When: Sunday, 29th June 2025

Sign in starts from 6.15am, all runners are required to sign in and collect their bib number at Event HQ. 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.

Entry Fees & Inclusions: Registration opens 1st December | General Entry starts: 18th May | Late Entry starts: 22nd June

• 6km: Early Bird $38 | General Entry $43 | Late Entry $53
• 10km: Early Bird $48 | General Entry $53 | Late Entry $63
• 18km: Early Bird $53 | General Entry $58 | Late Entry $68
• Juniors (under 16yrs | short and medium distance only): $21 General Entry | Late Entry $28

Minimum age to participate in our short distance events is 8 years and for the longer distances 11 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
• Food and coffee van services available
• Free massage post run, thanks to Fisiocrem (subject to availability)
• 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 and cash prizes for top 3 Junior winners (under 12 & under 16)

Where: Bowen, Case Park, Horseshoe Bay Road

Getting there: Bowen is approximately a 2:30 hours drive south on the Bruce Highway. Head towards Ayr and the Bowen. Once you get to Bowen, take Woodlands Road, Richmond Road and Soldiers Road to Horseshoe Bay Road. The Event HQ is set up in Case Park.

Parking: Parking inside the park will be tight so please park in an orderly fashion and ensure vehicles are not blocking any access ways. You may have to park outside the park and walk to Race HQ. There is plenty of parking along the main road (Horseshoe Bay Rd).

Accommodation: For accommodation options, visit the Tourism Bowen website. Why not make a whole weekend out of it. We will attend the Bowen Parkrun on Saturday morning at 7am, spend the afternoon by the beach and rest up, ready to go for Sunday morning.

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

 The course has a few out and backs to amazing lookouts and a few stair sections. The trails will be uneven including rocks and soft sand in some sections.

Cut Off Times: The event director and event officials reserve the right to pull any competitor out of the race if they are concerned about their well being. Runners may be short coursed or directed straight to the finish, if they have not reached a certain check point by the cut off time.

• 10km Course cut-off time: TBC
• 18km Course cut-off time: TBC

6km Course

The Intro- Get a taste of what trail running is about. This course is suited for beginners with some experience or the ones who want to challenge themselves on a fast short course.

Starts at Race HQ and takes you out into the Edgecumbe Reserve, winding your way up to the iconic Mother Beddock, from there the course drops down to Murray Bay, before climbing back up to the top of the WWII Lookout. As your second out and back, head back the way you came and then turn left toward Horseshoe Bay. A fast finish along the Horseshoe Bay foreshore, back to Case Park. 

Download a GPX file of the course here. 

Route map for Bowen Trail Run 6km by Aline Herzog on plotaroute.com

10km Course

The Intermediate- The best way to get your trail running skills put to the test. Good running fitness required.

The 10km course is similar to the 6km course, but adds a few extra loops including a coasteering section along the headlands of Horseshoe Bay. You will head out along Kings Beach for an out and back before climbing up to Mother Beddock. While you are huffing and puffing, don’t forget to take in the views. A fun decent and then onto beautiful Murray Bay, before climbing up once again.You then run down into Horseshoe Bay and get your adventure fix coasteering along the headlands and then a fast section straight to the finish.

Download a GPX file of the course here.

Route map for Bowen 10km Run by Aline Herzog on plotaroute.com

18km Course

The Real Deal- a grand tour of Bowens scenic spots, beaches and hills.

The course starts the same as the 10km course, but instead of turning around on Kings Beach, the 18km course keeps going all the way to Flagstaff Hill. Enjoy the views of the lighthouse on the nearby island as you climb up Flagstaff Hill. On your way back along the beach you will see Mother Beddock towering above the headland of Horseshoe Bay. Once you climb up and over you will descent into Horseshoe Bay and start a short section of coasteering (aka rock hopping), taking you around the headland. A fast stretch to the finish and it’s time to put your feet up for a well deserved rest.

Download a GPX file of the course here.

Route map for 18km Bowen Run by Aline Herzog on plotaroute.com

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 an ‘Edit my registration data’ button 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: 

Sign in and Bib collection starts from 6.15am at Event HQ. Please note the sign in commencement time for each distance: 18km from 6.15am | 10km from 6.45am | 6km from 7.00am. Please adhere to the bib collection start times in order to reduce crowding and congestion at the sign in area. Race course briefing will be held 5-10min prior to race start.

The race start is self seeded and we advise the faster runners to position themselves at the front and slower runners at the back. This will help to prevent bottlenecks along the trail and faster runners becoming stuck behind slower runners.

