I am running a half marathon on every continent by 2020 and I started things off with this race in Sydney.

TIMING: Just before the start of the Southern Hemisphere's spring. The half marathon starts just after sunrise so you get a little sun in your eyes in the beginning but after a while the buildings block it for you. I could have used my hat, but even though I didn't have it, it wasn't terrible. You also have a fantastic view of the Sydney Opera House from the start area at sunrise.

WEATHER: The weather that day was very cool (my hands were cold for a while) but I was able to comfortably wear shorts and a tank top during the race. We were all freezing at the start line, though. I think it stayed in the 60s that day but the following week it was in the 80s, so it's possible you could have a freak warm day.

EXPO: Staff wasn't the most efficient. I was there on the first day right before it opened and there was a line. It took the bib runners a bit of time to find people's packets. And then you're funneled into one small room where the expo was. As an international runner, it was very unclear where to pick up my pre-ordered shirt. They couldn't find my particular packet in the back so they just gave me a shirt from the floor.

TRANSPORTATION: I stayed at the Marriott and it was a short walk to the train station over to Milson's Point. I was happy that it was free and running early. Some cities don't support runners with early morning public transportation. After that, it was a fairly short walk back to my hotel. Anyone who ran could take the train home for free if they weren't staying by Circular Quay.

START LINE: I was amazed at how casual a start line it was. Perhaps it's because there were some residences there, but there wasn't any music and you could barely hear the announcer. It was fairly dark so you couldn't see what activities they had planned. Seemed like a waste. I was just happy that we walked up a big hill to the start line instead of having to run that portion. :)

RACE COURSE: Everyone loved running over the Harbour Bridge but you're pushed to the middle only so the views of the bay are a little distant. There were some parts of the course that were a little odd but I was definitely expecting much harder hills. I think it was a very easy course. Not 100% flat, but nothing that tired me out. And it was cool to finish at the Opera House but I was so tired that I didn't even enjoy hanging out over there.

SPECTATORS: Barely any along the course. A modest amount at the end.

AID STATIONS: I was a bit worried that there weren't going to be enough but I felt adequately hydrated. I had gels on me so I did not use their products. And the electrolyte drink was pretty mild in taste so that was a plus.

POST RACE: They don't hand you a medal right away so it was a bit confusing trying to figure out where to go in my post-race fog. Since I'm not super wrecked after a half marathon compared to a marathon, I can't speak to how bad it was to have the post-race activities up a hill. I also had to walk down a hill/stairs to get out of the park and back to my hotel. I can imagine that would be slow going after a marathon. The pre-paid breakfast was nice to have and a good value. The line for the massage tent was slow as usual so I skipped it after a few minutes.

OVERALL: I'd compare this race to the San Francisco Half Marathon that's held in July. You get to run over an iconic bridge early in the morning but not a lot of people are out there to cheer you on (and it's not nearly as hilly as SF). The number of participants are also still fairly low so it doesn't feel overcrowded. This race worked out perfect because of the weather and because it coincided with my wedding anniversary. So if you love to travel to run and sightsee, I'd recommend this race.