The Run Prix is the newest event added to Melbourne’s running calendar, with the inaugural race taking place on 24th September, 2023. Set in the beautiful Albert Part, the race offers several distances to choose from; 5km, 10km, half marathon and the elite race. I signed up to the 10km as part of my Singapore half marathon training. Here is a little recap on my experience running the Run Prix 10km Race in 2023.
Pre Race
Race bibs were available to collect on the Saturday, between 9am-5pm, and on the morning of the race. I’d highly recommend collecting your race bib the day before, as race morning was quite busy! Bib collection was held at Aughtie Drive, the finish area of the race. I’m an avid park-runner, so I was able to conveniently collect mine after Albert Park Run on the Saturday.
It was very well organised and the whole bib collection process took minutes. There were several stands set up with clothes and running supplies to browse. I bought some energy blocks and hydration / electrolyte powders.
I believe there was an option to change race distance (potentially going down a distance not up). The Run Prix Facebook group was very active and informative for these types of enquries. I’d suggest joining the group if you take part in the future.
The Morning of the Race
I live fairly close to Albert Park, so I walked to the start line early on Sunday morning. The elite racers were already underway and I awkwardly had to cross them to get to the Aughtie Drive start area. Your start area will be located at different areas of Albert Park depending on which race distance you’re running. Both 5km and 10km were nearby each other, located Aughtie Drive – where bib collection was.
The start was bustling with people warming up and getting ready for the respective races. There was an option to leave your bags here. I didn’t need to leave anything, but it appeared to be a quick, efficient process. There were also a number of toilet facilities which were great – no long queues either which is a rarity before races.
We had a staggered start, so the 10km runners went off at 7:55am, with the 5km and 1/2 marathoners starting either side of us.
The Run Prix 10km Race
The 10km race itself was a fast, flat double loop of Albert Park. We were blessed with a stunning, hot day – blue skies and 25 degrees. It probably wasn’t the best racing conditions, but after coming out of winter, I was very grateful for the heat.
The course had a perfect blend of enough runners that you had people around you, but not enough that it felt crowded or difficult to overtake. We were sharing the course with the other race distances, but our staggered starts and wide running course meant this wasn’t an issue. Every kilometre was signed posted, with different colours representing the different race distances.
The race was very well organised with hydration stations placed half way round the course and at Pit Lane (start/finish area). They had a mix of water and electrolyte water. Doing the 10km, you’ll pass this station at around 3km and 8km, as well as the main hub on Aughtie Drive. Getting water 3 times during the race was a great bonus of the race and meant I didn’t have to carry my own.
Post Race
The race seemed to fly by, with the glorious weather and fun atmosphere. Sections of the course had groups of spectators and the start/finish area was packed with people cheering. I crossed the finish line in 58.32. This was a steady paced training run for me, so I was happy with that time.
Once through the finish line, I collected my medal and enjoyed some food from the various stalls. The start and finish are along side each other, so if you decide to leave your belongings at the start, it’s very easy to collect them after.
Overall the Run Prix was vey well organised, with great courses and a variety of distances to choose from for reasonable prices. The facilities were better than I had expected, with plenty of toilets, hydration, bag drops and food stalls at the finish. It’s a very welcome addition to the Melbourne race scene and one I’ll definitely be doing again next year ….visa permitted.