Saxon Hughes and Mike Nyathi were part of a team of 124 runners from The Armidale School to hit the road in what is now the largest fun run of its type in the world. Competing for his third time, Saxon Hughes put in a superb effort to complete the event in under an hour, crossing the line in 59:37 and was the first runner home for the TAS team. He finished in the top 2 per cent of the almost 68,000 registered runners who completed the race.

“I was really keen to crack under 60 minutes this year, so tried to get to the front of the massive pack that made up the blue category about an hour before the start so I wouldn’t have to dodge too many people. Then I settled into a good pace and only stopped once, for a drink,” he said.

“At the 45 minute mark I just put my foot down and went hard for the rest of the race. It helped that I had done it twice before which helped me know how to pace the course, except for the last kilometre as the finish was different to previous years.” 

Fellow TAS student Mike Nyathi completed his second City to Surf in 1:38:56.

“I put a fair bit of effort into it and was really satisfied with how I went,” Nyathi said. “It was a long way but a lot of fun, there was heaps of music and a really great atmosphere all the way.”

It was the fourth City to Surf for Saxon’s father Tim, one of several staff members who also took part in the event and was pleased with his time of 1:15: 06 although it was a bit slower than the 1:09:48 he ran last year.

“It is always a fantastic community event and you do get swept along by the atmosphere of  good will during the race,” Mr Hughes said.

“People often say that Heartbreak Hill is the hardest part of the race but I find the two or three kilometers after that the hardest because you are running up and down hill and there are sharp corners before the final stretch home.

“It was my fourth year and I think I am up to running next year if my knees hold out, and it was particularly satisfying to be able to participate alongside Saxon, even if he did leave me for dust.”

More than 80,000 people entered this year’s race, which went from Hyde Park to Bondi.

The event is part of a school award called the TAS Triple Crown, for those students who complete it, the 2km Coffs Harbour Ocean Swim and the 111km overnight Hawkesbury Canoe Classic during their time at the school. It was also part of charity fundraising by the TAS student body who have raised almost $5,000 this year as part of a goal to purchase two beds for the palliative care unit at Armidale Hospital.