It was on for young and old at the Forster Running Festival on Sunday, September 22, with more than 1200 runners hitting the pavements of Forster Tuncurry for the popular annual event.
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With a variety of categories and course distances on offer, race director Kevin Chilvers said the festival more than achieved its goal of appealing to a wide demographic of runners, with plenty of families taking part.
Dominic Bullock from Linley Point achieved an impressive double, winning both the 21.1km half-marathon and the gruelling Treble Bridge Buster, which combined the half-marathon and the 5km and 10km races into a three-leg ultra-challenge.
Scott Godfrey took out the 10km fun run, while in the 5km fun run, 36-year-old Nathan Brown from Blueys Beach and 10-year-old Trent Alley from Port Macquarie battled for the top spot in a sprint finish, with Brown just edging out his considerably younger opponent.
Afterwards, he gave his winning medal to Alley in a moment Chilvers felt summed up what the festival was all about.
"It was a great gesture," Chilvers said.
Alley then went on to take out the 3km kids fun run, finishing more than a minute ahead of his nearest rival.
Port Macquarie's Jon Biskin also made a name for himself on the day, becoming the only person to complete six treble events (three Breakwall Busters at Port Macquarie and three Treble Bridge Busters at Forster Tuncurry).
Of the 50 runners to enter the Treble Bridge Buster, all but two made it over the line.
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Chilvers said Forster Tuncurry once again lived up to its reputation as a great venue for regional sporting events, with windy conditions abating throughout the day and runners being treated to some refreshing rainfall at one stage.
He said he and his fellow organisers had been inundated with positive messages since the festival wrapped up, which reflected the time and effort they put into it.
"This is an event organised by runners for runners," he said.
"From the time the runners come to pick up their race kits to the moment they finish we're constantly putting energy back into them."
Mr Chilvers extended a thank you to Manning Great Lakes Riding for the Disabled, Forster SLSC, Forster Running Group and Marine Rescue for their much-appreciated assistance on the day and promised the festival would be back bigger and better than ever next year.
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