Bridge to Brisbane winner’s tips for the race

Former Bridge to Brisbane winner Jack Bruce has given his hot tips on how to take out the 10km distance in today’s run.

Take advantage of the downhill side of the Gateway.

That’s the advice of former Australian national champion and 2019 The Sunday Mail Transurban Bridge to Brisbane winner, Jack Bruce.

The 27-year-old Brisbane law degree student is one of the hot tips to take out the 10km distance in today’s run, which starts at Murrarie, heads over the Gateway Bridge and along Kingsford Smith Drive to Newstead, before finishing at the RNA Showgrounds.

“It’s a massive event and it’s Brisbane’s race,” said Bruce, a 10km and 5km specialist.

“Everyone comes out for it and it’s a big thing. You go for a run along the river (after the event) and you always see people wearing their Bridge to Brisbane T-shirts.

“It’s a good, fast course and a fun event.”

Elite runners Samantha Phillips, Jenny Anderson, Jack Bruce and Bella Pickett. Picture: David Clark

Bruce said the course would be fast – mainly flat without too many turns – and the trick was to conserve energy running up the Gateway Bridge at the start, and then pushing hard down the other side.

“With downhill running, you’re naturally going faster without using extra energy. It’s something I learnt doing cross country running.”

Bruce will be among more than 21,000 participants taking part in the 10km and 4.5km legs.

Close to $750,000 has been raised by participants for various charities.

Steve Carey is among the top individual fundraisers with $8300 for Foodbank Queensland, while Transurban is leading the team fundraisers with $223,463.