Category — Running

Thank you to everyone that supported me in my recent Sydney Harbour Bridge Run. For those of you that didn’t you still have a few more days to go and sponsor me:
http://gofundraise.com.au/gregory-brine

Fingers crossed I can still make that target I was after. And thank you in advance.

I’ve finally gotten round to doing something good for charity. Not that I don’t give money to charity, but more that I actually went out and did something for them. So, I decided to give myself an easy-ish start and did the 10km Sydney’s Run the Bridge as part of Blackmore’s Sydney Marathon Festival.

My training for this event has been sporadic to say the least. Partly because I’m lazy at times and partly because it hurts my knee. A lot! Not at the time, but afterwards it’s a killer! I’ve been looking into it and I have runner’s knee. But, there’s ways to ease it and cure it. Just involves lots of stretches and strengthening of certain muscles - but once again, I go back to my earlier comment: I’m lazy.

I have been walking a lot - I walk the 5km’s to work several times a week - and I have been hitting the gym. The one thing I have been worried about is my love of going out… Hmm… Beer.

But, come the day, I was at the start line in Milson’s point at 8am, ready for the 8.30 start. Unfortunately, I did make one schoolboy error and start too far back. So when the start gun was fired, it took 5 mins to reach the start line. Thankfully, the event was so well organised that we each had a chip on our shoes to record the time for us. I also had my iPod for backup - got to love the iPod + Nike combo. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes walking or running.

The course see you crossing the bridge near the start, then follow the freeway into the city, then round into the Botanical gardens, doing a loop down to Miss Macquaire’s chair and then back up, and looping round into the city, before finishing at the Opera House.

I started ok, but 2k’s in, my knee started to hurt. Annoying as I was on a really good pace. But, I slowed and it eased up. I was still going well though, and managed to speed it up a little. It started hurting again around 6, but never got too bad, but for the last 1.5kms, I ran flat-out. My average pace was 4.37mins/km, but for the last km, it was 3.47mins/km. I’m quite proud of that. I’m not sure I was that fast at school. My total time was 46minutes according to my trusty iPod.
But the run was fun, and it was great seeing so many people out. The weather really helped too, with bright sunshine looking down on us.

And for anyone that didn’t sponsor me, and would still like to, the address for my sponsorship page is on Go Fund Raise. I was running for the Heart Foundation, so please take time to have a look.

And also, a big thank you and well done to the even organisers. They did a brilliant job! And boy was it cool running along such landmark roads!