Break hearts on Heartbreak Hill: What to wear for City2Surf

The gear to get you through the iconic race

Get set… August 11 marks that time of year again when Sydney bustles with the colourful sight of thousands of runners doing their bit for charity, at the annual City2Surf.

A 14-kilometre sprint up and down steep city streets might not be everyone’s idea of fun – torture seems a better word – but that hasn’t stopped the event becoming labelled as the world’s biggest fun run.

And for good reason: each year around 80,000 people show up at the start line for the race, as it snakes its way from Hyde Park in the CBD all the way out to Bondi Beach, taking in the killer climb of Heartbreak Hill at Vaucluse on the way.

Even so, City2Surf is nothing without the outfits. And if you’re not tackling the course dressed as a giant elephant for charity it’s best to look as good as possible, even while your face is the colour of a cooked beet and you’ve slowed your pace to a gentle shuffle.

So, as the event approaches, here's our guide to what you should get hold of now to run faster – and look better – on the day.