About the run
The 11 km course starts outside the Charlotte Pass Chalet in Charlotte Pass Village, off the Kosciuszko Road in Kosciuszko National Park, and finishes at the summit of Mt Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest peak. The altitude at the start is 1740 m and at the finish is 2229 m.
After the start the course follows the village entry road 750m up to Kosciuszko Road, turns left and follows the Kosciuszko Road 1km to the start of the Summit Walk off the Charlotte Pass lookout carpark. It is then 9.27 kms to the finish at the summit.
Weather: The alpine weather is highly variable and can change very quickly from sunny to blizzard conditions.

Participant requirements
A National Park requirement is that a maximum of 50 runners may contest the run.
No vehicles are permitted beyond Charlotte Pass car parkand therefore all entrants must be fit enough to run non-stop to the summit carrying safety gear, water and food and then make their own way on foot back to the start.
All participants therefore will complete distance of 22 kms in total.

Entry criteria Because of its difficulties, runners must provide evidence of their suitability to tackle this run:
1) Minimum age of 18 years on race day AND
2) You must have completed one of the following race types since January 2009
Any half marathon in 2:00:00 or faster
Any 42.2 km marathon in 4:30:00 or faster
Any ultramarathon (longer than 42 km) finished within race cutoff time
Any hilly trail run of 25 kms or longer at an average of under 6 mins per km
A time over 8 to 10kms sufficiently fast to demonstrate a high level of running fitness sufficient to complete the 22 kms of the Kosciuszko Run in possible adverse weather. NOTE - all results must be easily verifiable by the Australian Mountain Running Association (eg results on web). If information cannot be provided to easily verify results the organisers will reject the application.

After 50 runners have entered the run (minimum of 10 females, hopefully many more), the next 5 entrants will be placed on a waiting list.

Compulsory equipment There are no drink stations on the course. Because of the danger of hypothermia, dehydration and collapse from low blood sugar, all competitors MUST carry the following:
- Waterproof wind jacket (such as a Goretex jacket) - Gloves and a beanie or other warm head covering - Sufficient water/sports drink and high energy food for the 22 km round trip
The easiest way to carry these is probably to wear a 1 to 2 litre Camelbak hydration backpack.

Race headquarters and race parking
In the Charlotte Pass village the Chalet and most of the lodges will be closed at that time and therefore there should be adequate parking in the area around the race start outside the Chalet.
Changing facilities, toilets, showers, race registration (if weather is not fine) and the post race refreshments and presentations will be at the Elouera Ski Club’s Pygmy Possum Lodge. This is the last lodge on the right, 200m further along the road from the Chalet.

Race registration
All competitors will have to check in and receive their race numbers between 10am and 10.40am on race day, either outside the Chalet if fine weather, or at Pygmy Possum Lodge if wet weather. For safety reasons, all competitors must check in when they arrive back at Charlotte Pass Village after the run so we know you have arrived back safely.

Race presentations
The race starts at 11am and the first runners to arrive back at Charlotte Pass Village are not expected back until 2.45pm, with the final runners back between 3pm and 3.30pm depending on when the last finishers return. Post race refreshments will be available from 3.00pm and presentations will be held 3.45pm. If you are an award winner and have to depart earlier to catch a plane etc, please advise the race organizers so that you can be given your award before departing.

Race accommodation There is no accommodation available in Charlotte Pass village on the race weekend as the Chalet is closed and Stillwell Lodge has been booked out for the Sea to Summit cycle race.
It is recommended that competitors who want overnight accommodation stay in Jindabyne. Good accommodation at reasonable rates is available at the Alpine Gables, corner of Kosciuszko Road and Kalkite Street, Jindabyne. Ph 1800 645 625 or 02 6456 2555.

Travel times
Allow two and a half hours driving time from central Canberra to Jindabyne then a further 40 minutes (good weather, no very slow traffic) from Jindabyne to Charlotte Pass Village. As you approach Charlotte Pass, a mountain run sign will direct you left off the Kosciuszko Road onto the Charlotte Pass village entry road, which is also clearly signposted as such.
The quickest drive from Melbourne is through Hume Highway and Wodonga. Than turn right toward Tallangatta. This way is a little bit longer but it is faster and it is a nice drive.

National Park entry fee
There is a daily admission charge per vehicle to the National Park of $22 which must be paid at the park entrances. The admission ticket must then be displayed on the vehicle windscreen. There are daily checks by rangers of vehicles parked in the Park.

Mobile phone reception
There is no Next G mobile phone reception in Charlotte Pass Village. There is reception in some places along the Summit Track between the Charlotte Pass carpark and the summit of the mountain.

Sports medicine support
There will be a sports medicine officer at the finish on the summit if you trip over or suffer some other injury during the race. Please take care jogging or walking back to the start.

Race entry
Please enter online at www.mountainrunning.coolrunning.com.au by 11pm Friday 12 March. Entry fee $25.
From 13 March to 12 noon Thursday 18 March, late entries may be accepted if there are places left in the field of 50. Entry fee $35.
The entry fee will be refunded, less a $7 administration charge, in the event of withdrawal due to illness or injury advised up to midday Wednesday 17 March.

Race awards
- random prizes of bottles of wine for which all finishers are eligible
- $500 to 1st male, $250 to 2nd male, $100 to 3rd male
- $500 to 1st female, $250 to 2nd female, $100 to 3rd female
- Race photographers will attempt to take pictures of all competitors (weather permitting). These will be emailed afterwards to competitors.

Race bulletins
Race bulletins will be emailed to entrants following the close of entries on 13 March, giving weather updates and other race information.

Course alternative if weather does not permit a run to the summit.
The race to the summit will be cancelled in the event of dangerous weather and replaced with a 10 km mountain run with 400m of climb over 4 laps of a 2.5 km circuit between Charlotte Pass Village and Charlotte Pass.
If snow and blizzard conditions do not permit access to Charlotte Pass Village on race day, a fallback 10km race will be organized on the lakeshore bike path at Jindabyne, starting and finishing at the Strzelecki Monument off Bay Street in Banjo Paterson Park.

Australian mountain running team selection trial
The Kosciuszko Run will be a selection trial for the Australian mountain running team to contest the World Mountain Running Championships in Slovenia on 5 September 2010.

Competitor supporters
If competitors have non-competing family members traveling to the race who can assist with race organisation on the day, please contact John Harding or Paul Gospodarczyk.

Further information Contact John Harding at hackettrunner@hotmail.com or 0427 107 033 Paul Gospodarczyk at paul.gospodarczyk@kosciuszkorun.com.au or 0404 592 978.

Application Forms available here