Pickling kidneys for runs in Sydney

After Hunter Valley we drove our little car through backroads to Sydney. After a few hours of cruising through sunny valleys and forest we finally hit the traffic of the city, crossing over Sydney Harbour Bridge and passing Sydney Opera House on our way to our friend Dais' flat.

That evening, we went to the Opera House bar for a few drinks and dinner. It turned out that our host was to take part in City 2 Surf, a 14km run from the centre of his town to Bondi Beach the very next day. So that evening, we plotted a strict training programme to prepare Dais for his run: we decided to get him drunk at the Sydney Opera House bar. And when we'd all had enough, we headed home to watch the Beijing Olympics and drink more, to inspire Dais for his long distance run the next day.

Our alarm woke us up hours after we went to bed and the sun shone brightly. As Amy and I crawled out of bed, Dais was already warmed up for his run. While he made his way from the flat the start line, we headed to Bondi Beach via trains and buses and waited for him at the finish line.

It turns out that the alcohol must have done something to improve his run. Dais finished the 14k run in just 76 minutes, which is pretty impressive, even for someone who was not sleep-deprived or dehydrated.