The weather couldn’t have been better for last Friday’s Run The Maine, when over 900 competitors set out in spring sunshine to raise funds for a good cause and to have a great time. And improve their PB, of course!
Three hundred and twenty-three keen runners tried their luck in the half marathon, starting from the Maldon Railway Station and finishing in Castlemaine. Most of the runners arrived in Maldon on the steam train, which was totally booked out. Those who couldn’t get a seat on the train had to find their way out to Maldon by other means. Runners’ ages ranged from teens to seventies.
There were 232 runners who opted for the 10km run through bushland, while 373 runners and walkers took a circuit that extended through Castlemaine’s botanical gardens.
Winning times were 1.16.54 for the half marathon; 38.28 for the 10km; and 16.30 for the 5km run/walk. But in the end, did it matter if a competitor took a little over a quarter of an hour to run 5km, or 1.23.29 to walk the same distance? The main thing is, they did it!
Thanks to its volunteers and sponsors, Run The Maine has widespread community support. It has become a popular event on the calendar for many runners, both locally and from across the state.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 4 October 2024.