Event Overview
MY Fun Run Mount Eliza is a community run and festival held on Sunday 15 March 2026 at Mount Eliza Regional Park in Mount Eliza, Victoria. The event offers 4km and 8km options alongside a 16km quarry trail run, with the start and festival area based at the park on Two Bays Road. The festival setting includes food and beverage vendors and family activities, with water provided at the finish line.
What the Course Demands
The event is described as a trail run held within Mount Eliza Regional Park, including a 16km “quarry trail run”. On trail, athletes should plan for variable footing and the need to hold steady effort rather than chasing an exact road pace. For the shorter distances, the main limiter is often changes in rhythm on uneven ground; for the 16km, sustaining controlled effort and maintaining form when fatigue rises becomes more important.
Who This Event Suits Best
This event suits runners and walkers who want a trail-based community run with straightforward distance choices. The 4km is appropriate for first-time participants and those returning from a training break. The 8km works well for athletes building general run fitness and practicing pacing on trails. The 16km option better suits runners comfortable running continuously for longer periods and managing effort over mixed trail terrain.
Training Strategy
For the 4km, focus on consistent weekly frequency and short efforts that teach you to change pace smoothly on trails. One useful session is 6–8 x 45 seconds at hard but controlled effort (around 5km effort), with easy jogging back down or 90 seconds easy between reps, done on a gentle trail or park loop to practice foot placement and quick cadence.
For the 8km, build a base of easy running and add a sustained tempo segment to improve your ability to hold effort when the surface changes. A specific session to include is 3 x 6 minutes at comfortably hard effort (roughly 10km effort) with 2 minutes easy jog recovery, aiming for even effort rather than chasing split times.
For the 16km, aim to extend long-run durability and practice steady pacing that leaves you able to run strongly late. A practical key workout is a long run of 75–90 minutes where the final 20 minutes lift to steady effort (around half-marathon effort), ideally on similar trail terrain so you rehearse running efficiently when tired.
Across all distances, use training to rehearse your event-day routine: shoes with adequate grip for trail surfaces, and a conservative opening pace to avoid early spikes in effort. For the 16km in particular, practice hydration and fueling during longer runs; if you typically take carbs in training, keep it simple and repeatable on race day.
