Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon, 5 & 2 Miles
A traditional test of speed and endurance on a classic one-mile loop in a refreshing garden and lakeside setting...
About the event
The Canberra Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon is held annually on a scenic one-mile loop in and around Lennox Gardens, and is joined by two classic 'imperial' distances now rarely held in Australia: a 5 Mile and a 2 Mile Race. The Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon, 5 Mile and 2 Mile races will next be held on Monday 12 June 2023.
The course is a certified one-mile loop on cycle path and road.
Race start for the Half-Marathon is 9 am. The 2 Mile Race and 5 Mile Race commence at around 9.30 am. Both the 2 Mile and 5 Mile Races employ the same loop course as the Half-Marathon.
Race number bib collection and on-the-day entries from 8am.
As this race is staged in Winter in Canberra, conditions are sometimes quite cold for the start, so bring your gloves and bini.
Distance
Half-Marathon (21.1km); 5 miles (8km); and 2 miles (3.2km)
View course map »
Start time
- 9am for Half-Marathon
- 9.30am for 2 & 5 miles
Cost
- Online entry $13 (2M); $27 (5M); $31 (HM)
- Online entry closes 5pm Friday 9 June
- On the day $20 (2M); $35 (5M); $40 (HM)
Contact
Prachar Stegemann
Award categories
- 21.1km: 1st to 7th M & F Under 50; 1st to 3rd M & F 50-59; 1st and 2nd M & F 60-69; 1st M & F 70+
- 5 miles: 1st to 3rd M & F Under 50; 1st to 3rd M & F 50-59; 1st and 2nd M & F 60-69; 1st M & F 70+
- 2 miles: 1st to 3rd M & F Under 13; 1st to 3rd M & F Under 17; 1st to 3rd M & F 17 and Over
Course records
The following are course records since 2004. Faster times were set in earlier years for the Half-Marathon, but sadly have not been recorded...
| Distance | Age Category | Male | Time | Date | Female | Time | Date |
| 2 Miles | Under 13 | Joshua Torley | 11:20 | 14/6/2010 | Rebekah Sawkins | 12:28 | 9/6/2008 |
| 2 Miles | Under 17 | Matthew McGrory | 11:05 | 8/6/2015 | Keely Small | 11:33 | 8/6/2015 |
| 2 Miles | 17 and Over | Tim Barnett | 10:50 | 9/6/2019 | Jessica Jefferys | 13:27 | 10/6/2013 |
| 5 Miles | Under 50 | Jeffrey Van Gangelen | 27:49 | 12/6/2017 | Natasha Cole | 29:45 | 14/6/2010 |
| 5 Miles | 50 - 59 | Anthony Kennedy | 29:53 | 12/6/2023 | Debra Kay | 39:54 | 12/6/2023 |
| 5 Miles | 60 - 69 | Paul Archer | 35:03 | 14/6/2010 | Elizabeth Simpson | 37:28 | 14/6/2021 |
| 5 Miles | 70 and Over | Trevor Jacobs | 39:31 | 12/6/2023 | Rae Palmer | 50:37 | 14/6/2021 |
| Half-Marathon | Under 50 | Adrian McLean | 1:11:22 | 14/6/2021 | Natalie Wood | 1:24:33 | 9/6/2008 |
| Half-Marathon | 50 - 59 | Geoff Hawke | 1:21:38 | 9/6/2008 | Sue Archer | 1:42:35 | 9/6/2008 |
| Half-Marathon | 60 - 69 | Peter Clarke | 1:29:18 | 11/6/2012 | Clare Wall | 1:47:00 | 12/6/2023 |
| Half-Marathon | 70 and Over | Kevin Chapman | 2:03:30 | 9/6/2014 | Susan Archer | 1:59:07 | 14/6/2021 |
Previous Results
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2023 Jun 12thSri Chinmoy Lennox Gardens Half-Marathon, 5 mile & 2 mile Runs, Monday 12 June 2023Results (PDF Download)Race Photos
There is plenty to ponder along the Sri Chinmoy Lennox Gardens one mile loop. The charge of “too boring” could never be levelled at a route presenting such a dizzying parade of natural beauty, aesthetic richness, cultural variety, historical intrigue and political heft – 13 times around the course is barely enough to whet the appetite.
