Time to Dust off the Trainers

Tomorrow’s the first day of training for Ports of Auckland Round the Bays.

Auckland, 6 February – Aucklanders, it’s time to dust off those trainers, stretch the legs, and hit the streets in preparation for the 40th Anniversary Ports of Auckland Round the Bays.

It’s six weeks until race day, and tomorrow is Day One of training. A 20 minute walk or 30 minute jog is the starting point of the official Training Schedule, available now at www.roundthebays.co.nz.

At 9.30am on 18 March over 42,000 registered runners will line up at Quay Street, making over 700 million foot falls by the time they reach St Heliers Bay. They’ll take 85 minutes on average to complete the 8.4km.

“Entries are flooding in and we expect to surpass the 70,000 participant record this year. We’re really encouraging more people to officially register and also make this a record year for charity,” says Event Spokesperson, Fairfax Media Group Sales and Marketing Manager Sandra King.

“Ports of Auckland Round the Bays will donate over $100,000 to children’s charities with proceeds from this year’s event. Projects will include a new play area for Kidz First Children’s Hospital, 500 electric thermometers for the Child Cancer Foundation, plus donations to Make a Wish Foundation, Garden to Table Trust and Fairfax First Books,” says Ms King

In the past 10 years alone, entrants in Ports of Auckland Round the Bays, which is owned by Fairfax Media and sponsored by Sunday Star-Times, have contributed over $1.2 million to charities.

Corporates are again making Round the Bays one of their biggest staff events of the year, with companies such as ASB, Mainfreight, Barfoot & Thompson and Fletcher Construction entering big teams.
ASB Executive General Manager Culture and Community, Linley Wood, says Ports of Auckland Round the Bays is an important date on the bank’s calendar. “We’ll be fielding a team of over 1200 again this year. The event is a fantastic way for our people to enjoy an event with family and friends, and fits with our goals to promote a healthy, active approach to life and work.”

So whether you’re a speedster, plodder, walker or Ports of Auckland Round the Bays first-timer, start pounding the pavement tomorrow in preparation for 18 March.
 

Ports of Auckland Round the Bays starts at 9.30am on Sunday 18 March 2012.

Entry fee is $10 for children (16 and under) and $15 for adults.

To enter visit www.roundthebays.co.nz