The YMCA Canberra Half Marathon continues to be a popular half marathon for the local running community with the 50^th race being held this year tracing the shore of Lake Burley Griffin in the heart of Canberra.  While the focus was on the running of the 50^th YMCA Canberra Half Marathon on Sunday, 26 May, the celebrations kicked off on Saturday with a 5km running event and a kids 1.6km minijog.

The Saturday events proved to be very popular social runs attracting 36 people in the 5km and 53 young runners in the 1.6km minijog.  As for the main event on half marathon race day we had 461 participants, almost 150 more than the 2018 Half Marathon. Overall winners this year include:

First Male and Female:

• Jacob Grooby at 1:15:54
• Elizabeth Humphries at 1 :23:44

Second Male and Female:

• Bruce Graham at 1:16:29
• Kate Chipperfield at 1:29:13

Third Male and Female:

• Matt Doyle at 1:18:17
• Ellen Bradley at 1:33:01

Since the first Canberra Half Marathon run in 1970, there have been many fine athletes compete and take out the race. The list of race winners reads like a ‘who’s who’ of ACT distance running and contains some of the best athletes the country has produced. Our previous winners include many who have represented their country including Olympic Athletes, winners of the Canberra Marathon and other major marathon events all over the world, World Cross Country Championships, World Road Running Championship events, World University Games and World Junior Games. Many of these runners have used the Canberra Half Marathon as a stepping stone in their athletic career. So take notice of this year’s winner – you never know what a win at the YMCA Canberra Half Marathon might lead to.