Canberra Runners Incorporated (Canberra Runners) was registered as an incorporated association in the ACT on 11 February 2021. Whilst a new association, Canberra Runners has a long history, with two precursor organisations, the YMCA Canberra Runners Club (YCRC) and the ACT Cross Country Club (ACTCCC).
In 1957 a small group of Canberrans began meeting for cross country races. Out of this group developed, in 1962, the ACTCCC. This club became a significant community organisation of around 1000 members and even more participants. It went on to promote and organise distance running in the ACT for 48 years and 37,000 names are recorded as having participated in at least one event with the ACT Cross Country Club. Current events and activities of Canberra Runners including the Winter, Spring and Summer Series; the Jogalong; the Canberra Half Marathon; and the Thredbo Fun and Fitness Week were developed and established by the ACTCCC. The club developed the valuable database of results which continues today – see the Results page. By 2010, the ACTCCC had over 1200 members and ran over 90 events and activities annually. Unfortunately, following a legal dispute, the ACT Cross Country Club was formally dissolved in 2010. An electronic version of the book “We Ran Canberra – The story of the ACT Cross Country club 1962-2010” is hosted on our website with the kind permission from the authors. Download link (PDF, 42MB). Trophy and major event winners in the ACT Cross Country Club and its successor club, the YMCA Canberra Runners Club, are at: ACT Cross Country Club and YMCA Canberra Runners Club Trophy and Major Event Winners 1962-2022. (nla.gov.au)
YMCA Canberra then established the YMCA Canberra Runners Club (YCRC) in 2010. The club, under the wing of the YMCA, once again began to flourish, offering a variety of races, group runs, and training programs to its members and to the wider Canberra community. Information on the YCRC operation and activities is available at: YMCA Canberra Runners Club 2013-2021 : Extracts from Club emails. (nla.gov.au)
Unfortunately, during a meeting with the YMCA in September 2020, it became obvious that it was no longer practical for Canberra Runners to remain part of YMCA Canberra. This was due to the significant compliance burden that would be imposed on the YCRC if it was to meet the YMCA’s Safeguarding Children and Young Persons policy.
In October 2020 the YCRC Committee appointed a subcommittee to look at options for the evolution of Canberra Runners.
On 11 February 2021 Canberra Runners Incorporated was registered as an incorporated association. In March 2021 YMCA Canberra wrote to all YCRC members informing them of the dissolution of the YCRC and offering membership with Canberra Runners. Approximately 99% of YCRC members took up this offer and transferred to Canberra Runners.
On 1 June 2021 Canberra Runners commenced providing activities and events, indeed the first activity occurred at 6:30 that morning with a TTS group run. Within a few days Canberra Runners had conducted its first Winter Series event, first Jogalong and Minijog, as well as Sunday Runners.