Forest Run Fest
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About the race
Forest Run Fest is a morning event for walkers and runners held at Bottle Lake Forest near Christchurch. The event offers a range of off-road and gravel courses through pine forest, with marked trails, marshals and aid stations on longer routes.
Distances available:
- 21 km Half Marathon
- 10 km
- 5.5 km
- 2 km Kids (10 and under)
The 10 km course uses gravel roads and compact forest trails, with a refreshment point at the halfway mark. The 21 km course starts on forest roads then moves onto tree-lined trails, includes aid stations around 5 km and 15 km, and contains shared-use paths and open grass sections where course crossings with mountain bikes can occur. The 5.5 km route combines forest trails and gravel road sections with course marshals directing runners. The 2 km kids course includes a short gravel approach, a run beneath the tree canopy and a brief finish sprint.
There is a course cutoff for the 21 km event; runners must meet the event cutoffs at the 10 km station and at the finish to be eligible for a medal and a place in the official results. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
