Sydney Running Festival

September 2013

The Sydney Running Festival is the only event to remain from the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

For the last two years we've run the 9K Sydney Bridge Run, but this year we went for the Blackmore's Half Marathon.

The runs start under the Harbour Bridge and all end up at the Sydney Opera House, you really couldn't ask for a much prettier course. It was a fabulous experience, and even though I'm a back of the pack runner I still felt really supported by the crowd and fellow runners.

DH finished in a fabulous 93 min, but we discovered what the "front" of the pack runners can miss out on, compared to me who finished in 2 hr 35 min.

1. I got up and close with the wheelchair marathoners, including the fabulous Kurt Fearnley. The first time he came up on the other side was exciting, when he overtook me on the 19k mark (and the 40k mark for him), who knew I would be excited to be over taken?
2. The elite male marathoners came screaming around the 6k mark as I was plodding past the 9k mark, it was a stunning sight
3. Seeing DH at his 20.5 k mark and my 12.5 k mark really lifted me, especially since he wasn't that far off the 90 min pacer so I knew he was going to beat his target (100 min)

My only disappointment is not getting a photo at the finish, with my medal.

I highly recommend this race for the tourist and the local, we will definitely be back for our 4th year next year, who knows maybe even for the full....