2019 Tour de Ridges newsletter

Note: Entries have closed. No on the day entries accepted.

Canberra’s annual Tour de Ridges 21.2km, 15.3km and 10.6 km trail runs/walks are coming up this Sunday, 15 December 2019.

1.   Start/finish at the Mawson sports fields off Beasley St, Mawson (near junction with Lambrigg Street). Start times are:

6.30am 21.2 km run/walk.   
7.15am 15.3 km run/walk.
7.45am 10.6 km out and back run/walk.
Compulsory pre-race briefing 10 minutes before each start.

Please arrive AT LEAST 40 MINUTES before your start time. On arrival for the 21k run/walk drive to the far end of the car park off Beasley St and park close together as we have 338 entries and the carpark will fill up.
Additional car parking nearby: There are large car parks off Heard Street and Mawson Place only 200 to 300 metres north of the start. If you are doing the 15k or 10k, please use these car parks to avoid arriving at the Beasley Street car park and finding it is full. If you park in one of the Mawson Place car parks, there are public toilets on the western side of the Woolworths supermarket building.  

 

2.   We are very pleased to have Martin Fryer providing FlyerUltra Timing. You will have timing chip race bibs and your results will go live to the internet at https://my.raceresult.com/142332/results?lang=en.

Race number bib pick up

On race morning you will need to report in on arriving and collect your chest number.

At registration there will be a list of starters for each event in alphabetic order on a board. Find your name and look up your bib number. Go to the next table and collect your bib.

Bib Mounting Instructions

Bibs for chip timing must be mounted on the front of the torso only, oriented correctly(landscape), and pinned securely. Bibs should not be covered by packs or belts and should be clearly visible at the finish for manual backup and confirmation of electronic chip reads. 

Stay away from the timing mats during your pre-race warm up!

Start Protocol

A briefing will be given10 minutes before each event is due to start. The start line will be defined by 2 cones placed approximately 20m before the start confirmation/finish timing mat. Please ensure after starting that you cross the 4m wide timing mat so that we have a start confirmation for you. 

Finish Protocol

After crossing the timing mat at the finish please do not stop but continue walking another 30m or so through to the Finish Table where you should take off your bib, scan it at the computer there to display your result, and then place the bib in the lucky draw box. There will be helpers available for marshalling you to the finish table and to help you with the result check and also marking your name off the starting list.

Please do not forget to take your bib off. You are welcome to cheer others on at the finish as long as you are not wearing or carrying a bib near the mats.

Live Results

Live results will be available on any device with Web access (smartphone, tablet, PC) via the following link https://my.raceresult.com/142332/results?lang=en

Your finish time recorded will be the gun time- ie time when you crossed the finish mat minus the start time at the start cones. 

Online Finisher’s Certificate

When you access the Web result if you click on your name in any Results List a pop up box with a downloadable/printable Finisher’s Certificate will be available for you.

1. 3.      Maps

Maps of the 3 courses from previous years are on the Australian Mountain Running Association website in the Event Management portal at http://www.mountainrunning.coolrunning.com.au/modules/EventManagement/2013%20Tour%20de%20Ridge%20courses.pdf

There are 3 changes this year to these 15k and 21k courses :
1. On descending Farrer Ridge hill, there will be a right hand turn taking a more direct route to the Erindale Drive underpass that shortens the course by 200m.
2. Part of the Centennial Trail between Macarthur and Long Gully Road is closed. Canberra Nature Park has a signposted detour in place that adds 400m to the course.

3. With about 3 km to go on the Farrer Ridge reserve trail, there is a short trail section cutting off a corner that shortens the course by 100m.
The net effect of the 3 changes is that the 21k and 15k courses will each be about 100m longer.  

4.         Courses

At Drink Station 2 in Isaacs Ridge reserve, 15k participants turn left and start heading back via an underpass under Yamba Drive while 21k runners do a large figure 8 circuit in Isaacs ridge reserve before heading back.