For starters, the park itself is a veritable arboreal feast with an array of native and introduced trees standing alone, in clusters, groves and copses, their correspondingly varied winged denizens flashing a fluttering smorgasbord of fleeting visual and vocal delights, the soothing sweep of lake, its elegance of waterbirds, slate cloud blotches latticed upon a pensive sky, a lone balloon, the grandeur of Black Mountain with its ever-aspiring tower, the jolting jaunty incongruity of the National Museum, ANU’s (what?!) – Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility – pretending to blend in unnoticed, before the easeful arching of Commonwealth Ave Bridge delivering to an implied city centre beyond. Bearing right to head up a slight slope of grass, the Katie Bender Memorial aches with the tragic folly of a day of festivity turned in an instant to unspeakable tragedy, the dual carriageway of Flynn Drive a reminder we are within a would-be city, the incongruous Albert Hall, the historic (now Hyatt) Hotel Canberra, former home of Prime Ministers and midnight Cabinet meetings, Canberra’s curiously quaint croquet club, the clumsily bungled espionage around the construction of the Chinese Embassy linked/separated with a narrow strip of tarmac from the British High Commission, the Nara Peace Garden, a glimpse of Parliament House looming with all it stood for, stands for, would and could stand for, before abruptly wheeling right into the Chinese Garden precinct an eclectic collection of cultural curios, the Canberra Yacht Club minding its business across Lotus Bay and around the beautifully curved and manicured bend to pass by the Rotary Peace Bell, silent sentinel of mankind’s eternal aspiration for the seemingly-unattainable Ideal. And all the fish, oblivious. An occasional turtle.
And all of that as nothing in compare to the stories, the histories, dramas and dreams, the personal trials and triumphs of ourselves – this marvellous assorted ensemble of runners – circling, striving and thriving, revolving, evolving and transcending on and along and around this wondrous loop of life.
Too boring? Only if …
Trevor Spencer and Alexandria Nicholls both led from the front in the men’s and women’s Half-Marathon, each carving impressive wins unchallenged – Trevor taking line honours in 1:15:04 by a clear 9 minutes from Dan Piercy (1:24:18) and Rex Wickenden (1:26:26); while Alexandria established a 7 minute gap ahead of Kate Ahern (1:33:25) and Caitlin Chandler (1:39:08).
Clare Wall ran so fast in the Female 60-69 category, that she even thought she had run one lap too short – but the timing data doesn’t lie and her consistent lap splits revealed a new age group record, breaking her own best time from yesteryear with a mighty impressive 1:47:00. Michelle Burns took out the F50-59 with 1:50:37; Aston Duncan blitzed the M50-59 field by 14 minutes and took 3rd outright with his fine run of 1:25:09; while Rodney Smith won the M60-69 in 1:40:43.
Today’s 5 mile race was a record fest, with 3 new fastest times racing to new heights: Debra Kay set a new standard for the F50-59 with 39:54; Trevor Jacobs made it 2 new course records in his last two Sri Chinmoy races starts with 39:31 in the M70+; while Anthony Kennedy broke the existing M50-59 time with his 29:53. Jennifer Kellett was guaranteed a win in the F60-69 as she was the only entrant – but even so, her stellar run of 37:43 saw her only a few seconds adrift of Elizabeth Simpson’s course best from 2021.
Sarah King ran a superb front-running race to win the women’s 5-miler in 31:16, from Lee Steel’s 37:48 and Kathryn Sliwinski in 38:03. Shamsher Foley had a much tighter tussle to win the men’s race, with only 4 seconds splitting his 28:49 from a fast-finishing Yiannis Eliopoulos’ 28:53, with Joe Erskine balancing the podium with his 29:47. Kim Houghton’s return to running saw him take out the M60-69 in a creditable 38:21.
Tom Sharp was too sharp in the 2 mile race, winning from the M17 and Over category in 12:11, with next home Tara Holmes, 1st in the Girls Under 17s with 12:53. Oliver Whiting led the Boys Under 13 and took 3rd outright with 13:43; while Fletcher Whiting was 4th and winner of the Boys Under 17 in 14:10. Fastest Girls Under 13 was Ava Harrington with 15:04; while Female 17 and Over winner Sibylla Muecke came home in 15:50.
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2022 Jun 13thSri Chinmoy Lennox Gardens Half-Marathon, 5 Mile & 2 Mile Runs, Monday 13 June 2022Results (PDF Download)Race Photos
As the seasons turn, our sun rises and sets, we breathe in and out, a the tennis ball lobs and lands, so we return each June to shift left and right shoes one after the other, with or without wind, rain or sunshine, time and again encircling a time-honoured loop, ever the same anew, around Lennox Gardens…
The age categories in the Half-Marathon extended all the way to the top, with Julie Bell (2:22:43) and Peter Badowski (2:18:33) leading the way for us all in the 70 and Over categories. Clare Wall ran a classy 1:52:31 to take out the F60-69, with Chris Gammon likewise excelling in the M60-69 with 1:42:44. Tracie Scarlett-Arundell took out the F50-59 in 1:59:21, and Mark Duncanson the M50-59 with 1:42:58.
