The SMH Half Marathon was on 17 May 2015 and is the first major race on the Sydney's racing calendar. It is well represented with runners of all abilities from first timers having a go at the distance and experienced runners trying to beat their best at this challenging course.

This was my fifth successive SMH half marathon and the race never seems to get easier. The race route is challenging with several undulating hills and just when you think you are done and almost at the finish you are faced with a short climb which tests your physical and mental grit. I finished the race in 1:39 which was two minutes slower than my best time at the event.

Thumbs up:
Early start: The race has an early start of 6.45 am start which is great. You can be done with the race and be having breakfast or brunch. The weather on Sunday contributed to ideal racing conditions, cold (about 15 C/59F at race start). It was a tad bit cold for me and I wished I wore my gloves during the race. I had cold fingers throughout which was uncomfortable.

Relay option: The race includes a relay option where teams of two complete a 7k and 14k relay section. Great option for runners not quite to running a half marathon or runners who just want to have a go at something different.

Great race setup and organisation: The race is organised by Fairfax which organises several of the major races in Australia. The race start/finish is in central Sydney with easy access by public transport. Bag drop was quick and easy. Hydration points were available at the start stocked with both water and sports drinks.

Race route: The route circumnavigates the Sydney CBD taking runners through some of the major sights such as Circular Quay, Pyrmont, Rocks, Darling harbour and Domain. The race certainly isn't flat and includes a number of short, sharp hills. The fastest section of the route is approximately the first 2km which includes several downhill sections. My goal was to run a fast early section to include some buffer for the hilly sections.

Medal: All runners received a finisher's medal. The medal is impressive which highlights the Sydney City's skyline (attached photo)

Areas for improvement:

Sports drinks: Hydralyte was the sports drinks provided during the race. Personally I felt the organisers dropped the ball on the selection of sports drinks for the event. The drink was too salty to be consumed during a run. It seemed a more appropriate choice for a post race hydration drink. Fortunately it was a cold day so I managed to rely only on water for hydration during the race.

Race T shirt: There was no finisher's T shirt for the event. Runners could buy an event T-shirt at the expo. A number of races internationally include finisher's T-shirts as standard even for non marathon races. Sydney is a city with a number of prominent racing events attracting runners from all over Australia and internationally. I hope this practice catches on in Sydney soon.

Overall, it is a great race in preparation for the upcoming racing season in Australia. It has some awesome sights and views along the route with some good hills to test your fitness. Definitely will be back again next year.