Fitzy's 5: Fun Run to honour a great SA runner

Published Wed 15 Sep 2021

Sunday, September 19 - 8:30am

Park 10, North Adelaide (Uni Loop)

REGISTRATIONS CLOSE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 at 11:45PM

Tokyo Olympians, Matthew Clarke (Hills Districts AC) and Isobel Batt-Doyle (Flinders AC), will compete in this Sunday's Fitzy's 5 Fun Run and State 5km Road Championship event.

The combined run will be held in North Adelaide's Park 10 and will form the final event on Athletics SA's 2021 Winter Calendar.

Named after local runner David “Fitzy” Fitzsimons - one of Australia’s leading distance runners in the 1970’s - Fitzy’s 5 is a 5km run hosted in Park 10, North Adelaide.

Fitzy won eight Australian Championships over 5000m and 10000m, including the double on three occasions.

He was a dual Olympian, an Olympic finalist over 10,000m, a 6th placing in the 1974 Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal over 5000m at the 1977 World Cup.

Forever a picture of fitness, sadly, Fitzy was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and as tenacious and determined as Fitzy was, even he couldn’t beat this opponent and tragically, he passed away on September 7, 2008 at the age of 58.

This event will is also a fundraiser to the Leukaemia Foundation - Donate HERE

Fitzy's brother Bernard Fitzsimons said this was a special event for the Fitzsimons family.

"This is a great event, honouring a great man," he said.

"It's nice to see it remain on the SA running calendar over the years and we always have a fair family representation on the day.

"David used to train in that area (North Adelaide parklands), run around the loop and up Montefiore Hill so running around in Fitzy's 5 brings up a lot of memories."

"We had some fun times running around those parts of Adelaide in our younger days."

Following parts of the "Uni Loop", Fitzy's 5 will begin on War Memorial Drive, near the Adelaide City Council Nursery, and head towards Bundeys Road.

Clarke has his eyes on the prize

Matthew Clarke ran the 3000m steeplechase during July's Olympic Games and has the State 5km Road Championship title in his sights, but is anticipating a will be a highly competative run.

"Whenever I take to the start time, I'm running to win," he said.

"On this occasion I think I will be hanging on for dear life - my squad is moving very well at the moment.

"It will be tough, but if I could deliver a State title this close to getting back into my training, that would give me a lot of confidence, especially since everyone is in such good form - it would be special."

He identified Isaac Heyne, Dan Canala and Max Stevens (2021 Open Men's XC State Champion) to be in fine form heading into this Sunday.

Matthew ran his first competative race, since arriving back on Australian soil (post Olympics), in the Ekiden Relay on September 4 which his Hills Districts team went on to win in a Marathon course record 2:11:57.

He encouraged everyone to come out and give Fitzy's a go.

"This is a great event for both the higher level runners, but also those recreation runners who just like to go out for a couple of runs a week," Matthew said.

"This 5km distance is gathering a lot of momentum at the moment given how popular Park Run is these days, so hopefully there is a big field out there having a go."

Matthew Clarke Running the Ekiden Relay earlier this month.

How Izzi will be spending her Sunday?

Isobel Batt-Doyle is taking a far more relaxed approach to the Fun Run, choosing to transition back into competition by running alongside her Mother, Rosie Batt.

Following her 5000m race in Tokyo, Isobel said she would love to help her Mum cross the line in a Personal Best time.

"Fitzy's is an event that I loved running with Mum growing up, before I went to America for College so it will be so nice to run with her again," she said.

"I am enjoying transitioning back into training, but I am not quite ready to race properly so this is a 'Fun Run' for me.

"It will be great to run with Mum, see a big crowd, chat to people and act as a coach considering there will be a big Run As One contingent (Isobel's coaching group) participating."

Despite her running and US College (University of Washington) schedule allowing her to compete in just one Fitzy's 5 since 2014, Isobel said it was amongst her favourite events on the SA running calendar growing up.

She won the race in 2017 as part of her preparation for the World University Games.

"I have run this event so many times, it is a great home race," she said.

"Given that people in some other states can't compete in an organised event I think every runner should make the most of our opportunities in SA."