City2Surf is an iconic race in Sydney 14kms from the City to the famous Bondi Beach and has been held since 1971. Over 60,000 runners enter the event, so it is a pretty busy event and you spend alot of time running around people. People dress up in all sorts of outfits (there were some dressed up as helicopters and there was a blue man group), and there is plenty of entertainment and laughs along the way. There are plenty of water and bathroom stops also along the route. Along the route is the infamous Heartbreak Hill, which is not pleasant but is not as bad as it sounds!! The views at Bondi Beach are definitely worth it!

Packet pick up was held with an expo in the Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park. Your entry fee is just for the race bib, there is no shirt included in this event. There is plenty of City2Surf merchandise available to purchase at the expo. It is a fairly large expo, with competitions, and plenty of running shoes, clothing and accessories to purchase. At the expo I picked up my yellow and red shoes laces, with the money going to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

The start of the run is near Hyde Park and there are plenty of hotels around if you are from out of town but I would suggest booking early. At the end of the run there are plenty of buses to take you back to the City. There are so many people running in this event and lots of road closures, public transport is a must. There are plenty of buses and trains into the City and they stop quite close to the start line. Public transport is included in your entry, you just need to show you bib or medal - so no need to carry extra money.

At the finishing line you collect your medal and arrive at the iconic Bondi Beach! There is plenty of food options setup as well as sponsors tent. There is also plenty of cafes and other eating options along the water at Bondi Beach.

Overall this event is a pretty tough course but it has a great atmosphere and lots of laughs. Arriving at Bondi Beach on a nice day is definitely a great reward!!

I ran the 10.3km event in the Winery Running Festival on July 20, 2014. This is a great event that has something for every runner no matter what your ability is. There is a 2km for the kids, 5km, 10.3km, half marathon, full marathon and a 52.5km ultra marathon. This isn't a big event like some running festivals out there, the cut off is around 3,500 runners but the scenery is great and so much fun.

You can collect your race pack the day before the event but I chose to collect mine on the morning of the event. I arrived a bit early because I was worried about parking and collecting my pack, but collection took no time at all and was flawless. I collected my race bib and free t-shirt and headed to the start line. The start area had the usual running vendors and a few food vendors. There is a hill towards the start that is somewhat challenging but then you rewarded with a downhill run through the wineries!! The scenery for this event is beautiful through the hills and wineries of the Hunter Valley. After crossing the finish line you get a pretty cool medal to add to the collection.

Overall this was a great event and well organised. I would definitely recommend the event and I am looking forward to trying the half marathon next time!!