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Local community organisations, clubs, courses and programmes
Running
The annual SBS Christchurch Marathon takes place on the Sunday of Queens Birthday Weekend. Using the picturesque Avon River course which was the setting of the 1974 Commonwealth Games marathon, the flat course starts and finishes at the Christchurch Town Hall, loops through Hagley Park, follows the twists and turns of the river out to Avondale and back and is considered one of the fastest marathon courses in the world.
Today the event has grown to a giant celebration of running and walking, for competition and for personal fitness challenges. This reflects the big following for running and walking as sport, fitness and leisure activity in Christchurch. Runners and walkers can test themselves over half marathon and 10km as well as the marathon and the Kids Mara’fun runs over 2.5 and 5km.
The 1974 Commonwealth Games featured a feast of famous runners. The marathon was won by Ian Thompson of England in a time of 2 hours 9 minutes and 12 seconds (2 hours 15 minutes and 12 seconds set by Christchurch’s Tom Birnie in 1985 is the SBS marathon record). New Zealand runner Dick Tayler set the Games alight by winning the 10,000 metres race on the opening day, Don Quarrie from Jamaica blasted away with two sprint titles and on the closing day Filbert Bayi won the 1500 metres after an epic battle with New Zealand’s John Walker where both men broke the world record.
In Christchurch there are now many paths and tracks suitable for runners of all persuasions and regular events throughout the year to provide motivation. Two examples are the annual SBS Pier2Pier series of runs along New Brighton Beach and the annual City2Surf fun run. Throw in the many triathlons and the competitive athletics scene and you have a city on the run.
Christchurch has a long history of harrier (cross country) clubs and running events as these photographs from our heritage photo collection show.
Online resources
- Canterbury running clubs and organisations from CINCH, our community information directory
- localeye lists Athletics and Multisport clubs and organisations
- Fancy entering a running event
Our Internet Gateway recommends
- CoolRunning – New Zealand runners website – news, events, articles
- International Association of Athletics Federations
Governing body of international athletics - Athletics New Zealand
Governing body of athletics in New Zealand - ACC Active Smart
Personalised running, walking and cycling plans - Runners World
American running website. Information about races, training and equipment. - Starting Out Running
Useful information from Active Canterbury - More athletics and running websites in our Internet Gateway
