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General information

The Solar Eclipse Marathon will take place in Port Douglas, Australia, on 14 November 2012. All runners meet before sunrise in the start area at Four Mile Beach where breakfast will be served. All runners must be ready to run when entering the start corral before the eclipse takes place. Once runners have entered the beach, it is not possible to re-enter the park until after the start of the race. The Sun will rise at 5:30am and the first phase of the eclipse will begin shortly afterwards.  

At 6:38am, a total solar eclipse lasting two minutes will occur. As soon as the Sun re-emerges from behind the Moon and the corona is broken the race will begin, making The Solar Eclipse Marathon the first ever sporting event with an intergalactic start gun! Read more about the solar eclipse.

The race will be timed using an electronic timing system. The timing device is included in the marathon package and will be attached to runners' start numbers.

All runners who complete the race within the time limit will receive a medal. Finishing certificates will be published online by Marathon-Photos.com. It's possible to swtich from the half marathon to the full marathon up to one month before race day.

This is first and foremost an adventure and parts of the route has challenging terrain where extra care must be taken and the level of service provided on normal city marathons cannot be expected. Remember that this marathon is about the experience and gaining unforgettable memories rather than winning and recording a good time.

The cut-off time is eight hours. Runners still on the route after this time will be picked up by a race official or medical car and driven back to the finish area.

 

Half Marathon Route

The half marathon starts on beautiful Four Mile Beach by Four Mile Park. From the start the route heads out of the park and through the outskirts of Port Douglas towards the Mowbray Valley. Just before the 6km mark you reach the half marathon turning point and the route heads back towards Port Douglas and the finish line.

After bidding farewell to the full marathoners, the half marathon route takes you into the sugar cane fields surrounding Port Douglas and some of the most picturesque scenery the area has to offer.

Just before the 13km mark the route turns back into Port Douglas and leads you though a residential area and past some of the out of town resorts. At the Sheraton Mirage resort, an underpass takes you to the other side of the main road and you run alongside the Mirage golf course. A small path brings you back to Four Mile Beach. When you reach the beach, you'll have 17km under your belt and a mere 4km left to go. A short 3km beach run gets you back to the town centre of Port Douglas and from here the final kilometre is a joyful stretch up Macrossan Street – the main shopping and restaurant street in town – to the finish line in the palm-lined Rex Smeal Park.

The route will be measured in kilometres, and kilometre signs can be found along the entire route. Owing to the conditions, however, they may be placed a few metres from the exact point. The kilometre signs are therefore only for orientation.

The surface is a mix of asphalt, sand, grass and gravel and the terrain varies from flat to hilly with the steepest ascent being the climb up the Bump Track.
Have a look at the course map.

 

Supplies

There will be water stations along the route at approximately every 2.5km. Since the air is extremely humid, it is important to drink plenty of water. All drink stations serve water, and at selected stations, you will also be able to pick up energy drinks and bananas.

Runners are allowed to bring personal supplies to be deposited at selected water stations. Personal supply stations will be situated approximately at the 5km and 10km mark. Personal supplies must be handed in at the start area clearly marked with the runner’s bib number and place on the route where the supplies are to be handed out.

Since we are running in residential areas and unspoilt nature, please do not litter. Instead deposit your waste in the bags situated along the route.

Please note that the route description is subject to change.
 

Health

Runners who wish to drop out of the marathon should go to the nearest drink station and wait for a medical or race official car to be picked up. Transport to the finish area will be arranged for all runners who drop out, but please accept that there will be a waiting time unless the drop out is due to serious injury or illness.

The medical team will be ready in case of injury or severe exhaustion. Doctors will be strategically placed along the course, and a medical car will be patrolling the route. Doctors will also be on standby in the finish area. If the medical team deems it necessary, they can stop a runner and take him/her out of the race. A runner will only be removed from the race if the medical team believes there is a serious health risk.

All decisions made by the medical team will be final.

 

Rules and regulations

The race organisation (Albatros Travel’s Adventure Marathon department) reserves the right to reject any entry and to disqualify and bar any individual from the Solar Eclipse Marathon. This rejection/disqualification may be based on, but is not limited to: violation of the instructions given by the Race Officials and/or Medical Team; unsportsmanlike conduct; non-payment of race fees; competing with an unofficial number; competing with an official number assigned to another person; transferring or attempting to transfer an official number to, or to obtain such number from, another person; being paced during the race by a person not entered in the race; accepting assistance from non-race participants; crossing the finish line without having completed the entire course; and providing false information on the race entry form.

Individuals disqualified from the Solar Eclipse Marathon will be removed from the race results and may be barred from future Adventure Marathons. The race organisation reserves the right to change the details of the race.

Please note that all decisions made by the race officials and/or medical team will be final.

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

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The Solar Eclipse Marathon - the experience of a lifetime

 
 

 
 
 
 

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