V8 Supercar star Paul Dumbrell will be swapping his 600 horsepower V8 Supercar for his joggers this Sunday morning as he prepares to participate in Run Melbourne – a community fitness event around the streets of Melbourne’s inner city. 

Finishing sixth in the 200km Race at Darwin’s Hidden Valley, Dumbrel -  a fitness enthusiast –  stepped out of his V8 Supercar last Sunday afternoon and turned his focus to gearing up for the Run Melbourne half marathon event this weekend.  

While many would not associate V8 Supercars with fitness at the highest level, Dumbrell spends 15 hours a week training and tuning his body to cope with the 60 plus degree temperatures he faces in the cabin of his #10 Autobarn race car.   

“It will be a good challenge” Dumbrell said 

“A half marathon is similar in distance time wise to a V8 Supercar race and the training I have been doing combines well with the fitness required to race a V8 Supercar – both are demanding from a mental and physical point of view.” 

A V8 Supercar driver can lose a number kilograms over a race and has to cope under tough conditions making fitness an important part of a driver’s event preparation.  

Dumbrell has taken his fitness to another level and his training for the Run Melbourne event has consisted of running over 50kms per week with a break up of sprint sessions, long runs and sharp short distance runs.  

“There are a couple of running groups I have been training with around the inner city area two mornings a week.  It’s quite picturesque running through the city at 5:30am watching Melbourne wake up.” 

Dumbrell even managed to squeeze a 10km plus run into his schedule each morning at Darwin, before suiting up and heading to the circuit.  

The 21km Run Melbourne course takes in some of the city’s famous sights and landmarks with the course passing Federation Square, The Shrine of Remembrance, the MCG and Birrarung Marr. 

One of the fittest drivers in the V8 Supercar paddock Dumbrell is no stranger to running events competing in the Great Ocean Road Marathon in 2008, the Great Australian Run last November and more recently the Shepparton half iron man event. 

PD has set himself a target of 1 hour and 25 minutes to complete the course.  

“If I can achieve 1 hour and 25 minutes I am going to be worn out at the end but it would be worth it!” 

Dumbrell has also laid the challenge down to fellow Holden driver Jack Perkins, also be competing in the half marathon. 

The Run Melbourne half marathon is on this Sunday from 7:15am.