The 10.6k course is a simple out and back run on the fire trail behind Farrer and Isaacs to Drink Station 3 in Isaacs Ridge reserve. This is the route of the final 5.3kms of the 21.2k course.

5          Weather

The weather forecast for Sunday morning is for a sunny 13 to 31 degrees (expected to be about 25 degrees at 10am), with no chance of rain but may be hazy. http://www.bom.gov.au/act/forecasts/canberra.shtml 

https://www.weatherzone.com.au/act/act/canberra



6. Drink stations are self serve with no cups

If you are doing the 21k or 15k, please wear a hydration vest, or Camelback, or carry a plastic water bottle or plastic zip bag, and top up at the drink stations which will have water and sports drink containers with taps. If you are doing the 10.6km run or walk, it is also recommended that you wear a hydration vest, or Camelback, or carry a plastic water bottle or plastic zip bag.
Please drink the water and don’t pour it over your head as it may run out. Douse your head in water before the start. You will be running in Canberra nature park. Please leave any rubbish such as Gel wrappers in the rubbish bag at each drink station.

7. Toilets

There are toilets in the toilet block on your right as you drive in. However, arrive in plenty of time to avoid a long toilet queue just before the start, to get your race bib and to be at the start line 10 minutes before the start for a briefing. There are 338 competitors and limited public toilets (2 toilets in the ladies loo, and a single toilet and urinal in the men’s loo). There are also public toilets outside Woolworths at the Mawson shopping centre only 400m away.

8. Presentations

Will be held at about 9am for the 10k and 9.50am then again at 10.30am for the 15k and 21k participants. There will be medals for the first 3 male and female place getters in each of the running races, and lots of barrel draw prizes with a Christmas theme. You must be present to win and placegetters will not be eligible for a barrel draw prize. At the finish there will be muesli and chocolate bars and drinks. There will be no cups. Please bring your own water bottle.

9. Shoes and hazards

A couple of sections of the course (off Farrer hill and Wanniassa Hills ridge) have steep downhills on rough or loose surfaces. Because there has been no rain, some sections of the trails are likely to be slippery. Please take particular care on these; above all ensure you are wearing trail running shoes or other running with good grip. There will be a Sports Trainer from Sports Medicine Australia in attendance.

10. Wildlife

A. There is a very slight chance of seeing a snake from mid-morning onwards as the day gets warmer. If you see one on the trail, stop and let it slither off into the grass.
Please read the section on first aid for snake bite in the following: http://www.anaes.med.usyd.edu.au/venom/snakebite.html In summary, if bitten, stop still, firmly bandage the affected area (use your running singlet) and get the next runner on the course to seek urgent assistance for you.

B. There are many kangaroos in the reserves. Rangers are concerned that runners may disturb the kangaroos and lead to them hopping on to road ways and causing traffic accidents and fatalities to the roos themselves. Please minimise disturbance to the kangaroos.

11. Bring your own post race water bottle
Soft drink and sports drink will be provided at the finish. It would be appreciated if you can bring your own water bottles for water after finishing.

12. Time limits

Time limits are necessary for personal safety, for consideration to event helpers who volunteer lengthy periods of time from very early in the morning to help on the day, and to enable the presentations and barrel draws of prizes to be done before most participants need to leave to go home.

The following time limits shall apply and persons not achieving the time limits will be disqualified.

21.2 km run/walk: 3 hours 30 mins

15.3 km run/walk: 3 hours

10.6 km run and walk: 2 hours

In 2013 the slowest person took 2:26 for the 21.2 km run, 1:59 for the 15.3 km run, 2:51 for the 15.3 km walk, and 1:49 for the 10.6 km run and walk

13. Have a good time

The Tour de Mountain was first held 20 years ago as a scenic, social pre-Christmas trail run. Usually there are some finishers each year who comment that it is one of the best runs they have ever done. So please enjoy yourself.

The course changed a few years ago from a start/finish at Mawson shops when the shopping centre and the roads became too busy. However, the shopping centre, with several coffee shops, is close by if you want to get together with friends post run.

John Harding
Race Director
Australian Mountain Running Association