Saturday, 12 August 2023 was the day the running tribe from SBC commenced their journey to sunny Sydney to show the world that who still produces the best athletes. The running factory that is St. Bernard’s College was led this year by two remarkable members of our beloved community. The first mention must be the Hall of Famer Gerard “Supinator” Brown. Respect shown by all for this man, to the point that if you spoke when he was, you’d cop a whack from a nearby body. Lessons were endlessly learnt being around Brownie from tips on the course to manners out in the community. The group being able to share the running stage with such a great make running a PB seem mediocre.
The next mention is without question our organising guru that has proven to be a better runner than talker - which if you have met her, you wouldn’t think is possible! She goes by the name Queen and her essence on the course would make a member of the royal family look twice. Without your dedication and planning Helen Roberts we would have never found our way to Terminal 4.
If you’re not up to date with headlining news around the world, then you wouldn’t have been aware that “Big Break” Cox had been spending time in Greece enjoying what many call a ‘Hot Girl Summer’. Nevertheless, this didn’t stop our Form Guide writer from clocking a 59.16 on his own and giving our mob a number to chase.
The sights were seen on the Saturday, laughs were shared, travel fines were dodged by sweet talking Robbo and the day became night where we all found ourselves around a dinner table in the Village Hostel that resembled a darkened bunker from WW2. Rumours spread that the room was less depressing than the meal to be cooked that night, however having athlete by athlete come up re-enacting a young Oliver Twist, Queen, Brownie and Ned knew they did alright. As morning sprung, influencers fled to the beloved Bondi beach to all post the same photo of a beach sunrise, skinny latè, and a caption “paradise”
Not for the Bernard Boys, as they remained in their quarters stretching, tying laces, and visualising individual victory on the track. Locked in runners found themselves on a pack filled bus where autographs by travelling fans were denied from the stars wearing black, blue, and gold. Within the 80,000 runners on the day, the Sydney sun shone brightly on the mesmerising 26 from Essendon.
26. Controlling the back of the pack with a sore foot and making sure no roughies broke through, QUEEN ROBBO (Roberts) found a 75.19 finish.
25. Burning holes throughout the course and showing that determination goes a long way HEATER (Daly) came in at 70.00 on the nose.
24. LATE ARRIVAL (Ranaletta) by name but not by nature as he showed the reporters that races are run on the track not on paper, as he timed at 68.07.
23. MATTER OF HONOUR (Harrington) battled a sickness that would make many pull the pin. But instead, this athlete pulled through and found himself across the line at 64.05.
22. Thunder struck the field around one of the last bends as AC/DC (Currenti) chalked up a 62.40 finish.
21. SUPINATOR (Brown) showed that age is truly just a number, as the number he proudly holds tight is 62.31.
20. WOLVERINE 2.0 (Firman) made the likes of the X-Men shiver in fear as he crossed over at 62.00.
19. MIDDLE AGE (Dwyer) proved that some people are afraid of turning 40, and others are afraid to see him in the line-up on race day, clocking at 61.29.
18. HEADLESS (Nedelkovski) came in with no times to read about but the real mystery was how he let Pace get him, sliding in at 60.18.
17. OFF THE’ (Pace) demonstrated that he may not be great at holding his phone on top of a Ferris wheel, but his name says it all as he held on strong to allow for a 60.09 time.
16. ITALIAN CHIME (Bell) made the course seem as easy as finishing a second serving of Nonna’s pasta finding himself with a 59.58.
15. SILENT ASSASSIN (Evans) killed the hour like a new plant you swore you had watered. Crossing over at 59.57.
12. MULLET (Treglia) gave all other runners a good look of what he can do from behind, as many never even got to see his face. Time stopped for at 59.28.
13. BIG BREAK (Cox) might have strapped his watch to a local triathlete in Greece while he sipped on the local produce, but credit given to a 59.16 time.
12. CYNOPHILES (Beecham) ignored the niggle many questioned and made others in the race question how he’d go at full health, finding the line at 59.10.
11. WATSON (Answerth) might have came out of the blue, but was looking at the blue ocean of Bondi well before others found the 12k mark. Timing at 57.51.
10. WHISKERS (Dent) made it big time with the media coverage as his name was showcased thoroughly, and for every right. Nice whiskers Patty clocked in at 57.34.
9. MERCHANT (Monger) proved that breaking point is a place he’s comfortable with experiencing to get the time he wanted as he finished with 55.06.
8. SUPERFISH (Purcell) may be great in the water, but showed that he’s also a menace on land, splashing in at 55.05.
7. DETOUR (Gwynne) made many wishing he’d take a detour off the course as he put all others that call themselves runners to shame. Official time states 54.20.
6. BACK FLIP (Jones) stated early that he’s here just for fun… I wonder what hard work looks like for this man then. Charged through at 53.49.
5. LUCKY CHARM (Mathews) revealed that some people make their own luck through grit and poise as this gifted talent will be a name remembered for years to come. Timed at 52.58.
4. FORTIFIED VINO (Scerri) snuck his way onto the Jetstar plane and also into the top 4 finish with an incredible effort. 52.46 the clock displayed as he passed Finish.
3. SPIDEY’S UNCLE (Parker) unlike Peter Parker that needed to be bit to gain his powers, this man was born to be as lethal as a redback. Found a 50.20 time.
2. THE KING (Saunders) made people forget the name of that other King from the United Kingdom with his performance clocking in at 50.03.
1. All very big mentions above, however, there can only be one winner and he goes by THE MISSILE (Cruse). Putting the timekeeper to work not long after the start gun, this athlete timed in at shocking 46.34 and 31st overall at the 2023 City2Surf Race. Now it is safe to say we know what is faster than a missile.
All in all, I am so grateful and appreciative to be part of something so influential. Thank you to all those involved and special shout out to Bec for sorting out toast and juice boxes for hungry boys after each training session. Moments like this weekend we’ll cherish forever.
I look to these young men with great certainty our future beyond the confines of St. Bernard’s College will be remarkable. If you made it to the end of the write up, please take on this advice - join our SBC running club. Whether you can run a metre or a marathon you are welcome and feeling part of a tribe is what life’s all about.
