The run is unique in having a mass start but with each runner having their own target distance to reach before heading back for home – the faster you are the further you go to your turnaround – many turned at 4.6km but the maximum was 7.6km.

The prize is one trophy for the first adult and one trophy for the first junior, and it was Moreno Chiappin and Ella Savage who snatched the honours.

Savage was set a target of 5.6km and was fourth across the road approaching the finish circuit, all juniors ahead of her, and she mowed them down to finish twenty seconds clear.

Anna Price-Taylor on 4.8km was first across the road and put in an excellent effort for a youngster with a short career to salvage second, while Cooper Savage on 5.4km took third junior and sixth overall.

This was the best showing by the juniors in the history of the Solstice Cups, placing 1-2-6 overall.

For the adults Moreno Chiappin was running 6.2km and only hit the lead in the finish straight, which must have been very annoying for Mirella Granata running 5.2km and Gary Signor running 5.4km, with just six seconds across the three of them.

Good efforts also from Aidan Fattore off the maximum 7.6km, and Narelle Lagergren off 6.4km, who ran the longest and got creditable placings of twelfth and eighteenth, and from  Hamish Gunn and Delroy Kasawaya who were faced with 6.8km ... a big ask for the young'uns but they lived up to it.

It was surprising and pleasing that the placings were so close after 85 runners ran multiple distances – full results are available on the Joggers website under the column 'away events'.

The expected finish time was thirty minutes but half of the field made it back before then, such was the effort put in.

New runner Robert Medway probably didn’t realise what he was signing up for before the start but he finished safely midfield - no Robert, it’s not like this every week.

This event is always a bit tough on the young speedsters so we only race it once a year, and also a big ask of some of the littlies with the minimum being 4.6km, but they all got back without trauma, and thanks to the mums for keeping the spirits up.

Attendances on these special runs tend to be down on the average run due to the fear of the unknown, but it can be quite a buzz for the adventurous.

The coming weekend is action packed with race one of the Surfer Competition on Saturday afternoon, and the annual PinnacleHPC Half on the Hill first thing next morning, so there will be a few early-to-bedders Sunday night.  Entries are still being taken online for the Half.

The Griffith Joggers run from the water tower opposite Pioneer Park each Saturday at 4:30pm with a choice of short or long over the tracks and trails of the hill – be early to enter.