Lili Mooney was streets ahead in the open women’s race, holding her fine form all the way to take the race in 1:320:52, from Linda Edstrom (1:40:12) and Aline Pottier (1:48:44). Adrian Gebers (1:19:05) likewise led from the front in the men’s event to win from David Reis (1:24:02) and Shamsher Foley (1:27:59).
To keep things in balance, exactly as many runners – 34 – finished the 5 mile race as the Half-Marathon. Yolanda Yovie-Toon proved best on the day in the women’s race with 35:49 – earning her 3rd place outright – ahead of Emily Gearside (38:20) and Lee Steel (38:24). Debra Kay won the F50-59 with 40:25, just behind F60’s Jennifer Kellett (40:19), while Action Hero Caroline Campbell – fresh from racing up Mt Tennent on Saturday – took out the F70+ in 52:45.
The men’s 5 mile race saw David Beaven in fine stride to take the win with 31:38, from Bruce Jenkins’ 32:43 – both running from the M50-59 category! 3rd place male went to Simon Yung form the MU50s with 35:56, followed by another from the M50-59, James O’Neill’s 36:32. Next was Kim Houghton, 1st in the M60-69 with an impressive 37:00; while Jim White gave his all to take home the main prize in the M70+ with 47:20.
Tom Sharp lived up to his name in the 2 mile race, completing the 2 laps in 12:55. The next 3 finishers were all form the Boys Under 13s – Evan Minto (14:50), Callum Minto (15:27) and Darcy Parrott (17:37). Zhenyu Wang took out the Female 17 and Over with 21:53, and Liesel Parrott the Girls Under 13, in 24:08.
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2021 Jun 14thSri Chinmoy Lennox Gardens Half-Marathon, 5 Mile & 2 Mile races, Monday 14 June 2021Results (PDF Download)Race Photos
While point-to-point races may boast a variety of vistas and terrains, if one is fortunate to have a superb outlook, an excellent surface and wonderful company all in the one place, why not enjoy these benefits for the whole race? The reliability and consistency of a loop course also affords an ideal opportunity to focus within, on on one’s running form, style and attitude, and to keep tabs on the entire field of both friends and rivals.
Although not a blazing hot sunny day in Canberra this Queen’s Birthday Holiday morning, a significant boon assisting all participants whispered in silence through an all-pervasive stillness. Those who ran this event in 2020 will recall the blustery gale that stood against every runner’s effort at forward progress. The lack of wind today perhaps aided in the achievement of no fewer than 5 age group and overall course records, a remarkable achievement given the relatively small field assembled.
Few timers has this event been dominated as comprehensively as Adrian McLean’s virtuoso performance today. The loop course, which effectively keeps the whole field closer together than they would appear in a linear race, disguised the margin of victory which ended up a whopping 7 minutes, In the process, Adrian’s 1:11:22 sliced a full 3 minutes from the old course record. Steve McCulloch was next among the mortals with 1:18:25, from 3rd placed Jimmy Byrne’s 1:18:54. Jon Schol made the trip from the South Coast wortthwhile to take out the Male 50-59 with a fine 1:35:29, ahead of Kim Houghton, who set a lifetime Half-Marathon PB of 1:37:36 at age 59 years and 11 months! Amazingly, Kim was the oldest runner in the men’s field.
In the women’s Half-Marathon, Bernie Connors had never attempted a race on a loop course, or an event of this distance, and surprised herself with a brilliant win in 1:39:15, from Amanda McCormack’s 1:41:11 and Linda Edstrom with 1:42:50. Evergreen Kerri Vaughan showed her experience and class to win the F50-59 in 1:54:14, from Fiona Websdane with 2:01:55. Meanwhile, Clare Wall had already finished and won the F60-69 with her outstanding new course record, another to better her own time from last year with 1:49:43; and the amazing Susan Archer claimed the F70+ trophy and a new age group best time, in the process holding off the 2 hour barrier, with her 1:59:07.
Tim Carton showed a clean pair of heels in the men’s 5 mile race, winning by over 2 minutes in 28:47, from Jason Chalker (31:30) and Keegan Moore (34:33). Darren Blackhurst was best among the M50-59 with 35:05, just ahead of Andrew Forster’s 35:25. Sandra Oliver took out the women’s race and an impressive 9th place overall with 36:10, while 2nd female was the outstanding Elizabeth Simpson, surpassing her own course record for the Female 60-69 with 37:28. Kathryn Sliwinsksi was next among the F Under 50 with 39:44, from Melanie Wellenberg’s 40:50. Jennifer Kellett continued the fine form of the F60-69s with her excellent 41:28. The M 70+ category was outstanding, with Paul Archer (44:26), Jim White (45:25) and Peter Badowski (45:29) all coming home ahead of the entire M60-69 field, where Ewen Thompson (49:12) just pipped Trevor Jacobs (49:13) for the title. Yvette Turner was fastest among the F50-59s, wining this category in 51:20 from Kim Falco’s 56:43; while Rae Palmer ran a fine race to also beat her own course record set last year in the F70+ with a wonderful 50:37.
