Saturday’s Australian Standing Stones parkrun was a particularly memorable event, as local athlete Kayden Elliott completed his final run before leaving to attend college in the United States.
Despite bitterly cold conditions—temperatures fell to minus eight degrees during the early morning course setup—Kayden completed the challenging five-kilometre course in 17 minutes and 34 seconds. The outstanding performance set a new course record and marked Kayden’s personal best at the event.
Held each Saturday morning at Centennial Parklands, the Australian Standing Stones parkrun is Australia’s highest-elevation parkrun, beginning at approximately 1,100 metres above sea level. The course includes more than 100 metres of elevation change and passes the Australian Standing Stones, making it both a demanding run and a distinctive Glen Innes Highlands experience.
Organisers and fellow participants congratulated Kayden on his record-breaking farewell run and wished him every success as he begins the next chapter of his education and athletic career in the United States.
The free weekly parkrun welcomes local residents and visitors of all abilities, whether they choose to run, jog, walk or volunteer.
