When: Sunday, 23rd February 2025

Sign in starts from 5.45am runners are required to sign in and collect their bib at Belgian Gardens State School. Pins will be provided (or you can bring a race number belt). Please ensure you arrive on time to sign in and get ready to run. If you miss your start time, you may not be allowed to race. Please note the sign in commencement time for each distance: 10km from 5.45am | 7km from 6.15am | 3km from 6.45am

Entry Fees & Inclusions: Registration opens 1st December | General Entry starts: 1st January | Late Entry starts: 18th February

• 3km– Early Bird $30 | General Entry $35 | Late Entry $45
• 7km– Early Bird $40 | General Entry $45 | Late Entry $55
• 10km– Early Bird $45 | General Entry $50 | Late Entry $60
• Juniors (under 16yrs) only pay $15 General Entry | Late Entry $20 (short and mid distance only)

Minimum age to participate in our short distance events is 8 years and for the longer distances 12 years (age as of event date).

Your Entry fee includes:

• Entry to the race
• Fully marked, marshalled course
• First Aid support on course and at Race HQ
• On course professional photography
• Professional electronic timing and results
• Race bib plate with electronic timing chip, which is yours to keep
• Earn series points for your overall series ranking
• On course hydration and snack support (no cups provided, please use your own bottle)
• Post race recovery station with hydration and fruit buffet
• Free massage post run, thanks to Fisiocrem (subject to availability)
• Food and coffee van services available on site
• Amenities at Race HQ
• Exclusive deals with our sponsors
• The opportunity to win random prizes at the presentation after the race
• Great prize packs for top 3 male and female winners in each distance

Where: Castle Hill – Belgian Gardens State School, 43 Potts Street

Getting there: The Race HQ is accessible via Potts Street. The gate access to the school grounds will be sign posted

Parking: Parking is available on all adjacent streets as well as along Bundock Street and or across the road. Please park in an orderly fashion and be considerate of local residents. Consider parking a little further away with a short walk to HQ to avoid congestion.

Course Overview: 
The 3 courses are clearly marked with pink tape, signage, arrows and caution tape. Each track junction has a sign with directions on which way to go depending on which distance you are completing. There are course marshals at each significant turn.

 The course loops and criss crosses it’s way along the trails all over Castle Hill. It is dry and rocky, we recommend trail shoes that are in good condition and provide good grip. The course climbs part way up and back down the side of the hill so be prepared for some challenging sections.

NOTE: All three courses include exposed rock scramble sections.

3km Scramble – The Teaser

Get a taste of what trail running is about. This course is suited for beginners, though some running fitness is required.

The course starts at the school oval and takes runners out onto the newly built Firebreak Track. Taking a right hand turn onto a flowy trail with some steep pinches, switch backs and loose ground. The track takes runners to the bottom of the West Ridge Track. Now it’s time to climb, all the way up to Castle Hill Road and once at the top, runners take a right hand turn to follow the road for 70 meters before turning back onto the trails. The Erythrina Track takes runners past the Yarrawonga Water Reservoir and down onto Castle Hill Road. Back on the road, runners turn left to follow the road for 80 meters before ducking back onto the trails, following the steep Pipeline down to the Water Tank and from there runners follow the Belgian Gardens Link Track all the way to the Finish Line.

To download the GPX file, please follow this link here.

7km Scurry – The Intro

The best way to get your trail running career started. A little challenge, but not too big to deter newbies. Basic running fitness is required.

The course starts at the school oval and takes runners out onto the newly built Firebreak Track. Taking a right hand turn onto a flowy trail with some steep pinches, switch backs and loose ground. The track takes runners to the bottom of the West Ridge Track. Now it’s time to climb, all the way up to Castle Hill Road and once at the top, runners take a right hand turn to follow the road for 460 meters before turning back onto the trails. Heading down along Ironbark Track, runners will put their technical running skills to the test. This downhill section is rough, rocky and a whole lot of fun, make sure to run to your abilities to avoid twisted ankles. Hanging a left onto Triandra Track, runners follow this fun and undulating section of trail, contouring around the base of Castle Hill, past the Old Quarry and eventually meet up with the Maidenhair Track. The Maidenhair Track takes runners to the bottom of the Goat Track for a challenging climb up the stairs. The 7km runners won’t go all the way to the top of the Goat Track, instead they turn right and follow the Cudtheringa Track all the way to Castle Hill Road. Once at the road, runners turn left and head up the road for 680 meters and turn right onto the trail, following the Pipeline descent to the water tank and then turn left onto the Belgian Gardens Link Track. From there it’s a fun and fast section all the way to the finish.

