Course Descriptions

Getting There

Enter Manly Dam via King St Manly Vale. Turn into King St from Condamine Street which is the main road through Manly Vale. There is lots of parking available within Manly Dam. Parking is free if you have a Northern Beaches Council parking permit on your windscreen, otherwise it is metered. Parking is also available in surrounding streets - we ask participants to respect neighbouring residents by parking safely and legally move quietly into the Manly Dam precinct.

The Start

Runners start at Section 1 on the Manly Dam Grounds. It is easy to find and you will see our tents and finish arch when you arrive. Enter via the main Manly Dam entry gates at the end of King Street in Manly Vale. Manly Dam Course distances for all courses have been increased by 1.5km from 2016 due to the addition of an out and back road section to spread runners out and get them warmed up before they head into the single trails

Short Course - 10km

Same as 12km, except where the 12km continues across main Circuit Fire Trail, the 10km will go right and go up the fire trail, bypassing Curl Curl Track, Pipeline crossings and Eva’s Track, rejoining the 12km route before entering the Manly Dam Circuit Track again to return as 12km below.

Medium Course - 12km

The majority of the 12km course is on the various trails that make up the Circuit Trail and surrounding walking trails. Runners head along the Nature Trail on the southern side of the Road, there are some hilly and technical sections to start with, before entering the Wildflower Walk Trail and following this along for 2.5km before crossing the main Circuit Trail fire trail and continuing north along the Curl Curl track. In this section, runners will pass by two waterfalls and some splendid scenery. After crossing and then recrossing the pipeline runners head back towards the dam along Eva’s Track. When runners reach the 6km mark the trail becomes fire trail for the next two km’s with some fast and open running sections before the runners head back into the bush at the 8km mark for some more single trail. Travelling past the water’s edge – along more single trail, runners then pop out at the Dam Wall. Runners cross the Manly Dam wall and into the finish area at Section 1.

Long Course - 21km

The first lap is the same as the medium course, but when the runners cross the dam break wall, they cross the road to do the 10km course (see above, i.e. at the end of Wildflower Walk Track they turn right and follow the Circuit Trail. You will pass through the finish line and drink station after the first lap.

Cut Off Info:

The 21km long course will have a 2hr 15min cut off in place at the first lap, and you will be credited with a 12km time after that.

Extra Long Course - 30km

The extra-long course is great training for some of those longer events coming up later in the year. The 30km course consists of the 21km long course, followed by another lap of the Dam using the 12km course (without taking in the out and back road section at the start of the race). This will be a tough course, and sure to get you puffing!

Cut Off Info:

The 30km extra-long course will have a 3-hour cut off in place at Section 1 of Manly Dam before starting the second loop. If you have not made cut off at this point, you will be able to cross the finish line and have a result recorded for the 21km course.