From Heart Surgery to Heartbreak Hill: My City2Surf Story

The short version of this blog is that I made it through the 14km City2Surf without stopping and beat last year’s time by 45 minutes. I’m so proud and have only just taken my medal off today. Here’s the blow by blow…

After months of anticipation, my husband Adam and I drove to Sydney last Saturday afternoon. We checked into Hotel Bondi, an absolutely incredible old hotel right on Bondi Beach. The location was perfect, and when we walked into our room around 8 pm, we were thrilled by how quiet it was. We figured we were in for a great night’s sleep—just what we needed before the big day.

But by 10 pm, the night took an unexpected turn. The nightclub in the building kicked off, and even with earplugs, the thumping bass was relentless. We should have taken the hint when we saw the sign in our room offering free earplugs 😅. Despite trying my hardest to sleep through the noise, I managed about 6 hours of sleep, while poor Adam only got about 4. Not exactly the ideal prep for a 14km walk and a race I’d been preparing for over the last six months.

Despite the rough night, Sunday morning kicked off with a classic pre-race breakfast: bacon and egg rolls, specially made at Betty's Burgers, and a wonderful coffee from Maccas, as you do. I also had a hydrolyte with a litre of water. After fuelling up, we had to walk 800 metres to catch the bus directly from Bondi to Sydney city.

As the bus pulled up in the city, a small worry nagged at the back of my mind. Having already covered at least a kilometre to get breakfast and catch the bus, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was burning through the energy I’d need for the 14 kilometres ahead. Plus, I knew I’d still have to walk back to the car and get through the rest of the day afterward.

To conserve as much energy as possible, we patiently waited at the start line, sitting on a park bench, soaking in the atmosphere as the festivities unfolded around us. Watching everyone line up and get ready, the excitement was palpable. Our wave was set to go at 9:34 am, and as the time approached, we wandered over to the start line, nerves and excitement mingling together.

This year, I was determined not to repeat the mistakes of last year. I had a plan, and I was going to stick to it. My strategy was simple: slow and steady finishes the race. As we took off down the hill past the start line with tens of thousands of other participants, I kept my excitement in check and focused on my pace—slow and steady.

When we hit the first hill, we slowed down even more. I kept a close eye on my heart rate, and as soon as it started creeping over 130 beats per minute, we backed off. We maintained a very slow pace, especially on the hills. The goal was to make it 7.5 km to the end of Heartbreak Hill, then reassess. If I had enough energy in reserve, I’d pick up the pace.

Last year, by the time I reached Heartbreak Hill, I had already used up all my energy. Climbing that hill felt impossible, and from there, Adam practically dragged me through the remaining 7 km. This year, I was determined to have something left in the tank to finish strong.

One of the things that makes City2Surf so special is the incredible atmosphere. There's live entertainment about every kilometre, whether it’s a live band or a DJ, and the energy is infectious. The festivities, the fun, and the people dressed in all sorts of creative costumes make the event feel like one big day party. Even though I was focused on my slow and steady pace, it was impossible not to get swept up in the joy of it all. The vibe was electric, and it made the entire experience so much fun.

By the time I reached Heartbreak Hill, around the six-and-a-half-kilometre mark, I was feeling pretty good and steady. Confidence surged as I realised I could tackle it without stopping. Last year, Heartbreak Hill had been a nightmare—I stopped multiple times, my heart rate kept spiking, and I struggled to bring it back down. It was incredibly stressful.

This time, I had a different plan. I took the outer route along the sides and slowly plotted my way up, determined not to stop. Step by step, I made my way to the top without a single pause. When I finally reached the summit, I was ecstatic. The biggest hurdle of the race was behind me, and I’d nailed it exactly as I’d planned. The thrill of conquering Heartbreak Hill gave me a huge boost of energy and excitement for the rest of the race.

As soon as I finished celebrating our victory over Heartbreak Hill, I went straight for the snacks. I had my banana and continued sipping on electrolytes as we kept moving. With that extra energy in reserve, I decided to pick up the pace a bit. I had done so well up to that point, and I felt confident that we could keep going strong. We increased our overall pace, though I still slowed down at the slightest incline to keep my heart rate in check. But now, there was a sense of momentum—one that carried me forward with renewed energy.

As we reached the last three kilometres of the race, I realised I still had a fair amount of energy left. I was determined to hit my goal of three hours, but my pace would need to pick up even more to achieve it. So I really focused: on the downhills, I pushed myself into brisk walking, making the most of gravity. On the uphills, I still had to slow down, being mindful of my heart rate to ensure it didn’t spike and drain my energy.

With that rhythm—slow up the hills and fast down the hills—I made it to the final hundred metres, and we were looking great for the three-hour mark. I even had enough energy left for a strong finish. I handed my jumper and phone to Adam, who recorded me jogging across the last stretch. Crossing the finish line was a moment of pure elation (and relief). I was ecstatic with how the race went, and we came in at 2 hours and 58 minutes, just under my goal.

While I was 15 minutes slower than my first City2Surf in 2017, I am thrilled to be 45 minutes faster than last year. It was a huge improvement and a testament to the hard work and strategy that had paid off. The key to my success this year was the six months of dedicated training. I focused on strength and conditioning through Pilates, tackled uphill training by hiking, and regularly walked to build endurance and get used to longer distances. All of this preparation contributed to a fantastic result and made the journey worthwhile.

Another big change was my nutritional intake. I optimised my diet for energy and cutting out alcohol. These adjustments made a huge difference. I also have to say that having someone with me was crucial. If something went wrong during the 14 kilometres, I needed someone there to help. A massive thanks goes to Adam for being by my side. Having run a marathon just a month earlier, he was incredibly fit, and his patience and kindness in supporting me through this challenge meant the world to me.

I’m already eyeing off the next challenge. Yesterday I saw a physiologist, and we are working on a new fitness plan. My GP will be pleased; she’s always asking me if I’m exercising, and now I can say an emphatic YES. I know that City2Surf is a fun run for most people, but for me, it’s a real challenge, and I couldn’t be prouder. I’ll never be an Olympian or marathon runner (or even a half-marathon runner), so the medal I get from this means so much.

What’s your City2Surf race?

P.S.

Adulting Well was started to give people, just like you, more knowledge so you could make the best choices possible – even with chronic illness.

• The doors are open to the Adulting Well at WORK mini-course – get your work-health balance back now!
• Get practical tips and stories that resonate straight to your inbox here.
• Discover 5 simple and actionable steps you can do to get on top of your finances, even when you have chronic illness, in this FREE ebook.