To download the GPX file, please follow this link here

10km Slog – Short but long

Don’t be fooled by the ‘short’ distance, the 10km course packs a punch and will leave you trying to catch your breath once you’ve scrambled your way to the top. A great run to further your trail running career and step it up from previous runs. Good trail running fitness is required.

The course starts at the school oval and takes runners out onto the newly built Firebreak Track. Taking a right hand turn onto a flowy trail with some steep pinches, switch backs and loose ground. The track takes runners to the bottom of the West Ridge Track. Now it’s time to climb, all the way up to Castle Hill Road and once at the top, runners take a right hand turn to follow the road for 460 meters before turning back onto the trails. Heading down along Ironbark Track, runners will put their technical running skills to the test. This downhill section is rough, rocky and a whole lot of fun, make sure to run to your abilities to avoid twisted ankles. Hanging a left onto Triandra Track, runners come past the Old Quarry, before facing a challenging dash up Dianella Track. This will put the runners to the test and seperate the field. Not going all the way to the road, runner take a sharp right turn and come down Blue Spot Track to meet up with the Maidenhair Track. Taking a slight right turn and heading for the new set of stairs leading into the city. A short urban section awaits, sending runners up Stanley Street and onto the very start of the Goat Track. From here it’s all up, up, up until the very top. A quick lap of the car park and hopefully there is enough gas left in the tank to enjoy the fun downhill. Taking care to not bump into runners that are still going up, follow the Goat Track and then the Cudtheringa Track all the way to the bottom. Once at the road, runners turn left and head up the road for 680 meters and turn right onto the trail, following the Pipeline descent to the water tank and then turn left onto the Belgian Gardens Link Track. From there it’s a fun and fast section all the way to the finish.

To download the GPX file, please follow this link here.

Download the Athlete Guide here. 

Please check your spam folder for your confirmation email and other communication from us, if you have not received any emails after registering. your confirmation email includes a Change Link that can be used to make changes to your registration. If you would like to check who your competition will be or if you need to check if your name is on the list, a participant list can be found here.

Event Schedule:

Please note the sign in commencement time for each distance:

• 10km from 5.45am
• 7km from 6.15am
• 3km from 6.35am

The race start will be a wave start format with self seeding. The faster runners will start first and the slower runners follow 10min later. This will help to prevent bottlenecks along the trail and faster runners becoming stuck behind slower runners. You are required to choose a start group when you register for the run. It is important to stick to that start group or else the event timing will be inaccurate. If you wish to change your start group, please let us know in advance.

• 6.25am Race briefing for 10km distance
• 6.30am 10km Trail Run start (Fast | Medium | Slow- in 5min intervals)
• 6.55am Race briefing for 7km distance
• 7.00am 7km Trail Run start (Fast | Medium | Slow- in 5min intervals)
• 7.15am Race briefing for 3km distance
• 7.20am 3km Trail Run start (Fast | Medium | Slow- in 5min intervals)
• 9.30am Presentations (approx. time only)

Start Group Details:

• 10km Slog – Start times: Fast runners: 6:30am | Medium runners: 6:35 | Slower runners: 6:40am
• 7km Scurry – Start times: Fast runners: 7:00am | Medium runners: 7:05 | Slower runners: 7:10am
• 3km Scramble – Start times: Fast runners: 7:20am | Medium runners: 7:25 | Slow runners: 7:30am

Categories & Awards: Juniors (under 12 & under 16) | 16-29yrs | 30-39yrs | 40-49yrs | 50-59 yrs | 60+yrs

• Top 3 Male & Female for each distance are awarded at presentation
• Top 3 junior boys and girls (short distance only) are awarded at presentation
• 1st place in age group for each distance (excluding top 3 winners) will be called up on the day to collect their prize

Presentation: 9:00am* or as soon as the Top 3 runners have finished. Prizes are awarded to the top 3 runners on the day as well as age group winners.

