"My Mumma always said life was like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get."

Trailrunners are in for a treat at the Forrest Gump Chocolate Box. The lid is lifted on our surprise location!  Formartine State Forest, Speewah - just 45 minutes from Cairns CBD, or 45 minutes from Atherton.  Carpooling from Smithfield Dan Murphys is encouraged.  

There are three distances on offer - the Milky Bar Kid; the Snickers; and the Toblerone!

“Always be able to look back and say, at least I didn’t lead no humdrum life.”  

Have a good read of the detailed course descriptions and be sure to note the elevation and terrain - think Rocky Road and Coconut Rough not Caramel Whirl or Strawberry Creme!

Event Location and Parking: 

The starting spot for this race has changed from the inaugural 2023 event, and is now directly opposite the Speewah turnoff.   The best parking for this event is now at the Speewah Tavern - even better because that's the location of the post-race refreshments!  Park at the Tavern, and leave yourself 5 minutes to take a warm up stroll to the race start.  Race start and parking are on opposite sides of the Kennedy Highway.  Please exercise extreme caution when crossing the highway to and from the race start/finish.  

Facilities/ Water etc.

There are no toilet facilities at the start/ finish but plenty of bush!  Closest facilities are the public toilets in Speewah (Speewah Road).  There will be water at the start/ finish for you to fill up your own bottles, but no water on course and no cups (keeping it green). 

Times:

2.30 pm: Check-in open

3:00 pm: Toblerone start

3:30 pm: Snickers and Milky Bar Kid start

From 5:30pm: Presentations & Social

Plot Synopsis:

The Milky Bar Kid is for the young and young at heart, but not the faint of heart!

Distance 3km; Elevation 150m. Start Time 3.30pm. Out and back Course.

 

The Snickers: Did you know the Snickers was called the Marathon bar in the UK until 1990? Well. Now you do.

Distance 8k; Elevation 300m. Start time 3.30 pm. Out and back course.

 

Toblerone: Visualise the shape. Pointy. The course is 3 pieces of Toblerone.

Distance 12km; Elevation 600m. Loop course.  Mandatory gear: snake bandage & head torch

 

Detailed Course Descriptions:

My mumma always said there’s an awful lot you can tell about a person by their shoes.” Do they love gnarly trail? Can they handle adventure?

All courses begin with a steep 1.5k climb.  Call it what you like but another walker (not sure of his name) has called it "Kris's Hill".  After the climb you’ll be rewarded with some beaut FNQ views. After enjoying the view and a quick breather, the Milky Bar Kids will return the way they came with guns blazing to the start/finish of their course.

Snickers and Toblerone competitors will continue on, enjoying more great views from the ridge track and a short reprieve from the ascent. The climbing is not over, but we guarantee you will feel a thrill as good as choosing a chocolate without reading the box when you enter the shade of the forest from the open eucalypts. Magic.

“My mumma always said you’ve got to put the past behind you before you can move on.” Snickers runners will turn around after 4km, and return the same way to the start/ finish.

For the Toblerones the day has just begun. Returning from the Snickers turnaround point, Toblerones will peel off from the main course and enjoy a glorious, long, free-flowing caramel-like descent through rainforest. You’ll love it.

“Mumma always had a ways of explaining things, so I could understand them” How’s this for an explanation: After the downhill there is an uphill! It’s a long ascent but don’t rush, just enjoy – first you will have about 1k climb on a beautiful rainforest trail, through ferns, and majestic Kauris, then you will pop out to open grassland to enjoy magnificent views from a ridge track to the highest point on the trail (632 metres).

“Mumma says they was my magic shoes. They could take me anywhere.” If you have magic shoes, wear them. The descent from this highest point will test the best trail runner out there – it is STEEP, ROCKY and LOOSE. Take. It. Easy.

“Miracles happen every day. Some people don’t think so, but they do.” When you finally reach the flats at the 8km mark you’ll get your magic shoes wet through a creek crossing; and then begin your epic 2km climb, back to the Milky Kids turnaround point, all the while admiring your achievements with views back to the dizzying high point of the course.

From the Milky Kids turnaround point you’re as good as home. “Run, Forrest, Run”. You can fang it down the last slope of the Toblerone and You. Are. Home.

Although it is not likely to be required, a headtorch is mandatory for the Toblerones as you may be running into dusk.

Entry Fees:

Members $10;

Non-members $20

Member Kids Free

Non-member Kids $10