Australia Day fun run

A series of women-only running and triathlon events has been credited with boosting the number of female entrants in this year’s Australia Day Fun Run.

Race director Allan Whitfield said there had been a jump in the number of women ready to tackle either the 5km or 10km walk or run around the Leschenault Inlet in the popular Bunbury Runners Club event.

‘‘There’s been a surge in female members at the club and the number of females running has boomed,’’ he said.

Whitfield said the Bunbury Runners Club women’s group on a Tuesday night was a reason for the increase in numbers as well as a number of female-only triathlons and races in the South West.

The women-only events gave women the opportunity to give running a go in a friendly, enjoyable atmosphere.

‘‘It gives them confidence and running is not an expensive sport,’’ Whitfield said Fun run entrant Silvia Griffin, 64, only began running in the past three years but said it gave her a wonderful feeling.

‘‘It makes you feel great having done it, and it helps for ageing,’’ Griffin said.

She said the women’s running group was a terrific way to meet new friends and catered for all ages and levels.

Whitfield said the fun run had grown in popularity since it was first held 18 years ago and it was the perfect way to start Australia Day.

He encouraged families to enter as well as those who just wanted to walk the course.

The fun run starts opposite the Bunbury Entertainment Centre and then continues on Koombana Drive, goes east along the Koombana Drive walk trail to Richmond Street, on to Austral Parade, past the Parade Hotel then on to the cycleway back to the finish point near the Pat Usher Memorial.

Runners on the 10km course complete two laps.

For more details, visit the Bunbury Runners Club website at http://bunburyrunnersclub.mysouthwest.com.au.