RunDungog has returned, announcing that tickets are on sale and entries have opened again for their annual Trail Running Festival following a highly successful 2022 event.
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This year the Trail Running Festival will be held on Sunday, August 6 and is being coordinated by Michael Grant who has made some slight changes to the event.
"It's a little different to last year... we're going to be kicking off from down the bottom of the Common this year. Last year our event HQ was up the top," Mr Grant said.
"This year we'll be down the bottom with a little better parking facilities and amenities. Our trails will run from the bottom and go out into the Common and come back."
In other news:
RunDungog's Trail Running Festival is a not for profit event that aims to raise money for the Dungog Shire Community Centre.
Last year's festival drew over 300 entrants into Dungog to race in either the 5km, 10 km and 20 km races along with the Royal Hotel Mountaineer 500m sprint event.
"Everything that we do happen to make from the event all goes back into the Community Centre," Mr Grant said.
"There should be a distance, we're hoping, to fit everybody. The 5k is going to cater for the walkers as well as the shorter distance runners, and of course up to the 20k, which is a little bit more serious, a good hit out for your more experienced runners."
The 2022 Trail Running Festival managed to raise over $10,000 for the Dungog Community Centre, according to the then organiser Dan Lyons and this year, Mr Grant is hoping to raise the bar and improve on that.
"We're hoping to build on that 300 (attendees) and maybe get towards 400, who knows?" he said.
"We had a couple come from the Port Stephens area and Newcastle and both of those couples have indicated they're keen to come in and have a run again."
The Trail Running Festival will also offer a number of events for children hosted by Wangat and Wildcraft Australia.
The festival comes alongside an attempt to bring the trail running scene to Dungog, according to Mr Grant.
He said the trail running scene is growing more popular everywhere.
"It's not just here, and of course we're spoiled with the Common so close to the town. Trail running, I think, is a growing thing," he said.
Funds raised will be used on relatively boring things to keep the community centre open, according to it's manager Kate Murphy.
For more information or to enter the Trail Running Festival visit RunDungog's Facebook page or website.
Angus Michie
Angus Michie is a reporter with the Dungog Chronicle. He has an interest in community and council reporting.
Angus Michie is a reporter with the Dungog Chronicle. He has an interest in community and council reporting.
