THERE was a little bit of limbering up on the start line, a couple of anxious laughs and plenty of mates ribbing each other. Hop Temple's annual Hopathon was back in action on Saturday after two years on the sidelines.
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Lee De Jong was sporting a bright yellow tutu in a group of friends wearing matching coloured wigs and capes and said this had become a tradition of sorts to dress up for the lap about the block.
His friends had twin boys who, when they were born, needed Ballarat's special care nursery this event supports.
"We've just always dressed up every time we come," Mr De Jong said. "The ladies buy us the costumes and we usually walk together."
The family friendly 600-metre event was a run or walk about the block in matching t-shirts and bright yellow headbands to finish with a pint, or soft drink, at Hop Temple.
More than 150 people had registered by the official start time early Saturday afternoon.
Olympic marathon runner and event ambassador led the charge in the opening wave of participants.
All efforts will combine to help secure a new bedside patient monitor with wireless capability for Grampians Health special care nursery in Ballarat Base Hospital. The monitor will reduce the need for staff to disturb babies and parents during their stay.
Monitor details will include a baby's oxygen saturation and heart readings and be fed into a central nursing station.
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Grampians Health special care nursery acting nurse unit manager Jo Pegg said the result would offer gold-standard care for babies, especially as the hospital redevelopment unfolded.
Hopathon finishers were a mixed bag with some cruising in walking while others were pushing friends out of the way to get the first beer and for a podium photo.
A finish line party at Hop Temple included live music, auctions and carb-loading.
The Hopathon launched in 2018 and, due to pandemic restrictions, this was the third running of the event. Despite the hop name, no one has yet attempted to hop about the block.
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