The club has been formed to increase awareness of and participation in track athletics and to bring back the Seymour Gift as part of the Victorian Athletics League competition.
The recent success of the Kelfit track athletics team, headed by coach Kelvin Lubeck, has produced a strong supporter base across the region, with Seymour now looking to hold a gift of its own after a decades-long hiatus.
Blair Collins, the inaugural president of the Seymour Running Club, said the Kelfit team had put athletics in Seymour back on the map.
“Kelvin and his team have really shone a spotlight on track running through their success in the VAL,” Collins said.
“Running isn’t like other sports. Kids go through Little Athletics and then there’s often not a clear pathway to stay involved in the sport.
“The Kelfit team has shown the way forward. It’s really captured the attention of the town, seeing locals running at the Stawell Gift and taking the VAL by storm.
“Anything we can do to encourage kids to stay active and healthy should be encouraged, and that will be a key pillar of our work at the Seymour Running Club.”
The club is not shy in its ambition, having set December 14 this year as the target for the return of the Seymour Gift.
“We’ve got a fantastic committee with a really broad skillset, which has allowed us to hit the ground running. We haven’t wasted a second,” Collins said.
“At the moment, we have verbal approval from the VAL and are working through processes with the Mitchell Shire Council to hold the Seymour Gift at Kings Park on December 14.
“If we can get it over the line, this will be a huge boost for the town. We’re talking over 1000 people converging on Kings Park for a full day of track running, good prize money on offer, and a sizeable benefit for the local economy.”
The current proposal from the Seymour Running Club includes an 11-race program, inclusive of men’s, women’s, open, juniors and masters events.
“Our conversations with the VAL have been extremely positive, and we’re eager to bring the community on board to make this an annual event,” Collins said.
“While our primary focus is on locking in the gift and running a great program, it’s much more than that.
“We’re looking to bring the community together, attract people from across the state to Seymour, and support other user groups of Kings Park.
“There’s plenty of work to do, but rest assured — we’re ready to do it, and we’ll keep everyone aware of our progress.
“There’s serious momentum behind this newly formed club, and we can’t wait to bring a gift to Seymour.”
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