Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon, 5 & 2 Mile Race
A traditional test of speed and endurance on a classic one-mile loop in a tranquil leafy suburban parkland...
About the event
The Canberra Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon is held annually on a scenic one-mile loop in and around Telopea Park, 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 be held on the Queens Birthday public holiday, Monday 12 June 2017.
The start and finish for all races is near the car park along Telopea Park East, Telopea Park. The course is a certified one-mile loop on cycle path and road.
Race start for the Half-Marathon is 9 am, with registration commencing at 8 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.
As this race is staged in Winter in Canberra, conditions are sometimes quite cold for the start, so bring your gloves and bini. The past few years however, have seen glorious days and mild temperatures throughout.
Distance
Half-Marathon (21.1km); 5 miles (8km); and 2 miles (3.2km)
Start time
- 9am for Half-Marathon
- 9.30am for 2 & 5 miles
Cost
- Online (until 5pm Fri 9 June): $13 (2M); $27 (5M); $31 (HM)
- On-the-day (from 8am): $20 (2M); $30 (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 7th 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 | Jack Brooks | 11:09 | 8/6/2015 | Jessica Jefferys | 13:27 | 10/6/2013 |
| 5 Miles | Under 50 | Joshua Torley | 28:11 | 11/6/2012 | Natasha Cole | 29:45 | 14/6/2010 |
| 5 Miles | 50 - 59 | Keith Law | 31:00 | 9/6/2014 | Liz Simpfendorfer | 40:09 | 9/6/2014 |
| 5 Miles | 60 - 69 | Paul Archer | 35:03 | 14/6/2010 | Margaret McSpadden | 48:15 | 9/6/2008 |
| 5 Miles | 70 and Over | Eric Hodge | 40:31 | 9/6/2014 | |||
| Half-Marathon | Under 50 | Robert Skillman | 1:15:02 | 9/6/2014 | 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 | Caroline Campbell | 1:58:53 | 18/7/2004 |
| Half-Marathon | 70 and Over | Kevin Chapman | 2:03:30 | 9/6/2014 | Caroline Campbell | 2:09:57 | 10/6/2013 |
Previous Results
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2016 Jun 13thSri Chinmoy Half-Marathon. 5 Mile and 2 Mile races, Telopea Park, Canberra, 13 June 2016 – full results
Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon. 5 Mile and 2 Mile races, Telopea Park, Canberra, 13 June 2016 – full results
Monday, 13 June, 2016Results (PDF Download)Race PhotosCraig Benson has won the Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon in and around Telopea Park several times, and added another major trophy to his collection today with a fine, uncontested run of 1:16:10.
The morning had started with a decent frost, though as the sun rose behind the trees of this lovely setting, the mood noticeably rose with the temperature as runners realised it would turn out to be an excellent day for a "run in the park."
Jeff Grey was 3rd outright, his 1:26:30 winning him the Male 50-59 category in fine style; while Peter Clarke was dominant in the Male 60-69 with 1:42:48.
Kirsty Bird won the women's race with an outstanding 1:32:59; while other age groups were won by Jane Hiatt (Female 50-59) in 2:11:58 and Robyn McClelland (Female 60-69) with 2:13:26.
Concurrent with the Half-Marathon, the 5 mile and 2 mile races used the same course, injecting some extra adrenaline and energy in the middle of the longer race.
The 5 miler was won by Liam Stewart, running an excellent 29:31. Bruce Perry was too good for the competition in the Male 50-59 with 41:17; and Kevin Chamberlain took out the Male 60-69 in 48:46.
Claudia Brown meanwhile won the women's race in 36:11; the evergreen Kaaren Sutcliffe taking out the Female 50-59 with 46:53; and Jennifer Kellett the Female 60-69 with a fine run of 43:08.
The 2 mile race sported an unusually small, yet enthusiastic field. Thien Vuong won the race (and Male 17 and Over category) in 12:04; 2nd outright was Boys under 17 winner Daniel Baldan in 13:32; next was his brother and Boys Under 13 winner Lachlan Baldan in 14:30; while the women's race was won by Margot Tredoux in 20:08.
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2015 Jun 8thSri Chinmoy Half-Marathon, 5 mile & 2 mile races, Canberra, 8 June 2015Results (PDF Download)Race Photos
Life is about running around in circles. As electrons spin around the atoms within us, the earth revolves on its axis bringing day upon night upon day and our seasons are the effect of our hurtling around the sun, so our thoughts and feelings turn upon themselves and we ultimately find ourselves at the end of it all, right where we started … yet somehow richer for the journey.
So today we ran little versions of our lives, around and around the same one mile loop, each lap the same, yet each lap new as we changed and evolved toward the conclusion.
