Runners Can See Perth in City to Surf Style

It’s not my cup of tea to head off on a trip somewhere, jogging shoes in my bag, ready to run for far too long and feel exhausted at the end (in other words, to compete in any kind of running race) – but I’ve heard that lots of people love to do so. And that’s why I’m recommending a visit to Perth in late August to coincide with the City to Surf fun run.

Undoubtedly the most famous fun run in Perth – in a city with a climate perfect for outdoor events like fun runs – the City to Surf has been running (excuse the pun) longer than I can remember and it gets bigger and better every year – with all money raised going to a good cause. In 2010 the races will take place on August 29 and you can now choose from a full marathon, a half marathon, the traditional 12km fun run, a 12km walk, an 11km wheelchair race and the easiest of them all, a 4km walk or run. The 12km route is the one that runs the well-known track from the city centre down to the beach at City Beach – although down is not quite the word as there are a few nasty hills along the way!

Whether or not you decide to take part in the City to Surf if you’re in Perth on the day, you will undoubtedly stumble across it at some stage. Numerous roads are closed and last year I spent three hours driving detours to reach a friend’s house – she happened to live on the other side of all the race courses to me and it was nearly impossible to get around them! Much better to actually get involved – check the Activ City to Surf website for details and you can either register for a race or sign up as a volunteer – or at least know where in Perth to go to get a good vantage point on the day.

[Pics: City courtesy of Jay-Oh and Surf courtesy of Mart Moppel]