Sunday, 23rd June

18km Trail Run

• 6.15am Sign in and Bib collection
• 6.55am Race briefing
• 7.00am Run start

10km Trail Run

• 6.45am Sign in and Bib collection
• 7.10am Race briefing
• 7.15am Run start

6km Trail Run

• 7.00am Sign in and Bib collection
• 7.25am Race briefing
• 7.30am Run start

Presentations

• 9.30am presentations (*approx. time only- once all Top 3 are in)

Mandatory Gear: Please see below for the mandatory gear requirements for the 10km and 18km run. The mandatory gear must be carried for the duration of the run, event officials reserve the right to refuse a participant to start the race if they do not comply with mandatory gear requirements. There will be mandatory gear checks at the sign in. We have marshals on the course and a safety vehicle with additional first aid.

• 2x compression bandages
• a fully charged and waterproofed phone (there is limited service along the course) Please download the free EMERGENCY+ app on your phone prior to the event
• Whistle
• Space blanket

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 announced on the day at the end of presentation

Presentation: Presentation will be held as soon as the Top 3 runners have finished. Prizes will be given to the top 3 runners on the day. Age group winners will be called up on the day to collect their prize.

Water & Nutrition: It is recommended that you take at least 500ml of water per hour that you expect to be running. We advise to bring sufficient water for the entire duration of your run. Ensure you take sufficient nutrition with you for the run. Emergency water will be available at designated spots on the course.

Facilities: There are toilets located at the start/finish line as well as the Horseshoe Bay foreshore. 

The course runs through the Cape Edgecumbe Heights Recreation Reserve, please ensure you do not litter along the course and respect the reserve. The reserve will also be open for day users so please be mindful and courteous of other users.

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: A food and coffee cart will be available at Race HQ. The local farm shop is providing fresh fruit for all runners.

Safety: The trails include sections of challenging and remote 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 may 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 will receive points for each run you complete in your choosen distance, and your total score is the sum of all your attended (and finished) races in the same distance category.
• The winner of a race receives 100 points. Every other runner receives points based on their time compared to the winner’s time.
• For example, Sarah wins the race in 35:00. 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. So 35/42 x 100 = 83.3
• Points are calculated separately for men and women. Men use the men’s winning time, and women use the women’s winning time to calculate points.
• You are counted as a Series participant if you complete at least FOUR of six races in the Series in the SAME distance (i.e. short, middle or long). If you choose a different distance for the other runs, these points will NOT count towards your total points.
• 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 (for each distance), as well as the first male and female runners in the following age groups: Juniors (under 12 & under 16 – in short distance only), 16-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+. Please note: Age for age group awards is calculated as AT END OF YEAR.
• The overall top three male and female runners are not eligible for age group awards.
• An end of Series celebration and Awards Presentation night will be held after the last event.

Registration opens 1st December 2024 and closes Saturday 28th June at 6pm or prior when sold out!

Please visit the Trail Run Series Registration page to register or click the link below.

Please check your spam folder for confirmation email and other communication from us, if you have not received any emails after registering.

The Fine Print –Online Waiver – When registering online, you agree to the Terms & Conditions.

Change, Cancellation and Refund Policy

Participant no longer able to attend/participate

1. 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.

2. 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.
3. Refunds made in accordance with clause 2 are subject to a $10 transaction fee per registration being refunded.
4. Participants may request to transfer their registration to another 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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

10. Registered Participants may change their nominated distance for the event by either:
    • Clicking the ‘Edit my Registration Data’ button contained in the confirmation email received upon registration; or
    • By emailing their request to ‘events@outerlimitsadventure.com.au’.

11. Changes requested by email will be subject to a $5 administration fee.
12. 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.
13. 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

14. 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.
15. Should the event need to be rescheduled, all registrations will be automatically transferred to the new date.
16. 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).
17. 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.
18. Refunds are not available where the event is unable to be rescheduled.

We could not run the trail runs without the amazing effort of our volunteers. Every year and every event we have a great crew of volunteers, some who have been helping out for years and others who are totally new to it. There is always something that needs to be done and there is also a lot of fun to be had. The roles range from marshalling on the course, manning aid stations, sweep runners, parking marshal, helping out with the athlete sign in, cutting fruit, filling up water, set up and pack down…..as you can see there is a lot involved in making the event run smoothly. This is why we rely on our volunteers to help us run the show.

If you would like to be part of the team and volunteer your time, please register online via the link below or the volunteer registration page on our website.