THE Bendigo Bank Coffs Harbour Running Festival is celebrating its 10th event on Sunday 11 September.

After two years of postponements, the 10th event celebrates the return of the Schools Challenge and a coveted one-off $5,000 prize pool for the Beachside Radiology Half Marathon.

As well as raising more than $200,000 for charities in the past 10 years, the Bendigo Bank Coffs Harbour
Running Festival has grown the local running community and personally helped many people become more healthy and physically fit.

Edward Brazier is a local runner who has been there from the start.

He is the only person who has successfully completed all previous nine Beachside Radiology Half Marathon events and in some years has even doubled up and completed the 10km, 5km or 3km after running the half marathon.

For Ed, the running festival is more than just a run.

While he has improved his time and the running festival has motivated him to train harder over the years, the positive community and lifestyle is the greatest reward, he said.

“The Coffs Harbour Running Festival was the beginning of my running journey.

“I never considered myself a runner and then I signed up for the half marathon in 2011.

“I still remember the struggle I had completing my first half marathon. I was cooked at the finish,” said Ed.

“But the sense of achievement and community got me back year after year. I ended up training more and more and reduced my personal best by more than 30 minutes.

“On top of that, running has significantly helped my mental health and general wellbeing,” he said.

“The benefits of running are infectious and it has now become a family affair with my entire family taking part in this years Coffs Harbour Running Festival,” Ed said.

Race Director Keelan Birch said it was fantastic to see the running festival kick start individuals’ and families’ running journey.

“We often see people start off with the Key Employment 3km then return year after year until they are running the Beachside Radiology Half Marathon,” said Keelan.

“It’s fantastic to see them – those whose running journeys start at the festival and they then go train and connect with other like-minded runners as well as their families.

“To me, that’s one of the best things about the running festival. ” he said.

To enter the 3km, 5km, 10km, 21km or new 36km event for the Bendigo Bank Coffs Harbour Running Festival please visit coffsrunfestival.com