Mandatory Gear: There is only mandatory gear for the 10km competitors.

• 10km runners are required to carry a minimum of 500ml water on them for the race.

We will have marshals on the course and first aid available. It will be hot, so please consider taking water and nutrition with you for the duration of the run. We also recommend to take a mobile phone with you and to download the app Emergency +

Water: There will be 1 water point on the course but no cups available, please use your own water bottles to refill. It is highly recommended to carry enough water to complete the race. This course is steep and it is early in the year, which means you will need water to avoid dehydration and heat exhaustion! Do not underestimate the ‘short’ distance of the three courses as they are steep and technical.

Facilities: Toilets are located at the race HQ, Belgian Gardens State School. It also has plenty of shade and covered areas for friends and family who are not running.

Merchandise: There will be Outer Limits merchandise for sale at Race HQ. Payment can be made in cash or via direct debit (no eftpos available).

Finish Line refreshments: Cold water and electrolytes (thanks to Fit Empire & Wellness) are provided at the finish line for competitors. Fresh seasonal fruit will also be available to all runners, thanks to The Fairfield Fresh Market. A coffee van will be on site selling drinks and food.

Sausage Sizzle: The Belgian Gardens State School P&C Committee will be holding a sausage sizzle during the event as a fundraiser. Each competitor gets one free sausage but bring your change as there will be plenty of extras available to purchase.

Safety: The trails include sections of challenging and technical single track, be sure to exercise caution on these sections. If you DO NOT FINISH the race you must see an event official or contact race HQ. If you do not report to an event official and a search party is sent out, this will be at the competitors cost. It will be hot so please take precautions to stay safe in the heat.

Rules & Regulations: In order for the event to run as smoothly as possible we need all participants to cooperate and stick to our rules and regulations, please read through the points below:

• No rego, No run! – We do not offer registration on the day and most our events sell out in advance. Please check with us before coming to the event unregistered.
• Visible BIB number – Please make sure your bib number is clearly visible (front of shirt) when crossing the finish line, this ensures the correct detection of your timing chip by the electronic timing system. The bib can not be covered by clothes or bags, this might cause the timing chip to not be picked up by the antenna at the finish line.
• No shortcuts – please stick to the marked track, for safety and fairness reasons. All courses are clearly marked and we have marshals out on the course.
• Fitness level – please choose the right distance according to your fitness level! Many of our courses are a bit more technical and running on trail will take you approximately twice as long as running the same distance on road. Our trail run events are not designed to be walked, especially not the longer distances. If you have any questions in regards to choosing the right distance according to your ability, please feel free to contact us. The event officials reserve the right to short course or pull competitors out of the race if they are concerned for their well-being.
• Obey traffic regulations unless otherwise instructed by an event official
• Treat other competitors, officials, volunteers and spectators with respect and courtesy
• Dress Code – please wear appropriate clothing, including pants, shirts and suitable running shoes

Trail Run Etiquette:

• Be mindful that the trails are open for other users outside of the race, including runners and walkers
• Do not leave any rubbish behind. What you bring in you must take out
• Keep left and give way to runners passing from behind
• Don’t approach any wildlife you may come across on the trails
• We ask you to NOT wear headphones, so you can hear other trail users around and hear the trail marshals instructions
• Stop and give assistance to other runners if needed. If another competitor falls and injures themselves, it is not an opportunity to pass them. Give assistance and ensure they are ok. Time considerations will always be given to the ones who stop and assist injured runners.

Series Points System:

• You receive points for each run you complete. Your total score is the sum of all your attended (and finished) races.
• The winner of a race receives 100 points. Every other runner receives points based on their time compared to the winner’s. For example, Sarah wins the race in 35:00 and Sonja finished in 42:00. Sarah’s score is 100 because she won. Sonja’s score is 83.3. It is calculated by dividing the winner’s time (35 minutes) by her time (42 minutes) and then multiplying the results by 100 (35/42 x 100 = 83.3).
• Points are calculated separately for men and women.
• You are counted as a Series participant if you complete at least four of the six races in the Series in the same distance category (i.e. the short, middle or long distance).
• Your age group for the Series will be your age as at end of the year.
• Awards are presented to the overall top three male and female runners in each of the three distance categories, as well as the first male/female runners in the following age groups: Juniors (under 12 & under 16), 16-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+.
• The overall top three male and female runners are not eligible for age group awards.

