Bush Capital Bush Marathon Festival
5km, 16km, 25km, 42km marathon & 60km ultra runs;
16km & 25km bush walks
Campbell High School, Canberra
SATURDAY 29 July 2006
7.30am Early bird start for slow runners in 60km ultra and 42km marathon
8.30am Bush marathon; marathon relay; 60km ultra; 25km bush walk
9.00am 16km and 25km bush runs and 16km bush walk
9.15am 5km run
Welcome to the first newsletter. A number of improvements have been made to this year’s event, although much remains the same.
1. We have a major sponsor in Jaggad sportswear which is providing prizes and assisting in promoting the event nationally. Jaggad is an Australian company that makes great cycling, triathlon and running clothing. This is available at The Runners Shop in Canberra at 76 Dundas Court, Phillip ACT ph 6285 3508.
For more information about Jaggad and its products visit www.jaggad.com
2. You can now enter on-line. At the moment this involves entering on-line then printing off your line entry and posting it off with a cheque or money order. However, we are working on having an option available very soon where you can enter on-line and pay by credit card, with an automatic acknowledgement of your entry and listing of your entry on the web-site. It will be appreciated if you can enter on-line.
http://www.mountainrunning.coolrunning.com.au/events/bmarathon/2006/
3. For competitors in the marathon and 60kms, the main start has been combined and will be at 8.30am. However, for slower competitors, especially those planning to walk a fair bit during the event, an early bird start is available at 7.30am.
4. Last year there was quite a queue for toilets for the popular 16km and 25km events. This year a number of portaloos will also be available near the start/finish area.
5. A mobile coffee service, CAFE2U, will be available for most of the day. Photos will be taken of all competitors and posted for purchase on http://www.triathlonphotos.com Photos can be seen there of the recent Australian mountain running championships.
6. We have greatly expanded pre-event options for collection of race numbers during the week before 29 July. See the information on the web-site.
7. Course familiarisation: We are planning a Sunday morning course familiarisation run/jog over the 16km course in a few weeks, and also, for the marathon and 60km runners, a mountain bike course familiarisation of the Goorooyarroo and Mulligans Flat loop.
8. Other training opportunities: The ACT Cross Country Club has weekly events, including an off road half marathon on 1 July at Googong Dam. See http://www.canberrarunner.com.au/
The Australian Mountain Running Association has free lunchtime runs at 12.45pm on the first Tuesday and third Tuesday of each month up Mt Ainslie and Black Mountain respectively. See www.mountainrunning.coolrunning.com.au
On 25 June there is the 25km Woodford to Glenbrook Classic in the Blue Mountains. This is an approx 25km trail run along The Oaks firetrail, from Woodford to Glenbrook in the Blue Mountains, NSW. Starts 10:15am from Woodford Railway Station. It is held in conjunction with a Mountainbike race, and all funds go to Careflight a most worthwhile charity.
See http://www.coolrunning.com.au/races/woodford/
9. The Jaggad Bush Capital Bush Marathon Festival raises funds for the Australian mountain running team. Last year this raised just over $3,000 for the team and led to our best ever performance at the World Championship in New Zealand, with three runners in the top 12 and very close to a team medal in the women’s championship. Thank you to all who donated money to assist the team, in addition to their entry fees.
This year we have world long distance champion Emma Murray from Dickson in the ACT defending her world title at the Pike’s Peak marathon in the USA, a formidable challenge involving a climb to 4200m altitude, and a strong team competing in the World Championship in Turkey. The men’s team includes Ben du Bois, ranked 7th in the world last year, and Australian champion Scott McTaggart, a definite top ten chance.
The Australian team comprises:
i. 51st Pikes Peak Marathon, Manitou Springs (Colorado) U.S.A., 20 August. www.pikespeakmarathon.org
Men: Trevor Jacobs. Women: Emma Murray
ii. 2006 World Mountain Running Championships, Bursa, Turkey. 10 September www.wmrt2006.org
Senior men: Scott McTaggart, Jeremy Horne, Ben du Bois, Stephen Brown, Barry Keem, Stuart Doyle. Reserve: David Osmond.
Senior women: Emma Murray, Jessamy Hosking, Cindy King.
Junior men: Ryan Gregson, David Mainwaring, Dominic Perry.
10. We are looking for helpers. If you cannot run or walk this year but would like to support the event, we are looking for helpers at drink stations and at the start/finish area. Helpers receive a bottle of quality wine from Mt Majura Vineyard. Please email your details to hackettrunner@hotmail.com if you or a spouse can help.
John Harding
Race Director