TRIATHLON WA
WA ’ S MIGHTY JARRAH TRAIL RUN & DWELLINGUP 100 MTB EVENT
Running on a footpath … meh . What about on grass ? So-so . A treadmill ? Oh heck no . Thankfully , there ’ s no longer a need to mindlessly grind out kilometre after kilometre in front of TV screen at the gym or to join the masses in the weekend ’ s latest fun run . Thanks to Western Australia ’ s most anticipated trail run , The Mighty Jarrah Trail Run ( MJTR ), you can take in picturesque surrounds ; breathe in eucalyptus in replace of fuel emissions and feel the cushioning crunch on leaves under your shoes .
The event , which will take place August 19 with three distances ( 6km , 10km , half marathon ) is set to pave the way for major trail running events in Western Australia . The sport has exploded in recent years , over 8 million in the US take part in the off-road style runs and Australia has cottoned on quickly with trail runs starting to feature on event calendars . Like all good trail runs do , the MJTR will take on some of Western Australia ’ s most stunning scenery in the historic town of Dwellingup . Towering jarrah trees , parts of the renowned Bibbulmun track and kilometres of bushland and forest . But the MJTR isn ’ t the only event of the day - it ’ s actually a clever addition to the popular Dwellingup 100 MTB Classic , which attracts over 1000 participants each year ( even former PM Tony Abbott had a crack at the trails last year ).
“ We ’ re extremely excited to bring two awesome sports together for a great day in Dwellingup . The feedback we ’ ve received so far about the addition of the trail run has been exceptional ,” said Event Director Dave Budge .
“ The Dwellingup 100 is the largest one-day mountain bike event in WA and it took out MTBA ’ s 2015 / 16 Event of The Year but we really wanted to cater for people who enjoy running as well . Dwellingup is such a beautiful spot and we ’ re glad that this year it will be experienced on foot and on the bike .”
The town itself ( 100km from Perth ) is nestled in the state forest of the Darling Range , positioned between the South Dandalup and Murray Rivers . Many of WA ’ s major trail networks and tracks are a stone ’ s throw from the town and will be used by both courses . Legendary Course Director Tony Tucknott will be curating the routes with his wide knowledge of the hundreds of thousands of square kilometres covered by the Dwellingup locale and surrounding areas . After the 2016 event attracted a mass of positive comments the course will remain largely unchanged aside from a couple of tweaks .
The MTB event is also part of MBA ’ s 2017 National Cross Country Marathon Series and includes sections of the well-known Munda Biddi Trail and Bibbulmun Track . It also takes riders past POW relics , up the Power Lines Climb , around Turner Hill and past the Kyle Conor MD Link in memorial of two long-time supporters of the event who passed away in 2014 . Riders can take on the D14km , Dwellingup 40km , Super 60km or the 100km Classic .
“ There are professionals who give it their all but the majority of our participants are simply people who enjoy riding or running . If you ’ re interested in trying something different and get out of the city for a day it ’ s the event for you ,” said Dave .
“ It ’ s not just about hitting the trails , the event has got a really warm community feel about it . The RSL ladies sell jam and cream scones , plenty of the volunteers are from Dwellingup , everyone heads to the pub for a beer once they finish . It ’ s an event that once you start doing you ’ ll keep coming back year after year .”
Although not mandatory , fundraising is also a key component of the MTB event , which gives back to the community in the form of the ‘ Ride For Someone Who Can ’ t ’ initiative in conjunction with Muscular Dystrophy WA . Over $ 600,000 has been raised for the charity since 2010 . Riders in the Dwellingup 100 can join the team and ride to support a West Australian living with Muscular Dystrophy .
Course Director Tony Tucknott ’ s favourite saying is “ a bad day on the trails still beats a good day in the office ” but in this case it beats the treadmill , the road , the footpath … and basically anything less scenic than you ’ ll find in Dwellingup on August 19 . So if you ’ re keen to get off the beaten track and out of your comfort zone then sign yourself up for The Might Jarrah Trail Run or the Dwellingup 100 Mountain Bike Classic .
For further information on either event visit www . dwellingup100 . com . au and www . mightyjarrahtrailrun . com
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