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2010 Report & Run Times Report The 2010 Bellarine Rail Trail (BRT) 17/34km Run was held on Sunday Aug 22 with perfect weather after a month of drought breaking rain! The 6 prior years of this run had been held on a 1 way course from Geelong to Queenscliff but with 150 participants in 2009, logistics necessitated a change in the course with the 2010 34km run being an out & back trip from Queenscliff to Drysdale. Queenscliff is a stunning historic seaside town on the Bellarine Peninsula and home to the recent $38M Queenscliff Harbour redevelopment. Many runners opted to make a weekend of it and enjoyed a variety of tourism options on the Peninsula. Others took the Sorrento to Queenscliff ferry on the day and walked the short distance to the start line. Drysdale lies 17km from Queenscliff with the rail line, operated by the Bellarine Peninsula Railway, still operating between the two towns. And so led to the involvement of the train & a new 17km option for 2010 in either direction. The new course clearly appealed with 330 registrants and 240 actual starters on the day, a big jump on the previous year. The run has a unique appeal. It is NOT a race (despite a few convinced that it is!), there are plenty of supporters, it is a tremendously scenic trail, there is now a train, there are great spot prizes from Skins, R4YL & Steigen & it is still FREE! The train carried runners, family & friends and started 15mins after the main run providing great interest and atmosphere as it slowly moved through the field. Feedback from runners was again fantastic. To quote Noel McMahon who’s comment typified the feeling of the day: “I had a great time again on Sunday, this being my 4th year but I think the best. I wasn't quite up for the 34 so I did the 17. My 9 year old son and I enjoyed boarding the tourist train to Dysdale before my son rode back while I ran. He loved the ride on a very safe course, the furthest he had ever ridden. Using the train this year was a great idea, it made it very family friendly and the views of the runners from the Train were brilliant.” Local Ross Young also loved the event: “All I saw and heard all day were people enjoying themselves and having a great time! The train certainly added a bit of excitement ...especially for all the kids, (big and small).” Ross ran with his wife Libby and admitted having to work hard to not get dropped! Runners came from all over Victoria with about 70% from outside the local region. Nicole Dehnert made the trip from Hanwood NSW & Mitch & Lois Geall came all the way from Hong Kong! It was great to see ultra enthusiast Kevin Cassidy return to the BRT to get back into shape having been 20kg heavier at the same time in 2009 to survive his swim across the English Channel! The BRT will be back for sure again in 2011. The train will also hopefully be back and we’ll use the same course. Logistics will be fine tuned & hopefully another perfect sunny day. The only question is whether Phil Essam, the organiser of the first ever BRT Run in 2004, can finally get back to the Bellarine Peninsula to see first hand how the run has evolved from the 13 starters that year! Run Times NB: Times are approximate. This was a group run and not a race as all who took part understood. Please let me know if any times are incorrect or missing (especially the Drysdale-Queenscliff 17km as many started early - will improve this in 2011!).
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