Quick answer: In the final week before City2Surf, less is more. Cut your running volume right back, keep a couple of short easy runs, sleep well, and deal with any lingering niggles before race day rather than after. After the race, gentle movement in the first 48 hours helps most runners recover faster, and soreness that lasts beyond a few days is worth a professional look.
Sunday’s City2Surf is Australia’s biggest fun run: 14 hilly kilometres from the CBD to Bondi. Whether you’re chasing a time up Heartbreak Hill or walking it with friends, how you handle this week shapes how you feel on the day and the week after.
What should I do in the last week before City2Surf?
The fitness you’ll race with on Sunday is already in your legs. Nothing you do this week will add to it, but plenty can subtract. Race-week basics:
- Taper properly. Keep runs short and easy. A couple of 20 to 30 minute relaxed runs is plenty for most people.
- Sleep and hydrate. Two of the most underrated performance tools available, and both are free.
- Nothing new. Not new shoes, not new foods, not a new stretching routine. Race day is not the day to experiment.
- Plan the hills. City2Surf’s course rewards runners who hold back early. Heartbreak Hill starts near the 6km mark, so arrive there with something in reserve.
I’ve got a niggle, should I get it checked before the race?
Generally, yes, and earlier in the week is better. Tight calves, a grumbly knee, an ITB that flares on downhills: these are the classic City2Surf trouble spots, and a pre-race assessment can tell you what you’re dealing with and how to manage it sensibly on the day. Small issues tend to be simpler to settle before 14km of hills than after. If something is genuinely painful when you run, getting an opinion before Sunday is the sensible call.
What’s the best way to recover after City2Surf?
- Keep moving on the day. A gentle walk after you finish helps more than collapsing on the sand at Bondi (tempting as it is).
- Easy movement Monday. Light walking or a very easy swim or spin helps circulation and eases soreness.
- Expect two days of soreness. Muscle soreness that peaks a day or two after a hilly race is normal and settles on its own.
- Listen past day three. Soreness that isn’t clearly improving after a few days, or any sharp, localised pain, is your cue to have it assessed rather than run through it.
When should I see someone about post-race pain?
If pain is sharp rather than dull, one-sided, getting worse instead of better, or still limiting you several days after the race, it’s worth a professional assessment. Our sports-focused chiropractors see a wave of runners every year in the fortnight after City2Surf, and most issues respond well to early, simple care and a sensible return-to-running plan.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Should I stretch more in race week?
A: Keep doing whatever your body is used to. Gentle mobility is fine, but race week is not the time to start an aggressive new stretching routine.
Q: Is it okay to run City2Surf with a niggle?
A: It depends what it is, which is exactly why a pre-race check helps. Some things are safe to run on with sensible pacing, others are better rested. Get it assessed rather than guessing.
Q: How soon after City2Surf can I train again?
A: Most runners are back to easy running within 3 to 5 days. Build back gradually and let soreness be your guide.
Q: Which Tensegrity clinics are handy to the course?
A: Sydney CBD (near the start), St Leonards, Brookvale and Bella Vista all have race-week and post-race appointments, with early-morning starts at several clinics.
Racing Sunday? Good luck, and if your legs need a hand before or after, book online.