Rod Viney

Sunday’s race, the Aviva Parfumerie five-kilometre handicap was run on a flat out-and-back course starting at West Ulverstone’s Tobruk Park and led to some fast times being recorded. Most runners relished the change from the long, hilly races of the last few weeks and a good-sized field competed.

The event, which incorporated the Club’s five-kilometre championships, was conducted as a sealed handicap. This meant all runners commenced together and the handicaps were applied after the race.

The SC Concrete Pumping Women’s championship saw a victory to young-gun Darcy Miller who recorded the very slick time of 18:28. She had a comfortable margin to spare from a gallant Rhian Miles with another strong young runner in Sabrina Shields finishing third.

In the Cahill Family Men’s event, Hayden Bishop, added the five-kilometre championship to the ten-kilometre one that he won at Devonport earlier in the year, recording a very good 16:38. Bryan Tuit and Josh Febey took out the placings.

The sealed handicap was taken out by cyclist-turned-runner, Jordan Matthews who broke through for a well-deserved win after several placings. In his first season with the Club, Matthews has really taken to running and has exhibited great improvement. He still mixes running and cycling in training, finding the combination keeps him fresher and is less hard on his body. He also enjoys the fact that he can get a solid running workout done in about a third the time it would take cycling.

Steve Tammens and Rhian Miles filled the placings just in front of David Murton and Nick Young

Earlier the nominated time winners were Paige Aitken and Libby Crispin.

The PCCCT headed to Somerset for race 14 of the season – the Raymond Spinks/Coastal Running Club 12km handicap. Due to the toughness of the course and the unpleasant weather, numbers were down on recent weeks but a very competitive field gathered to hear the starter’s orders. The hilly, circuit course is a challenging one, commencing with a steady four kilometre climb up the Murchison Highway.

Turners Beach runner, Felicity Lovatt, ran a terrific race to break through for her first victory with the Club after showing recently that a win was imminent. She displayed promise last year in her debutant season with the PCCCT, but has had to overcome a couple of nagging injuries to return to her best form.

Although she has always enjoyed running, Lovatt was nervous about running competitively until last year when she and her brother Sam decided to join the Club. Now she speaks highly of the friendship and support she has received from members.

Trail running is her great love and next week Lovatt is travelling to the East Coast to compete over 29 km at Freycinet.

She had a narrow victory over Jordan Matthews who, after starting just 15 seconds behind Lovatt, chased her all the way to finish just ten seconds in arrears.

Perennial placegetter, Jason Scott, chalked up another third while Andrew Lucas, Gerard Lowry and Adrian Mann were next to finish.

Andrew Winkel was the fastest male (46.12) while Lovatt was quickest of the women (55:56).

The nominated time winner was Malcolm Nutting.

Race thirteen of the PCCCT season, the Dowling McCarthy Tyres/Hanson Family “Steve Hanson Memorial”, was conducted over an eight-kilometre circuit course in Stanley.

The race, also known as “The Ace of the Green Hills”, was conducted in very tough weather conditions with runners subjected to strong winds, hail, rain as well as brief periods of sunshine.

Nevertheless, thirty members competed as the scenic course certainly compensated for the weather.

Devonport runner, Pat McMahon, was thrilled to take out his second win in ten years of competing with the Club. Interestingly, his first win, in 2016, was also this race. The Stanley event means much to McMahon as this was where he lived during his childhood.

McMahon was a top track runner in the past, with four wins at the prestigious Stawell carnival and is a member of its Hall of Fame. Now he his happy to just keep fit and active.

He had a narrow win from the very much in-form Steve Tammens who once again indicated a win is very close, Jordan Matthews, Jason Scott and Josh Febey. Race favourite, Gerard Lowry finished seventh while eight runners finished within fifty seconds of the winner meaning it was an exciting race.

The fastest man was Josh Febey (29:45) while Sabrina Shields (35:53) was fastest female.

Earlier the nominated time winners were Hannah Elphinstone, Susan Morris and Mitchell Elphinstone.

The longest race of the PCCCT season is a full marathon, the Greg and Dianne Woodhouse 42.195-kilometre handicap. The course takes competitors from River Park at Ulverstone to the end of the Esplanade at Turners Beach and return, twice.

The event was first held in 1973 and has been run without a break since then making it the longest continuous marathon in Australia.

Perfect running weather on Sunday greeted competitors in the 2022 version. It was third time lucky for Devonport runner Lib Smith, who had finished third in 2019 and second last year. Starting off the Go-mark, Smith defied all chasers and hung on for a well-deserved win.

Smith, 61 years old, only took up running five years ago following a health scare and, although she has completed 6 marathons, specialises in ultra-running events. Her longest was a 72-hour race last year when she covered an impressive 231km.

Next up will be a 12-hour run around Melbourne’s The Tan in August to be followed by a 48-hour run in Adelaide.

Smith beat Launceston runner Pete Wierenga, Ben Brockman, who recorded fastest time (3:06:07), Troy Reader and Jordan Matthews.

The Terry Watson Memorial Teams 4 x 10.55km Marathon run in conjunction with the marathon was take out by Snails (Pat McMahon, Paul Birch, John Badcock and Matthew Lardner) from Meercroft B, Meercroft A, Bluff Buddies and The Pacemakers.

Sunday saw the running of the Everyday Lions Female 5km Handicap, and the Ben and Anne Ketelaar Male 5km Handicap at Devonport. Cool but fine conditions greeted runners for the flat four lap circuit around Meercroft Park.

The men’s race was conducted first, with Devonport’s Brett Riley leading the field away and holding out all challengers. With a lap to run, it looked like Pat McMahon would catch Riley but he kicked very strongly to take his first victory.

Although he started with the Club several years ago, Riley has not been able to run consistently due to other family sporting commitments. However, this year he has been able to compete regularly and this, along with following an Everyday Lions training programme, has led to great improvement.

McMahon finished second with Jordan Mathews in third. Fastest time was Brian Lyons (17:05)

The Everyday Lions women’s race followed the men’s, with Emily Aichberger breaking through for her first win with the club. She was second in this event last year and was very pleased to “go one better”. Just seventeen, she has been running with the Club for many years starting with the nominated time events and for the last three years, the handicapped events.

Aichberger finds running makes her happy and helps her with other aspects of her life. She has competed for Tasmania in cross-country and also track and field. She won form Amy Courto and Felicity Lovatt while Sabrina Shields was quickest (20:21). Amazingly, all three placegetters train through Everyday Lions.

In the earlier nominated time event, the winner was Alicia Bramich.