ELITE marathon runner Julian Spence is fresh back from Berlin and has helped create a course for Run for a Cause which will be fun and accessible to as many Ballarat people as possible.
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Spence clocked a marathon personal best less than a week ago on course with Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, who wiped more than one minute off the world record for the distance in two hours, one minute and 39 seconds.
Berlin is renowned as the world’s fastest marathon course and Spence has helped to create a flat, fast course for the new Ballarat mass-participation run and walk. This will help to attract some of the state’s fastest runners but aims to add to the appeal for runners and those walking of all ability.
“A few of us out running had been wanting to do an event like this in Ballarat for awhile,” Spence said. “Ballarat has a great running history and culture and there was nothing that truly supports this.
Run for A Cause steps in to fill the gap left by a disbanded Run Ballarat, which ended after six years to reach target for a new, now complete, hospital children’s ward.
The cause is the number one reason everyone feels they should enter an event like this...Ballarat has amazing community support you don't always feel in a big city event.
- Julian Spence, Run for a Cause race director
The Ballarat Foundation launched the new event to support and raise awareness for community issues – starting with food insecurity and a push to create a central food bank distributor in Ballarat.
Run for a Cause is eight weeks away and Spence, who is also a running coach and owns the Running Company, has created beginner and intermediate programs to help people achieve their personal goals in the event.
“The program is there for someone who’s never run before. If you can walk an hour or so, you can start your journey into running,” Spence said. “The goal is to run as much as you can on the day, but you don’t have to run the whole course.”
The Running Company in Sturt Street will also run a beginner group on Wednesday nights for those who want to start the program with others.
Key Run details you need to know
DATE: Sunday, November 18.
THE CAUSE: food security in the region. Money raised helps support The Ballarat Foundation’s charity partners working in this space.
RUNS: 10km and 5km, which have been trimmed to what Ballarat is used to. Distances fit more in line with other fun runs, personal running goals, ParkRun distance and even what is contested at Olympic level.
FAMILY: There will be a 5km walk, suitable for people with prams, and a one-kilometre children’s dash.
COURSE: Start and finish events precinct in Victoria Park. Race ambassador Julian Spence said the course needed to be a little difference to what Ballarat is used to running, for example ParkRun, and include the iconic Lake Wendouree. The course is also flat to suit all runners, from those pushing for a fast run to those keen to get moving.
TRAINING: The Courier will feature Spence’s weekly training programs to help get you started. The Running Company is hosting a beginners’ group on Wednesday evenings from the store at 6pm. The Athlete’s Foot Ballarat is also running a couch to 5km program to the event on Tuesday evenings.
RUN EXPERTISE: Hometown Olympic marathon hero Steve Moneghetti and fellow marathon runner Julian Spence (The Running Company Ballarat) are event ambassadors.
BACKGROUND: The Ballarat Foundation announced in late July it would host the community event to help fill the void of a disbanded Run Ballarat, which raised more than $1million for the Ballarat Health Services children’s ward redevelopment in six years. The children’s ward opened in June.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED: Registrations are open at www.run4ac.org.
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