Camaraderie, team building, health and wellbeing and expert guidance from Australian Athletics accredited coaching, these just five of the attributes contributing to the growth of the Rio Tinto Run Club.
From just an idea and a humble three event start in 2023, the Rio Tinto Run Club will this year host nine ‘goal events’ with 1100 participants in city and regional locations where Rio Tinto lives, works and plays.
By every measure, the Rio Tinto Run Club is a proud and successful partnership initiative between Australian Athletics and Rio Tinto, in great part thanks to our AA accredited coaches who design, lead and inspire the training program for each of the Club’s goal events.
Whether in Perth, Brisbane, Gladstone, Weipa or Karratha, goal event participants tell us the coaching provided gives them not only the training knowledge they may not have, but with the hands on guidance, also the confidence they need to challenge themselves.
Whether it’s a first ever running event, or a comeback race even tacking a full marathon for the first time, AA coaches are there every step of the way for Rio Run Clubbers. We were so proud to hear that at this year’s Brisbane Marathon Festival, the Rio Tinto Run Club toed the start line 105 strong, the second largest team in the event and with a number first time Marathoners.
Including Kentaro T whose courage was on full display as he crossed the finish line well under his goal time. We asked what inspired Kentaro to take on the marathon distance, he said it was “A new challenge, encouragement from the Run Club team and coach Chris Gale, and knowing his new son would be cheering him on down the home stretch”.
We also got to catch up with Roxanne P who was making her goal event comeback after the birth of her two children, surprisingly she told us “It wasn’t that hard” thanks to the support of the RTRC and it’s fun when your body & mind are prepared for it. The BMF was also the first time I followed a training plan, so I felt strong.”
After hearing those stories, we just had to check in with Coach Chris Gale to get his take on what coaching the Rio Tinto Run Club is like:
“One of the greatest joys of being a coach is seeing runners achieve something they never thought they could achieve, whether running 5km for the first time or the marathon for the first time, the joy on their faces when they cross the finish line, it’s just magic.”
“That was certainly the cast at the Brisbane Marathon Festival, it was so obvious that the team participation and training that everyone put in really paid off, with everyone who started any of the distances finished, strong and proud.
Since I started as coach of the Run Club Brisbane, there’s been a real uptake of participation at training and in events. Members of the team are looking to improve themselves, support each other and actually grow as a Team.”
The Rio Tinto Run Club – powered by Australian Athletics, was started in part to provide opportunities for Rio Tinto employees to get together, as a group, and as a team in supporting each other to achieve a little bit of extra ordinary. We think it’s working.
By Galeforce Running
Posted 30/6/2025
