Local competitors taking part in this year’s Sydney City2Surf are preparing for the big day. With 28 people signed up to take part in the event and 65 more people committed to signing up to help ‘raise a roof for the Read triplets’, training sessions are warming up.
“We stay fit all the time,” says one of the event’s organisers Jackie Yeo, “I walk my dogs every day and Geoffrey cycles so we are feeling confident.”
To prepare for the 14km marathon, the group are practising steeper hill climbs and longer distances. Training sessions for the City2Surf team happen on Saturday mornings, starting at the Fitness Track at 9am where the group do a few laps before taking on the bigger challenge of walking up to Blue Jacket or South Canowindra.
“We’ve received so much positive feedback from people we know, our family and our friends,” said Geoffrey Yeo. This will be Jackie and Geoffrey’s first City2Surf event which they organised to help raise money for a special cause. So far, $2500 has been raised and $6400 pledged towards building a miracle house for the Read Triplets to meet their special needs.
“A core motivation of the fundraising is to obtain support from people who live outside the community, and to do some fundraising that’s actually fun – it’s about enjoying it as well,” said Jackie. “The wonderful thing is the people on this committee have such interesting connections outside of Canowindra.”
“The City2Surf is a good way of garnishing support from family, friends and other connections who don’t live in Canowindra,” added Geoffrey.
“It’s benefiting us too because it’s making us raise our level of fitness,” Jackie said. “And plus, there’s always a good reason to go to Sydney for a weekend! We might meet for a few beers afterwards.”
By Rosi Broom