As thousands of runners prepare to take on the City2Surf route to Bondi, we spoke with four-time winner and current record holder Steve Moneghetti about the iconic course and how to tackle it.

As 90,000 runners prepare to take on Sydney’s most iconic fun run, who better to turn to for advice than the City2Surf record holder himself? Long-distance legend Steve Moneghetti, who set the course record of 40:03 in 1991, shared his expert tips, race day rituals and reflections on what makes this event so special.

Moneghetti is one of Australia’s most respected long-distance runners. Not only does has he held the course record for City2Surf for 34 years, but he also won it four consecutive times in a row (the only male to ever do so), dominating the race from 1988–1991.

Moneghetti has also represented Australia in three Olympic Games, consistently finishing in the top 10 in the marathon and even winning gold, silver and bronze medals across multiple Commonwealth Games.

Put simply, if it’s your first City2Surf, this is the guy to get tips from.

What makes City2Surf so special?

More than just a road race, City2Surf is, in Moneghetti’s words, “an iconic Australian community event.”

“It’s kind of the Australian dream.” Moreghetti says, “We all work in the city, and on the weekends we go to the beach — and that’s symbolic of this race.”

“Everyone’s done the City2Surf,” says Moreghetti, “I say you’re not an Australian unless you’ve done City2Surf once in your life.”

What Moneghetti loves the most is the sense of shared effort, whether it’s the support of the crowd or the thousands pushing themselves to the finish line. He calls City2Surf “a wave of human endeavour”, a fitting tribute to the grit it takes to conquer the course.

City2Surf Bondi Beach — Moneghetti describes City2Surf’s course as reflecting the “Australian Dream”. (Image: Shutterstock).

Reflecting on his course record

Before we got into the training tips and how-tos of race day, I had to ask Moneghetti about his legendary course record.

It seems crazy to many that, in a world of running culture, flashy sneakers and tracking equipment, Moneghetti’s 1991 race time is still the fastest in City2Surf history.

“I was having a go at it for a few years”, Moneghetti said. “When I was running back in the 80s and 90s, the City2Surf was kind of the main road race in Australia, and it was a rite of passage, you wanted to have your name on that trophy.”

“I got to the stage where I was really trying to break the record, and it became sort of a crusade for me.”

“That day, I was running to break Rob de Castella’s record and to push myself to be the best runner I could possibly be, and I did that.”

The long-distance runner remains humble about his longstanding achievement, putting it down to hard work and embracing the race.

“Breaking the record was very satisfying, but you don’t think then 30-plus years later that record would still stand, and that’s out of my control.

“I can only control the things I can control, and that’s running to the best of my ability on that day.”

City2Surf — Runners on an incline up William Street. (Credit: Brendon Thorne).

Advice for first-timers

Moneghetti admitted to me, “Oh, it’s a really hard course.” Luckily, he divulged a few of his golden rules, which you can use whether you’re aiming for a PB or just want to make it to Bondi.

1. Train for the downhill, not just the uphill

Moneghetti emphasises the importance of tackling the whole hill, not just the uphill.

“Everyone focuses on the uphill”, Moneghetti states, referencing the notorious ‘Heartbreak Hill’ that makes first-time City2Surfers shiver. He reminds runners that “there’s as much downhill as there is uphill”.

“You gotta remember that you need to run up over the hills and then still have your legs under you going down the other side. Especially that last run into Bondi — if your legs are smashed, then you’re not going to be able to take advantage of the downhill run.”

“I don’t think I was the best downhill runner in isolation in Australia, but I was absolutely the best at running up, over the top and down the other side, so I could run all the components of a hill, which I think some people underestimate.”

2. Don’t go out too hard

Runners often hear the phrase “Don’t go out too hard”; however, Moneghetti believes it’s especially important for first-time runners of City2Surf.

“You’re first City2Surf is quite a challenge”. The “very hilly” course is different to most 14km courses, and Moneghetti reminds first-time runners that they’ll have to dig deep throughout the race.

“The course has lots of ups and downs, and you will, within your own body, have a lot of ups and downs during the run. Even I did when I was up the front.”

“Don’t go out there thinking this is going to be the easiest race of your life, because it’s not going to be. You’re going to have to look inside yourself a little bit, call in the training that you’ve done and ask the people around you for a bit of support.”

3. Focus on beating the course

“Be very social with those people around you. While you might want to beat them, the main thing is to beat the course, and you can do that by teaming up with people around you to make it a more positive experience.”

Moneghetti reminds us that City2Surf is a community run, and that utilising other people’s support and reciprocating that energy will help you and others.

“Don’t think you’re any different to anyone else. Everyone’s experiencing that, and you just battle your way through the hard bits and really enjoy the good bits.”

4. Carb load the night before

The most important time to fuel your body is the night before. Moneghetti recommends “complex carbohydrates”, including pasta and potatoes. He laughed, saying, “Every Italian restaurant in Sydney is booked out the night before because everyone’s there eating pasta.”

According to Moneghetti, what you eat on the morning of the race isn’t all that important, as your body won’t absorb it in time. When you run, your digestive system essentially shuts down, so the real nutritional benefit comes from what you’ve eaten in the days before the race.

“There’s not a lot of value for what you eat in the morning, to be honest. I used to just have a couple of pieces of toast and a cup of tea, maybe a sports drink just to fill that gap in your stomach.”

William Street City2Surf record holder — City2Surf runners on William Street in 2018. (Image: Shutterstock).

What’s your favourite part of the course?

While Moneghetti has always loved the final stretch towards the finish line, he says there’s a powerful moment running down William Street when the scale of the event truly hits you.

“When you go under the King’s Cross bridge, a lot of people like to look back and just look at all the crowd and the mass participation of the event.”

Hailing from Ballarat, a town of just 120,000 people, Moneghetti is still amazed that City2Surf attracts two-thirds of that to the start line — “80,000… that’s a massive amount of people!”

He also used to love the Rose Bay section of the race, pre-hills, of course. He jokes, “It’s pretty hilly, so any bits that didn’t have hills I used to enjoy!”

Post-race rituals

Many of us will be straight to the schooners when we cross the finish line, but as a professional athlete, Moneghetti focuses on warm downs and reflecting before he celebrates.

“I used to warm down, I’d go on that cliff run from Bondi to Bronte.

“Often I would just go by myself so I could just really appreciate the moment and the significant wins I was having and the significant personal challenges that I’d achieved.”

Before diving into the post-race buzz at Bondi, Moneghetti encourages runners to pause and reflect on what they’ve just accomplished.

“Sometimes I think we’re so busy, you’re in Bondi, you’re trying to get the buses back home or back to the city, or you’re trying to find your friends… take a moment once you cross the finish line, just to appreciate and think about the achievement that you’ve just done.”

View of bridge City2Surf — Many City2Surfers pause and take a snap at the top of this hill in Rose Bay. (Credit: Tim Bardsley Smith).

Final words of wisdom

Moneghetti reminds runners that it’s not all about timings, it’s about doing your best and showing up on the day. He reminds runners to “Just focus on today and run the best race you can run.”

“You should be able to feel satisfied when you cross that finish line, no matter what time you run.”

City2Surf 2025

Where: Starts at the intersection of Park Street and College Street. Finish line is on Queen Elizabeth Drive in Bondi.
When: Sunday, August 10. The first group starts at 7:35am and the last group starts at 9:27am.

city2surf.com.au