The Canberra Times Marathon Festival returned to Canberra on the 11th and 12th of April. It brought together runners of different ages and backgrounds for a weekend of racing in the city centre.
The festival took place over two days. On Saturday, it included the 10km race, the 5km event and the Kids’ Dash. On Sunday, it continued with the full marathon and the half marathon. Both the 5km event and the half marathon were held at John Dunmore Lang Place, with the start line on King George Terrace.
Before the race
When I arrived, members of the ANU CTCC Running Group had already gathered together to warm up. The group was organised by the ANU Chinese Traditional Culture Club (CTCC) who also worked with UC Run Club in the lead-up to the race.
The running group included not only students, but also older members and children. Some stretched their legs, while others rolled their shoulders or listened to the leader’s instructions near the start line. A few runners stopped to take photos with friends and adjust each other’s race bibs. There was plenty of talking and laughter, and the wait before the race did not feel long.
The race begins
Once the race began, the crowd near the start line quickly moved forward. The runners swiftly settled into their own pace. Some started fast, while others ran more steadily and kept to a comfortable rhythm.
The 5km event had a particular appeal. It still felt like a race, with the energy and structure of a formal event, but it was not so demanding that first-time or casual runners would feel shut out. Because of that, the course included both runners focused on pace and others who were simply enjoying the experience with friends.
Among the participants was Lachlan Wei from UC Sport, who completed the run with his friends. He described the event as “a bit of fun”.
“We did a 5K today. I did it with my friend from UC as well, and we had a bit of fun. We did a bit of a sprint towards the end, which was nice.”
For Wei, the event was about more than just crossing the finish line. He said it was a good chance to get outside, enjoy the sun, get some exercise, and meet new people. He had originally hoped to take part in the half marathon the next day, but because he was returning to Melbourne, the 5km race became a good substitute instead.
Beyond the race
After the race, I spoke with Anqi Huang, one of the organisers of the ANU CTCC running group, to learn more about how the group took part in the event.
“We covered the registration fee for the first 30 members who signed up for the 5km race. This helped lower the barrier for students who were interested but not yet sure whether to join.”
Especially for many students, participating in such activities isn’t just a matter of whether they want to go or not. Sometimes, more practical reasons influence their decision, such as registration fees, whether they can see event information in a timely manner, and whether they have friends or a team to participate with.
“Our running group’s motto is ‘Youth knows no bounds, friendship belongs to us,’ which perfectly encapsulates the original intention of this event.”
In Huang’s view, the competition is certainly part of it, but more importantly, the process allows everyone to get to know each other, encourages more students to try activities they might not otherwise actively participate in, and helps them find like-minded people along the way.
Huang also said it was not easy to organise the group. At first, the promotion did not really reach the right students, so not many people knew about the event, and even fewer were willing to sign up. For some, a marathon or fun run still felt a little far away. Some worried they would not be able to finish, while others simply did not know much about the event.
“Later, we worked with UC Sport and ANU Sport to spread the information more widely. That helped us reach more students who were already interested in sport and campus life, and participation slowly started to grow.”
More than a race
Alongside the student running group and other runners, I also noticed participants connected to Indigenous communities and Running for Resilience. Running for Resilience is a Canberra-based organisation that uses running, walking and community activities to support mental health and social connection. The Indigenous Marathon Foundation has also long encouraged First Nations people to take part in running and walking.
The Canberra Times Marathon Festival attracts more than runners chasing results. Some people are there to finish the race, while others come for friends, for community, or simply because the weather is good. Because of that, what stays with you is not just the race itself, but the way different people come together through running.
ANU CTCC also plans to continue covering registration fees for some participants to help more students get involved. For more details and updates, follow the Instagram accounts of ANU CTCC and UC Run Club.
Original photos by Roujia Lin