Mottram holds the record at 10.12 (officially) and 10.08 (unofficially when running against Richmond this time last year). Whitey now holds the record for an AFL footballer
.
The TanThere is a 3.8 km running track parallel to the perimeter fence of the Botanic Gardens. Officially termed The Tan Track as it has a surface of tan bark, it is more commonly and affectionately known as The Tan.
The Tan originally served as a horse track for Melbourne's well-heeled, and is now one of Melbourne's most frequented locations for joggers. Locals, visitors and famous alike now share the space as its international reputation has grown. The Tan is often used in training by professional athletes, such as AFL footballers, particularly during pre-season time-trials. Running greats such as Hitcham El Guerrouj, Steve Ovett, Cathy Freeman, and Sonia O'Sullivan have all rubbed shoulders with the general public on The Tan.
The quickest lap of the Tan has been held by such notable Australian runners as Robert de Castella and Steve Monaghetti (10:41, 2003). The current record is 10 minutes and 12 seconds, run by Craig Mottram in 2004. On the 21st of December, 2006, Craig Mottram unofficially broke his personal best time around the tan, running a scorching 10 minutes and 8 seconds [1] while running with the Richmond Football Club during their pre-season training. He gave the footballers a two-and-a-half minute head start and still managed to beat them comprehensively.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Botanic_Gardens,_Melbourne#The_Tan
