Spotlight returns to Surf Coast with Afterglow outshine COVID hangover
The spotlight was well and truly back on events in the Surf Coast on the weekend with the return of the Black Diamond Afterglow Night Trail Run, a colourful running event held annually in Torquay.
Now in its eight year, the event saw more than 500 participants run a choice of 21km, 13km or 5km courses, the longest outing tracing along the Surf Coast Walk from Point Addis all the way through Torquay village to Fisherman's Beach where a DJ and fire twirlers welcomed runners across across the finishline, as did two 'unicorns' handing out finisher medals.
The quirky night run is one of the first active events to take place post COVID lockdowns easing, and the bright, fun-filled, rainbow unicorn-fuelled thematic couldn't have been more appropriate as guests revelled in what race director, Chris Ord, nominates as a "great social occasion and excuse to dress up in the most gaudy, fluorescent, bad-taste eighties clothing with a bit of running on the side."
"There's probably more effort gone into the runners' outfits than into their training program, if we're to be honest," says Chris, who operates Anglesea-based events and tour company, Tour de Trails. "Yes, we all love running on the Surf Coast trails, but we love a bright yellow tutu even more. That aside, there were some great running performances in amongst the frivolity," says Chris.
Winning the 21km distance was Shane Mallia, from Airport West, in a time of 1:26:18, with the women's title taken out by professional trail runner Simone Brick in 1:31:22.
The 13km race was super tight in the mens with Belmont based Aaron Collins and Mt Duneed's Tim Dwyer crossing under the rainbow arch together – although timing had Aaron in first place by less than 0.2 of a second. In the women's Clair Breed (1:07:19), also of Mt Duneed, nudged out Amie Herring by (1:08:32) just over one minute.
The 5km was won by Footscray's Melinda Tyson (22:17) in the womens and Torquay local Finlay Miller in the mens (19:02).
"And special mention goes to all those who also ran or walked in the 5km Body Positive Stomp," says Chris. "It is an event we are super proud of hosting in partnership with Escape Your Comfort Zone, an organisation that encourages body positivity. It welcomes everybody of all shapes and sizes and levels of experience but it especially encourages and facilitates women and non-binary people to enjoy adventures in the body they are in with no focus on weightloss or fitness. If nothing else, we are about inclusivity in the outdoors," says Chris.
The Black Diamond Afterglow Night Trail Run is supported by the Surf Coast Shire via Surf Coast Events and it its Major Events Program. The event takes place annually in November.
