I had to hoof it over to downtown Coogee, about a mile away, to catch a bus to the city. There were already loads of runners waiting and standing room only the first empty bus that was there just to collect us. Mike challenged me to talk to as many people as my dad would, if he were running in this race, but I'm sorry to say I didn't make it much past 3 of the other 84,999 persons.
We were broken into about 5 different starting groups with different start times and the blue group stood in a drizzle for a while, but not long - it cleared up perfectly and at 8:30AM, we were off. I know I complained about the lack of a free t-shirt, but they do know how to smoothly set 85,000 persons loose on a race from the city to the surf. Lots of bands and views along the way and having the kilometers marked, rather than the miles, makes you feel like you're Mary Decker-Slaney! About the kilometer 6 is a LONG uphill nicknamed Heartbreak Hill, which had encouraging sponsorship signs all along the way from RSVP, an online dating company in Sydney.
We had a vague plan, depending on weather, to meet up after the race at Bondi, the finish line. I waited and waited in the designated meeting place and finally gave up and went in search of the bus home. I missed the U-turn on the promenade and as I figured out my mistake, I turned and looked down on the beach. In the midst of ALL those people, there are the Conlins (and the camera :-)) strolling along in the opposite direction. They've been wandering the race scene trying to find the meeting place, to no avail.
Race Scene
Wandering to No Avail
Seriously, we cannot believe we saw each other, but here's the proof (something similar happened in May at the Pittsburgh Marathon with my cousin and sisters who I had NO hope of finding - good thing I wore the Pittsburgh shirt, right?). At the reunion, Mr. Charlie asked me how many days it took me to run. Maybe he meant seconds?
Thousands and thousands of people line up to take the buses back from where ever they came from. Standing room only again - and very, very smelly!
In one of my conversations with a stranger, the guy asked me if I came to Sydney just to run the race. Um, no, but I'd think about it next year. Who's with me!?
4 comments:
Way to go Stacy! How amazing you were actually able to find Mike and kids in that mass of humanity. And who needs a shirt when you get a red ribbon medal...
It was amazing to find them, we're still talking about it. And, I'm pretty sure the it's real medal on the end of the red ribbon too. Did I mention the only refreshments were water and Gatorade? I wonder why sponsorship hasn't gotten big here? Maybe it doesn't pay?
Hmmm, City2surf with 84999 other people, no stinkin' shirt and water and gatorade, OR
the Baker's dozen beer run, an intimate half marathon (under 500 registered so far)for 15$ that will get you a "T-Shirt, Beer, Donut, bananas, water, stretching & cool down music."
Come to think of it, maybe giving 85000 Aussies beer would not be a good thing....
Glad you had a great time (it was a "sub-1 day" for you, right) in the largest road race ever!
are you doin' the beer run?! i've got my eye on the Sydney half marathon, where you get to run across the bridge...
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