Registration opens 1st December 2024. Registration closes 22nd February at 6pm or when sold out.

Please visit the Trail Run Series Registration page to register: REGISTER HERE

NOTE: When registering online, you agree to the Release of Liability, Indemnification & Assumption of Risk Agreement.

Change, Cancellation and Refund Policy

Participant no longer able to attend/participate

Registered Participants who are no longer able to attend or participate in their registered event may:

• Request a refund as outlined and in accordance with clauses 2 and 3;
• Request a transfer of their registration to another event as outlined and in accordance with clauses 4 to 6; or
• Request that their registration be transferred to another athlete as outlined and in accordance with clauses 7 to 9.

1. Participants may request a refund by emailing ‘events@outerlimitsadventure.com.au’ no less than 14 days prior to the event. No refund requests will be considered or refunds issued after this date.
2. Refunds made in accordance with clause 2 are subject to a $10 transaction fee per registration being refunded.
3. Participants may request to transfer their registration to another Mike Carney Toyota Trail Run Series event within the same calendar year by emailing ‘events@outerlimitsadventure.com.au’ no less than 7 days prior to the event. No transfer requests will be considered or transfers issued after this date.
4. Event registrations can only be transferred once. If the registered participant is unable to attend their nominated subsequent event, the entry fee will be forfeited.
5. Transfers made in accordance with clauses 4 and 5 are subject to a $5 administration fee per registration that is payable at the time of transfer.
6. Participants may request to transfer their registration to another athlete by emailing ‘events@outerlimitsadventure.com.au’ no less than 7 days prior to the event. No athlete transfer requests will be considered or athlete transfers issued after this date.
7. Written requests for an athlete transfer must include the full name of the athlete being nominated in the registered participant’s place as well as their mobile number, email address, gender, date of birth and emergency contact information.
8. Athlete transfers made in accordance with clauses 7 and 8 are subject to a $5 administration fee per registration that is payable at the time of transfer.

Participant seeking to change nominated distance

Registered Participants may change their nominated distance for the event by either:

• Clicking the ‘change link’ contained in the confirmation email received upon registration; or
• By emailing their request to ‘events@outerlimitsadventure.com.au’.

1. Changes requested by email will be subject to a $5 administration fee.
2. Where a registered participant is changing to a shorter distance, no credit or refund will be issued for any difference in registration fees between the two distances.
3. Where a registered participant is changing to a longer distance, the price difference between the two distances must be paid by the registered participant at the time of requesting the change.

Event Changes/Cancellation

Outer Limits reserves the right to alter the course without notice, reschedule and/or cancel the event in consultation with emergency services, government agencies and event stakeholders.

1. Should the event need to be rescheduled, all registrations will be automatically transferred to the new date.
2. Registered participants unable to attend the new date must notify Outer Limits by emailing ‘events@outerlimitsadventure.com.au’. Registered participants will then have the option to have their registration refunded (as outlined and in accordance with clauses 2 and 3), registration transferred (as outlined and in accordance with clauses 4 to 6) or nominate another athlete to take over their registration (as outlined and in accordance with clauses 7 to 9).
3. In the unlikely circumstance that the event has to be cancelled and is unable to be rescheduled, all registered participants will receive a credit towards a future Trail Run Series event. The credit will be valid for 12 months.
4. Refunds are not available where the event is unable to be rescheduled.

Volunteer

If you are not running and would still like to be part of the event, why not come and give us a hand. Our events can only be successful with a great team on the ground and there are plenty of things to do. If you are interested to volunteer at the Castle Hill Trail Run, please fill out the below form and we will be in touch closer to the event. When registering as a volunteer you agree to the Release of Liability, Indemnification & Assumption of Risk Agreement.