging up and down a bit to warm up. About 10 minutes before the race was a “professional” warmup, which involved lots of jogging on the stop and punching the air, kind of what I remember doing at school. It must have been the same for the other runners since half the place was in hysterics.

A few minutes after that, the race was on.

Most people made a pretty mad dash at the start, but I kept it safe and went with a comfortable pace. I found myself overtaking people pretty quickly and getting into a nice groove. After probably the 2nd kilometre, things were pretty static in terms of placing. But by about the fifth, people who’d been infront of me for a while dropped back and I found myself overtaking quite a few people. In the last 750 metres I managed to get past two little pipsqueaks who were probably about 10/11 years old. Little buggers!

So I ended up finishing the 7.05km course in 30:39. That was just under my aim of 31 minutes (although I would’ve been happier with under 30). That’s a goal for next year though. I ended up place 127th out of a field of 770 men and women, 32nd out of 99 in the 16-29 year old males and 111th out of 457 males runners.

Overall I’m pretty stoked with how I went. I’ll definitely be back for it next year and hoping to bust through the 30 minute barrier.

Coming up two weeks time is the City 2 Surf, which I’m hoping to do under 65:30 (my previous time) and after that, the Sydney Bridge run, which is approximately 10 kilometres.