Update 15/5/2024: Smiths Gully in the Yarra Valley is now BACK as Race 1 of the 2024 Trail Running Series, replacing the previously advertised Plenty Gorge venue due to an unforeseen announcement from Parks Victoria.
Race Day Schedule
Sunday 2 June 2024
| 7:00am – 8:45am | Race registration open |
| 8:30am | START – LONG COURSE (25km) |
| 8:45am | START – MEDIUM COURSE (16km) |
| 8:55am | START – SHORT COURSE (8km) |
| 10:45am | Medium and Short course presentations and spot prize giveaways |
| 12:15pm | Long course presentations and spot prize giveaways |
Event expo
The Event Expo and Start / Finish area at the Rob Roy Race Track including sponsors displays, food / coffee for sale, live music, race commentary, social media boards, presentations and plenty more.
All in all it’s a lovely, welcoming environment for everyone to enjoy whether you are running or not. For a full list of services see the Event Expo page.
The location
Event centre and race finish line:
Rob Roy Hill Climb: 375 Clintons Road, Smiths Gully VIC 3760 [Map Link]
(Clintons Rd is almost opposite the road into Sugarloaf Reservoir.)
Directions:
Head out of the city via the Eastern Freeway and up through Templestowe, through Eltham and just before reaching Kangaroo Ground turn right onto the Eltham-Yarra Glen Road. Drive 8.6km east along the Eltham-Yarra Glen Rd and then turn left onto Clinton Rd. Drive 1.1km north along Clinton Rd and then turn right into the venue.
There is considerable open space and inside the gate for car parking, please follow the directions of marking marshals.
Distance from the Melbourne CBD:
Approx 45km from Melbourne CBD, north east outer suburbs.
Car parking and event access:
There is ample parking inside the venue once you turn off Clintons Road. Please ALLOW EXTRA TIME for parking to get you all in safely.
The start
Starting procedure
All distances will start racing with a single wave start at the following start times.
- 8:30am LONG COURSE – all runners start
- 8:45am MEDIUM COURSE – all runners start
- 8:55am SHORT COURSE – all runners start
Self-seeding
Please place yourself in the start chute according to your honest running ability, with fast runners near the front, recreational runners in the middle and those who are here to enjoy yourself towards the back.
Competitor number plates
Number plate identification
All competitors are required to wear their race number plate whilst running in the race. Numbers must be safely pinned to the front of your race top so it is clearly visible from the front.
- GOLD number plates denote runners who have entered the entire Trail Running Series, doing all 3 of the events in the series.
- RED, GREEN or BLUE number plates will be given to all other runners doing this race only, ie, who are not entered into the Series (Red – Long, Green – Medium, Blue – Short courses)
If you have a GOLD number plate and are doing all races in the series please KEEP YOUR NUMBER PLATE and timing tag to use for all of your races in the series. We will not be re-issuing number plates to series runners.
Number plate collection
Competitors who entered Race 1 (or the Series) BEFORE 8:00am Wednesday 15 May 2024 will receive their event number plate in the post before the event. If you have not received your race plate by the Thursday before the event please email [email protected]. You will be able to collect a new race plate at the registration tent before the race starts.
Competitors who enter Race 1 AFTER 8:00am Wednesday 15 May 2024 must collect their event number plate from Registration on race morning.
Once you have received your number plate (either via post or collection) you do not need to ‘report in’ or register at the event venue on race morning, just warm up, arrive at the start line ready to race!
Headphones
We strongly encourage all runners NOT TO WEAR HEADPHONES or listen to music whilst running in the Trail Running Series events. This is primarily for your safety, so that runners wishing to overtake on a narrow section of track can communicate with you and advise where/how they’d like to pass without causing a crash. The courses also pass through some magnificent eucalypt bush land filled with birds and other wildlife that is all part of the trail running experience and if you’re pounding away to music you can’t hear that either!