Get on your marks for the Ballarat Marathon

SERIOUS runners, casual joggers and walkers will be stretching and carb-loading tonight with the inaugural Ballarat Marathon festival only one sleep away.

The mile and five-kilometre courses will be run tomorrow, Saturday 27 April while the 10-kilometre, 42-kilometre marathon, and 21-kilometre half marathon are set for Sunday 28 April.

With the start and finish lines for each event near Town Hall, participants will travel up and down Sturt Street, through Victoria Park, around Lake Wendouree, and along Lydiard and Camp streets, as part of the course co-designed by champion distance runner and race director, Steve Moneghetti.

“As a proud local, being part of the very first Ballarat Marathon as the race director is an incredible honour,” he said.

“Ballarat has such a rich heritage of distance running and I am delighted to see a worldclass sporting event find a home in our city.

“I can’t wait to see the streets flooded with participants, supporters and visitors, soaking up all our beautiful city has to offer.”

Barber, Jimmy Morrison has formed a marathon team with friends, and together, they are aiming to raise funds to support the Peter Mac Foundation.

“A good friend of mine had a mate named Storme,” Mr Morrison said.

“He was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2021. He spent two years back and forth at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre with treatment, scans and appointments.

“The love, care, and joy that the staff at Peter Mac gave Storme and his family was immeasurable.

“During really tough times, they were a source of strength for everybody around them.

“My friend Liam was super close with Storme and I thought what better way to get involved with the community through the barbershop and make a running team and raise money.

“I’m looking forward to being a part of the first big marathon event in Ballarat, just getting involved with the community here, and having a good time.”

Vet, Diane Gibney has run marathons across Australia and the world and said it made sense to make the most of one in her own backyard.

“There’s a fair degree of buzz and something special about running giant marathons, but to run one locally, and to run with people I know, with the convenience of not having to worry about air fares, is fantastic,” she said.

“I’ve run the Ballarat half-marathon course a couple of times beforehand to familiarise myself with the course, but there’s a bit of uncertainty about how I’ll go for the second lap watching the half-marathon runners finish,” Ms Gibney laughed.

“If I was not a local, the course would have a huge amount of attraction. Vic Park is an undervalued resource, we’ve got Lake Wendouree, we’re running through the Arch of Victory, and the historic Lydiard Street facades.

“It’s pretty special.”

The event’s official charity partner is the Ballarat Health Services Foundation.

For more information on start times, or to register, visit ballaratmarathon.com.au.