So I'm under the illusion that I can do the City To Surf this year in an average time (two hours). Not being terribly fit, I'll be the first to admit that I need to spend some time on my health so I won't end up too overweight. As such, I've embarked on a semi-insane program of walking a sizeable distance three times a week so I don't choke and die ten minutes into the aforementioned half-marathon later this year. I've already started on this nefarious plan, thanks largely to prodding from Ray to get started. I walk from home in Marsfield down to West Ryde - about 5.5kms (thats 3.4 miles for the metrically challenged), roughly directly south. It goes a little like this:




Don't be fooled folks. At 6am in winter in Sydney, its absolutely freezing. It's damn cold; I step outside and get a couple of lungfuls of freezing air before I get going, and start trudging along in the twilight. There aren't any joggers out at this time; they are in bed, sleeping. Lazy buggers!! :P



What is impressive about this walk is the hill on Ryedale road, just past the hospital. The top of the hill provides you with a fantastic view over inner-west Sydney (that's Homebush bay and the Olympic stadium on the right), and is particularly nifty at night. Just over the crest, however, is one of the steepest hills in the area (if not in Sydney). It's got a bunch of uneven concrete steps running down, and it doesn't take too long to get down if you are confident on your feet.




At the bottom of the hill is West Ryde, and the leages club (my destination). However, once you go down the steps, the fun starts when you have to get back up the bugger:



It still takes me a good 5 to 6 minutes to get up them, and I usually end up just about crawling toward the top, out of breath and oxygen. A couple more weeks of this and I should be nearly ready for City to Surf :) At the moment, the round trip takes about two hours for the 11km travelled. The goal is to be able to do 14km in two hours, so there is a fair way to go yet :)