The first race to conclude today – after only two revolutions of the course – was the “sprint” 2 miler, which saw several course records timble. Leading the charge was Boys Under 17 winner Matthew McGrory in 11:05 (an age group record), just ahead of Male 17 and Over leader Jack Brooks’ 11:09 (an age group record). Then came Girls Under 17 champion Keely Small (bettering her own age group record from last year) in an excellent 11:33; ahead of Jordynne Rauter of the Girls Under 13 in 12:36; Boys Under 13 winner Joshua Curry’s 12:42 and Olivia Cameron, first place in the Female 17 and Over category with 13:43.
Circling the loop 5 times, the 5 mile runners were led from the outset by Tom Cumming, who never looked back to win the men’s race comfortably in 31:20. David Clarke took out the Male 50-59 in 35:23; while unrelated Peter Clarke won the Male 60-69 with 35:35; and Kevin Chapman the Male 70 and Over in 45:32.
The women’s race had an equally impressive winner in Vanessa Haverd, who clocked 32:50 to place second outright in the race. Sharon Humphries won the Female 50-59 with 44:57.
While the 2 and 5 mile races unfolded relatively quickly, the drama of the Half-Marathon continued to turn before our eyes. Starting an hour earlier, at 9am, most of the Half-Marathoners outlasted the shorter distance runners on the course, some by quite a margin.
Craig Benson and Jodie Barker are repeat winners of the Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon, Craig returning 1:16:02 today and Jodie 1:36:13. Craig was shadowed through the race by Andrew McGowan who came in only half a minute back in 1:16:31, while Jodie’s nearest rival, Anna McCormack came in in 1:45:34.
Narelle Patrick was 2nd outright in the women’s field and took out the Female 50-59 in 1:39:46; while Julie Bell won the Female 60-69 with 2:04:07. The Male 50-59 was won again by Jeff Grey with an impressive 1:27:45; Silvio Spahn took out the Male 60-69 in 1:44:44; and Lachlan Lewis was the Male 70 and Over champion with 2:44:04.
Congratulations to all who participated in any of the races today on a glorious Canberra morning for running: and thanks to all volunteers who helped make the morning so enjoyable for all.
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2014 Jun 9thSri Chinmoy Telopea Park Half-Marathon, 5 Mile & 2 Mile Race Report
Even after nearly 30 years, finishers of the Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon are still greeted with surprises. One runner made her way up the finish chute, to find some of her friends holding a colourful banner from her boyfriend, a fellow runner, asking for her hand in marriage. (Though the proposal was there for all to witness, we had best keep their identities private.) Others had less unusual surprises, but were amazed by their own athletic prowess, as they achieved PBs, or challenged themselves to a distance beyond anything that they had previously done.Though the Half-Marathon still uses the established loop of Canberra’s historic Telopea Park, it has changed somewhat since the early days, when a small team of volunteers would individually count the laps of an intimate group of keen runners. This time we had a record field – both for the Half-Marathon race, and for the three-race event itself. That is not the only reason why today’s event would seem very different to one of the competitors of 1990. Now there are three races, with both the 5-mile and 2-mile events attracting a competitive field. The race is no longer in the depths of July – leaving race officials half-frozen and runners wrapped in scarves and heavy tacksuits – but in the relatively mild climate of the Queen’s Birthday, with the Sun shining overhead (at least this year). Perhaps even better, the race now offers a breakfast of fresh fruit and hot pancakes for the runners, who deserve a light feast after taking on the course. (One thing that hasn’t changed: the team of volunteers is still small – though nowadays they are assisted by computer timing.)
Many have noted that, even as it traces the same loop 13 times (in the case of the main race), the course seems to get hillier and tougher as the race progresses – a true typographical enigma. Each lap looks identical, but seems to be considerably steeper.
But however demanding the race, it was not enough to bother the 11 runners who did it under 90 minutes, or the many others who completed one of the three races. An excellent way to spend a morning!
Full results are published, as well as a photo gallery from around the course.
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2014 Jun 9thSri Chinmoy Half-Marathon, 5 Mile and 2 Mile Runs, Telopea Park, Canberra, 9 June 2014 – Results
Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon, 5 Mile and 2 Mile Runs, Telopea Park, Canberra, 9 June 2014 – Results
Monday, 9 June, 2014The annual Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon, 5 Mile and 2 Mile races were staged in and around Telopea Park on Monday 9 June 2014. Full results for each of the 3 distances follow:
Sri Chinmoy Telopea Park 5 miles, 9 June 2014, full results by category including full split times>>
Sri Chinmoy Telopea Park 2 miles, 9 June 2014, full results by category including full split times>>
About the Organisers
The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team
Serving the athletic community for over 35 years...
Team Founder Sri Chinmoy
A lifelong advocate of fitness and self-transcendence...
