Are you preparing to pound the pavement in Run Townsville this weekend? As of Friday afternoon, there were 2,408 registrations, with the organisers predicting up to 3,000 at the starting line. TheGo caught up with event coordinator Amy Robertson about this Townsville-first charity run.
“It’s a really great opportunity to get together with the community and raise funds for a local cause that supports youth in the area” – Amy Robertson
Why should people sign up who are ‘umming’ and ‘ahhhing’ still? One-hundred percent of the registration fees go to the redevelopment of the Children’s Ward at Townsville Hospital, so it’s such a fantastic and much-needed cause that participants are supporting. Run Townsville caters for everyone, no matter their age or fitness level; so it’s a really great opportunity to get together with the community and raise funds for a local cause that supports youth in the area.
What’s the latest people can register on Sunday? Last minute registrations open at Jezzine Barracks at 6.00am. Registration for the 12km event closes at 6.55am and registrations for the 6km event close at 7.40am.
What time does the run start and where exactly is it at Jezzine? The 12km starts at 7.00am, the 6km run starts at 7.45am and the 6km family walk is at 7.55am. See the map below for the start and the route.
Do you plan to bring Run Townsville back next year? How successful has it been in other areas? Yes we do plan to bring the event back next year: the redevelopment of the Children’s Ward is a five-year project where we will see a stage completed every year. We will not leave until the project has been completed. In terms of success, the Cotton On Foundation’s first event, Run Geelong, was held in 2009 and had 2,100 competitors. Last year, this number grew to 12,062. The 2014 Run Australia program will see events in Wollongong, Newcastle, Ballarat and, for the first time, Townsville and the Sunshine Coast.
For more information or to register now, see runaustralia.com.au.
