The Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport Marathon weekend took flight today with the inaugural running of the Runway Mile, Runway Relays on the tarmac and Grand Central 5km in the airport surrounds.

Almost 3000 people will take part across the weekend, including Saturday’s local celebrities in reigning Supercar champion Will Brown who competed in the 5km and Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald and some fellow councillors who took part in the 5km and Runway Relay.

It was Brown’s first competitive run since back surgery at the end of 2023 and confirmation that his recovery remains on track.

“I’ve spent a lot more time cycling and running in parkruns, and to be honest I’m just glad I chose the 5km for my first competitive event back and not the 21km or 42km this weekend,” he said.

Mayor McDonald praised the event with the near 3000 participants up almost 30 per cent on last year.

“This is a phenomenal effort and this 5km race was fantastic.

“The best part about this event is locals can get involved – we’re seeing that with the running clubs, with the volunteers.

“There are so many familiar faces on course volunteering; that’s us, that’s our DNA, so get out and support it and if you ‘re not running this year, lock in next year,” he said.

The Grand Central 5km

Chris Bracken took the inaugural 5km men’s event over the airport circuit in 16:03.

“It was pretty tough on the way out but fast on the way back with the tailwind we got,” Bracken said.

“Some of the young quicks took it out hard and there was a bit of a rise in the road on the way out, which I wasn’t expecting, but I’m pretty happy with my time and being the first-ever winner of the event on this track,” he said.

Brisbane 13-year-old Ben Schinard flew home to take second place in 16:47.

“That last two and a half k’s downhill were pretty fun to run, but I was hoping to go a lot quicker,” the seasoned state and junior championships competitor said.

Eighteen-year-old Beaudesert runner, Tess Hannigan was the inaugural winner of the women’s 5km race in the slick time of 17:45.

Trained by Gold Coast based running coach, Jackson Elliott, she said it was good to get the job done.

“I ran with a group, hanging at the back of them and it was great just being able to get a bit of a wind break and work together out there,” Hannigan said.

“I’m happy with my time, it was a great atmosphere here and I’ll definitely be back to do it next year.

“[In the meantime], I’m looking forward to the Gold Coast Marathon [on the first weekend in July] and another road race 5km in a few weeks’ time,” she said.

The Runway Miles

Toowoomba 16-year-old Abigail Barnes became the first ever winner of a footrace on the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport runway when she took out the Open 15-29 female Runway Mile in 05:52.

For the Fairholme College year 10 student asphalt and concrete beneath her feet was something different.

“It was very nice running; I don’t normally do road races, I’m more cross country and steeplechase, but I really enjoyed it out here today,” she said.

The first male to win on the tarmac was 17-year-old local Charlie Sadler-Foley.

“It was windy, but it was good,” Sadler Foley said.

“I didn’t have a strategy; I just wanted to run as fast as I could and it’s pretty cool to run on the runway, a bit different and, yep, I’ll be back next year,” he said.

The Queensland Road Mile Championships also made their debut, featuring a high-calibre elite field of over 30 men and women.

The winner of the women’s elite race, Toowoomba’s Brielle Erbacher (26), was another runner who turned a strong tailwind on the return leg into a winning advantage.

“I really didn’t have any tactics today, and to be honest I really only started thinking about this race on Thursday, but I really wanted a good hard run ahead of tomorrow’s [Sunday’s Visit Toowoomba Region] 10km and I got it.

“It was tough with the headwind on the way out, but then coming back home it wasn’t so bad, but I could definitely hear footsteps behind me all the way,” she said.

Those footsteps belonged to second placegetter Nyree Hamilton who posted 05:11 to Erbacher’s 5:08 winning time.

In the men’s event, a blanket finish saw Connor Whittett (04:30) finish a second in front of Lachlan How and Blade Rose with fourth place finisher Joel Humphrey just another second further back.

“I’m pretty puffed, but I’m happy to get the win,” Whittett said.

“It was very tough up the hill and very choppy in the pack, but I was lucky a gap opened up and I was able to gun it down the hill and lucky enough to hold on in the end.

“I was happy with the time and very happy with the second half to close hard; the second half was faster than the first half and I was happy with the effort.

“I thought running on the runway would be fast.

“I thought the uphill would have slowed it down a bit with the headwind on the way out, but as I expected it was pretty fast on the way in,” he said.

Looking forward to Sunday

Sunday’s racing returns to the Toowoomba CBD with the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport Marathon and ASICS Half Marathon starting at 6:15am and the Visit Toowoomba Region 10km at 6:30am, all starting and finishing at the Toowoomba Sports Ground.