EVENT FEATURE: RUN THE BRIDGE.
TheThinkBigRunTheBridge is one ofTasmania’s most iconic sporting events. A beautiful pairing of everyday Tasmanians trying to maintain their fitness in a fast paced world, combined with world class athletes who are an inspiration to stand on the start line with. Think of venues like Blundstone Arena, Bellerive Quay, Rose Bay, Tasman Bridge, Government House, Hobart Cenotaph, Waterfront, Salamanca and Battery Point - that covers off a majority of the must-see places in Hobart that locals often take for granted. All these are sites taken in by the scenic course around Hobart. Ultimately, it’s the challenge of crossing the busiest piece of infrastructure in Tasmania, the Tasman Bridge. More cars use it every day than any other bridge in Tasmania and for only two hours a year is it closed to allow runners and walkers the chance to take it in. “Funnily enough, the last person to have it completely closed was when the Chinese President Xi Xinping visited in 2014 and it was shut down for security purposes,” Race Director Richard Welsh joked. The event started with just the 10km event and had over 1300 entrants in the first year.
Now gearing up for its 13th edition, it has grown to include a 5km run, 5km walk and a 1km event for kids, with 5000 people from across the country joining the festivities. There is no sport in the world more inclusive than a fun run. Kids, grandparents, runners and walkers of all abilities can stand on the same start line, cover the same course and finish under the same glorious arch as Olympians. “That’s not just the Think Big Run The Bridge, it’s so many fun runs and recreational running events. Often people will take four to five times as long as the winner, but that’s OK, because they’re still lapping everyone who slept in on a Sunday morning,” Welsh said. The Tasmanian Hospitality Association has joined forces with organisers for the 2022 event.
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