The “sprint” 2-lap race saw a commanding run from Tom Sharp, winning comfortably from a small field in 12:18, ahead of 2nd placed Jules Tarry, who took out the Boys Under 13 category in 15:05, just ahead of his father Greg (15:07). Polly Templeton won the Female 17 and Over with 17:54.
Congratulations to all who participated, and gratitude to all who helped in any role.
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2020 Aug 16thSri Chinmoy Lennox Gardens Half-Marathon, 5 Mile & 2 Mile races, Sunday 16 August 2020Results (PDF Download)Race Photos
There’s always a positive side, and it’s so much more enriching than its counterpart. Having to go without racing for some time – and with many in Australia and elsewhere still not able to participate – has made us all appreciate how lucky we are to enjoy such a blessing. When conditions at a race are tough – cold, hot, hills, wind, rain, mud, dust – organisers (who are usually enduring the same challenges) hear a good amount of grumbling. Yet today – despite an unremitting wind never departing the course for a moment – we heard nothing from anyone but flowing appreciation and glowing gratitude. So thank YOU to all who participated in such good spirits, determined to make the most of the occasion, for it is you who made this such an occasion to savour…
From the moment the World Peace Bell sounded the start of the Half-Marathon, it was clear Ken Gibson and Penny Slater would each be running solo today, each remaining focussed, smooth and elegant in the face of all the wind could throw at them from the lake. Ken ultimately broke the tape with 1:15:02 on the clock, nearly 6 minutes clear of former race winner Craig Benson in 1:20:54, ahead of a close tussle for 3rd between Aston Duncan’s 1:22:24 and Andrew Proctor with 1:22:38. Meanwhile, in 3rd outright, Jason Keane just missed out on the Male 50-59 course record with his superb 1:21:58, ahead of his closest rival on the day, Kerry Baxter with 1:33:18 and James Hipwell’s 1:33:48. David Clarke took out the Male 60-69 with 1:34:53, from Peter Hoefer (1:40:46) who just held off Kieron Blackmore’s 1:41:13. Bill Arthur took out the Male 70 and Over with an indefatigable 2:42:02.
Penny Slater went on to win the women’s race by an even larger margin than Ken in the men’s event, taking the day with an impressive 1:26:03, from Linda Edstrom at 1:42:53, Amanda McCormack’s 1:44:59 and Caitlin Davis with 1:45:52. Evergreen and ever-cheerful Kerrie Vaughan was fastest in the Female 50-59 with 1:53:02, ahead of Fiona Websdane in 1:56:02 and Tracie Scarlett-Arundell’s 1:58:30 – though they all trailed the Female 60-69 winner, the sensational Clare Wall posting a new course record for her age group of 1:52:26, leading the way from Robyn McClelland in 2:19:39.
The women’s 5 Mile race saw an exceptional front-running win from Aimee Davenport, clocking 32:59 in the wind, from Natalie Wood’s 38:24 and Asia Smarsz with 39:08. Maree Davies took out the Female 50-59 with 43:42, from Razz Morgan with 46:08 and Monique Sheehan’s 46:52. The wind knocked over many things during the race, but it was records that were tumbling In the more mature age groups, where Elizabeth Simpson continued her fine vein of form to set a new best time in the Female 60-69 with 38:13; and Rae Palmer likewise eclipsed the previous fastest among the Female 70 and Over with her new record 51:59. Congratulations!
Aaron Passioura ran an impressive 28:02 to win the men’s 5 Mile race by a clear margin from Joseph Hughes’ 28:58 and 15-year-old Xavier Quispes with 30:22. In the Male 50-59, Steve Rohan-Jones beat his own course record set last year, to win in a fine 30:29, ahead of a close race for the podium placings between James Owen in 33:50 and Steven Ditullio (34:00). Peter Prince took out the Male 60-69 with 41:52; and David Iverarch defended his title in the Male 70 and Over with a sterling 42:46.
Kodi Clarkson showed a clean pair of heels to the field in the 2 Mile race, winning from the Boys Under 13 category in 12:08, from Kami Schulz’s 13:00 (1st place Boys Under 17), Caleb Quispes with 14:46 and Liam Cook in 15:11. Ben Newman took out the Male 17 and Over with 16:48, and Margot Tredoux the Female 17 and Over with 20:58 from Sue Brennan’s 31:10.
Congratulations to all who ran and offered so much inspiration to us all!
