Entrants of all ages and fitness levels turned out on Sunday morning for the third annual Mountain to Mountain Challenge.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 13.6 kilometre event started at the base of Mount Keira with Jeff Chaseling, of Port Kembla, the first to finish 54 minutes and 31 seconds later at Mount Kembla.
“It is nice to win when you are 40,” Mr Chaseling said.
“Especially when I had a bit of tonsillitis in the week leading up. I took it a little easier running up the first hill.”
The first woman to finish was Claire Rayner in 57 minutes and 49 seconds. For many the run/walk was a personal challenge and a chance to take in some beautiful scenery on foot while supporting a great cause.
In the first two years the M2M Challenge raised over $150,000 to support the work of Greenacres. This year well over $60,000 was raised before the event even started.
Hundreds such as Mr Chaseling don running shoes for the annual challenge because they know they are helping a social enterprise address some of the employment challenges faced by people with a disability in the Illawarra.
Mr Chaseling said he only got back into running a few years ago and was ready to enter many more events now.
He said it was good to support a great cause in Greenacres.
Mr Chaseling said he ran in the first M2M Challenge two years ago and finished 6th.
But did not compete last year because he was away on holidays.
“I am running a lot better now and I got lucky this year because there are some good runners I often train with away competing in another race in Sydney. I would like to thank Russell Dessaix-Chin who I train with. He pushes me and that has helped me run a lot faster,” he said.
Mr Chaseling said it was a bit warmer than he was expecting on Sunday morning but as the mercury headed towards 26 degrees on Sunday conditions were good for running. “We were lucky the wind didn’t get up earlier,” he said.
Northwesterly winds were forecast to reach up to 40 km/h on Sunday afternoon but the M2M Challenge was well and truly over by then.
Volunteers were out at 4am getting the course ready.
M2M Challenge results
Top 5 Men
- Jeff Chaseling
- Tommy Goodall
- Scott Martin
- Miles Waring
- Peter Goodall
Top 5 Women
- Claire Rayner
- Sally Towse
- Tiffany Knight
- Bridget Leggett
- Faye Southcombe
IRT Short Course Challenge
Top 5 Men
- Ross Field
- Tim Dickinson
- Karen Scarlett
- Robyn Newman
- Nigel Button
Top 5 Women
- Renae Williams
- Georgene McClelland
- Brigitte Squires
- Jan Liddiard
- Lyn Alchin
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
