Owai Road Mile Champs

Owairaka Athletics was founded in 1943 and this year, we turn 80 so we are going to celebrate in style with a mid winter road mile. At stake are the Joe Giles Mile Trophies awarded to the fastest male and female club milers on the day. Joe was one of Arthur Lydiard's neighbours who always had a dream to run a downhill mile along May Road. We won't be running May Road this year but we will be running downhill and it's one way... so fast times are guaranteed!

Please RSVP so we know how many are coming. Then on the day, meet at the club house at 8.30. We will walk, jog or skate up to the start, which is near the skate park at Valonia. The mile course heads down the bike path towards Pac'n'Save Mt Albert. The start is downhill then it flattens off. Then we'll head back to the club for coffee, tea and birthday cake. Entry is free but we would really like it if you made a small donation (suggested $10) to the high jump mat fund. https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-us-raise-the-bar

PAKnSAVE have come to the party with some vouchers for prizes, we have a super fast road mile course marked out with markers every 100m, a VIP race starter, photographers and videographers lined up...  and the weather forecast is not too bad!

TIMINGS

8.30 Registration open at the club. Grab a race number, do some warm up laps on the track and check out the route.

9.00 Jog (or drive) together to the start.

9.25 H & S Briefing

9.30 Mile starts

9.40 Jog (or drive) back to the club for tea, coffee, birthday cake - presentation of Joe Giles Mile trophies.

10.30 Finish

THE ROUTE

Start near the Valonia Skate Park on the SW Shared Path. Run to PAKnSAVE.

See: https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/edit/5583889639/

HEALTH & SAFETY

The race runs along the SW Shared Path which will be open as normal. It's quite narrow at the start. We'll have people at both ends warning cyclists that there are runners about but keep your eye out for bikes and be courteous to other path users. Keep left at all times. This is important for safety but it also ensures the distance you run is accurate. No cutting corners or running tangents! The most dangerous point is where the Beautiful Bridge meets the path. Cyclists coming off the bridge will not be able to see runners. We'll have a marshall there but keep your wits about you.

OPTIONS FOR PARKING

There's parking at the club of course and you can leave vehicles there. There's also parking at the Valonia Skatepark (near the start) so that's an option if you don't want to run too far. It's about 1k to the start from the club and about 3k back from the finish. The other place you could park is on the street at the bottom of Bollard Ave which is near the finish. And if you come by bike you can park anywhere!

RAISING THE BAR

This event is free but please consider making a donation to the our high jump appeal if you haven't already done so. We're fundraising for a new landing mat for next season.

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-us-raise-the-bar

AFTERWARDS

Afterwards, we'll be back at the clubrooms for prize-giving. We are also celebrating 80 years of Owairaka Athletics this year so there will be birthday cake and tea and coffee.

THANK YOU

Thanks to PAKnSAVE Mt Albert for your generous sponsorship. And a very big thank you to all our committee and volunteers who have worked hard to put this event on: Julie, Kate, Dion, Emily, Matthew, Tony, Tim, Simon, Pete, Selena, Syd, Bazyl and Natasha.

See you on Sunday. Go owai!