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Yep its that time of year again when SMC and its members and runners dig deep for the benefit of a local charity.

At the same time just to increase the incentive to come along and run we are only charging $5 for the 5km race.

$10 for every runner in every race will be donated to the charity we have chosen, Karitane, there’s a bit more about it below.

So why not run for a cause this Sunday 19th February. See you there.

Karitane, a NSW parenting service, has been established since 1923. Karitane understands that parenting can be difficult and that parents need to access services to address a range of parenting challenges. We offer a wide range of services that demonstrates our wealth of experience in the area of parenting programs and child development. The services that we provide cover primary, secondary and tertiary levels of care and support, including professional and volunteer home visiting; supported playgroups; community capacity building projects; centre and home-based family care centre services; 7-day per week telephone advice and support service; intensive residential family care centre programs; specialist perinatal and infant mental health services; targeted services for families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Indigenous families and young parents (including services for parents in the juvenile justice system); support and training for foster, kinship and relative carers of children in out-of-home-care.

Families come from all areas of NSW, both metropolitan and as far away as western NSW to seek out our care for issues such as infant and toddlers sleep and settling difficulties; feeding management including reflux problems; toddler behaviour; postnatal depression and anxiety disorders. Karitane is committed to providing quality services to
more than 20,000 families with young children who access our services each year.

Demands for our services from families are continuing to increase and your contribution to our services will help the babies, toddlers and the families who attend both inpatient and day services at our facilities located in Randwick, Carramar, Camden, Fairfield, Liverpool and mobile services. Karitane is a registered Charity (charity number 12991) and donations are tax deductible.

For further information visit karitane.com.au or call 02 9794 2300. If you have questions about your baby or child call the Karitane Careline cal on 1300 CARING (227 464) or email us at karitane.online@sswahs.nsw.gov.au

To avoid a clash with the Sydney Morning Herald half marathon the SMC May race series date has been changed from Sunday 20th May to Sunday 27th May.

Normal start times apply.

Make a note in your diaries now.

From the February 2012 races onwards SMC will be awarding cash prizes for the male and female winners from our long run, 5km and 10km runs each month.

To give everyone a chance of winning some cash we will also be selecting two random cash prize winners from each race every month.

So as well as great value, well organised runs you now have the chance to win some money.

Cash prize details below:

SMC introduced an MP3 player ban last season, but to give runners a chance to get used to the idea we allowed a three month period where the ban was not strictly enforced, although runners were encouraged to leave their MP3 players at home.

SMC races are run on roads that remain open to traffic for the duration of the event.

Because these roads are not closed during the races, we rely on people crossing at the marked points, where SES volunteers are usually stationed to keep an eye on runners and ensure their safety.

Occasionally runners cross the road at the wrong point or run the wrong way – not everyone has been running out at Smithfield for years.

The SES volunteers are on hand to redirect runners back on course, but they were not able to do so on a number of occasions last season because the runners in question could not hear them.

This season the SES have said they will not support SMC unless the ban is enforced. Without the support of the SES, SMC will not be able to get the required permit to carry on the races.

Therefore this season MP3 players will no longer be allowed at any of the SMC races.

There will be an MP3 player minding bin at the starting line for anyone who turns up and doesn’t realise the ban is in place.

Anyone found crossing the finish line still wearing an MP3 player will be disqualified from the event they have run in.

The following cut-off times will be enforced for “on the day” race registrations at the SMC road race series:

Long Run and 5km walk: 6.45am

5km and 10Km run: 7.15am

The reason for the cut off times is to allow those volunteers who are taking registrations and also want to run enough time to prepare themselves and get to the starting line for their races.

I hope all runners understand the reason for these cut off times and cooperate by arriving earlier or, better still, by entering on-line and saving time at the start as well as taking advantage of the discounts for online registration.