In what's believed to be an Australian first, the Ballarat Cycle Classic's fun run will not use paper cups.
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Instead, runners will get a free collapsible plastic cup in their starter packs - the little cup folds down and weighs next to nothing, making it easy to shove in a pocket or sports bra, or be carried in your hand with a finger loop.
It's part of an effort to reduce waste, and crucially, create a COVID-safe fun run.
The Cycle Classic is introducing a 16 kilometre run as well as a half marathon - that's 21.1km - in the 2021 event, complementing the different levels of bike rides that will set off around the district, from a gentle family ride around the lake to the SPUD100, a 160km, or 100 mile ride out to Bungaree in honour of the late Danny Frawley, as well as mountain bike adventures and a new virtual event.
Normally in distance runs, drinks stations will be set up along the course, with volunteers handing out plastic or paper cups, which then hopefully find their way to bins.
This new approach - using a HydraPak SpeedCup, for those playing at home - will keep cups out of Lake Wendouree and give runners more flexibility, according to Cycle Classic committee member John Ives, as well as creating a fun souvenir.
"You can use the taps around the lake to fill it up with water yourself," he said.
"No one is going to touch the cup to worry the person who's running."
He said the event, which is limited to just 300 people and is filling up quickly, will be a treat for Ballarat runners.
"It's a course that a lot of local runners in training would usually run, from here up to the Caledonian Bridge and back is a true 10 mile run - what we've done is adding going through the Arch and coming back through the gardens," he said.
"Starting at 7am in the morning and running towards the traffic coming up Sturt Street on the footpath, we're not going to impact the cafe scene on the other side."
Ballarat Regional Athletic Centre's volunteers will still be helping out on the course, but vice-president Rod Griffin said it won't be a race - the emphasis is just on having fun, in one of the first in-person events post-lockdown.
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"You're going along a lot of iconic sites in Ballarat, which a lot of the time you don't get the opportunity to do," he said. "This might be the first time (for some sites) since maybe back in the Begonia Classic days, which is going back many years."
The event begins February 21 - to enter the fun runs, or any of the cycling events, visit ballaratcycleclassic.com.au.
All money raised will go straight to helping Ballarat's Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute.
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