NEXT YEAR’S Tamborine Mountain Marathon is continuing to attract top quality entrants.
The event is returning to the district on Australia Day next year after a number of false starts in recent years.
Race organiser Guy Roberts recently announced that world class marathoner Wayne Spies was coming to town and now he’s had success in luring Hayley Teale to compete.
Hayley representing Australia in the Trail and Mountain Running World Championships in Austria last year and also completed the Nine Dragons Two day Challenge in Hong Kong.
The Challenge required the Tamborine based athlete to run 50 miles on day one in Hong Kong and 50 kilometres on day two.
Hayley, 46, is no stranger to the Tamborine Mountain marathon having competed in the event three times and winning it in 2021.
She said she was glad to see the event return as she loved the community spirit that it brought to the area.
“The volunteers have always been fantastic and the event hub comes alive as each runner passes through each lap.
“It’s not the flattest course as it certainly has a few speed bumps to interrupt your rhythm, but that also keeps it interesting.
“Being a local event, I hope to partake for many years to come in some capacity whether running or volunteering, but this year I will be challenging myself on the marathon course again.
Hayley said she was not sure if she could achieve a Personal Best, but she was going to give it her best shot.
“It’s great that I get to share this event with many running friends and that my family will be at the finish waiting for me to cross the line so we can go get breakfast.”
Race director Guy said In previous years the marathon had attracted as many as 300 competitors and they were still optimistic to match that number in 2025.
The course is a 7km loop starting and finishing at the Tamborine Mountain Sports Centre on Long Road.
It sees competitors run over grass, bitumen, trails and even along footpaths.
Tamborine Mountain’s Bruce Hargreaves was responsible for bringing the marathon to the district after he started the run as an informal event with friends at Victoria Point back on Australia Day 2009.
More information about the event is available at:
