25 June 2012

Strathfield Council’s Cooks River Fun Run has proven its overwhelming success and growing popularity amongst Sydney runners, with record numbers and times at the 2012 event on Sunday.

Set along the foreshores of the Cooks River, in just its third year, the event saw 421 participants register for the 5km and 10km events, nearly 150 more than last year’s numbers.

A time of 15.39 by 17 year old Max Neuman of Marist College beat the previous fastest time by almost one minute in the 5km, as fellow runners from the Ashgrove school (Brisbane) took out a number of the top 20 positions.

In the 10km, a 26 year old Frenchman from Sydney set a new record for the Cooks River Fun Run with 33.27.

The course was altered slightly from the previous years, with the starting point changed to Freshwater Park in Strathfield and the race run in the other direction. The cool morning start and sunshine made for great race conditions and plenty of smiles and positive feedback from runners young and old.

Mayor of Strathfield, Cr Paul Barron who enjoyed the morning walk himself, said the event was a huge success and a great demonstration of how popular running is.

“It’s so great to see so many keen runners turn out for the Cooks River Fun Run on a beautiful Sunday morning. Whether it was people in training for bigger races, or those just wanting to enjoy their local surrounds, the fun run was certainly a great success for Council and all who participated,” Cr Barron said.

“With record numbers, record times and plenty of positive feedback and fun had by all, Council looks forward to the Cooks River Fun Run growing even more in future years.”

The 2.5km course from Freshwater Park to Ford Park in Strathfield South showcased the Bay to Bay Cycleway and the many great parks and open spaces in Strathfield.