The race starts at 10.30am from the Stanley Recreation Ground, Marine Esplanade. There are changerooms and toilet facilities at the ground. The race is over 8km and contains one hilly section. As the race is on public roads runners are asked run with caution and obey any directions from race officials. The race heads out of the ground away from the Stanley township on Main Road. After a kilometre or so runners continue onto Dovecote Road which has an uphill section. Runners turn right at Green Hills Road which takes them past Highfield House and a sweeping downhill section with great views of the Nut. This leads onto Church Street through the main centre of Stanley. Runners turn right onto Main Street then left onto Marine Esplanade. From there they re-enter the Recreation Ground and finish with half a lap of the oval. Post-race presentations will take place in the Stanley Football Clubrooms.
The PCCCT heads to Stanley this week for the Dowling McCarthy Tyres/Hanson Family “Steve Hanson Memorial” Ace of the Green Hills.
This is run over an eight-kilometre course which has a short, testing hill early on but then competitors are rewarded with a great traverse of the Green Hills before descending with views of The Nut. After travelling along the main street, runners return to the start at the Stanley Oval.
As for every race recently, there are many runners who could easily break the tape, but one of the stronger chances looks to be Gerard Lowry – “the Railton Rocket”. One of the “Meercroft Crew”, who train regularly together at Devonport’s Meercroft Park, Lowry will be very much suited and could take out a well-deserved win.
After several finishes just outside “the ten”, his last two starts have brought him a fifth and a sixth and he won’t need to improve much more to be very hard to beat.
Young gun Dominic Troughton won this event last year and is running well enough that he can go “back-to-back”. Clearly, he loves the course.
Others with a strong chance are Felicity Lovatt, Isabelle Sharman, Steve Tammens and Jason Fehlberg.
The event starts at the later time of 10:30 with entries closing at 6pm on Friday. New runners are always welcome but need to take out membership first. For entries and membership see www.pccct.org .
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.
NOTE: The Teams Marathon will start at 7am, not 8am as indicated in the preview and on the entries page. Please ensure you are at the start line for your handicapped start line, allowing yourself time to collect team bibs.
This week there are two events being conducted concurrently over the same course – the “Greg & Di Woodhouse” Marathon and the “Terry Watson Memorial” Marathon Teams’ Race.
Both events will start at 7am. Competitors need to wear a race bib, which will be provided, to identify which race they are in and what team.
It is a two lap out and back course. The races start at the Ulverstone Cricket Club in River Road, West Ulverstone. The course heads east along River Road to the Ulverstone Bridge, under and across the bridge, down past the wharf precinct to Otto’s Grotto and onto Fairway Park walking track to Buttons Creek and along Beach Road to the start of the Ulverstone/Turners Beach coastal pathway where there will be a drink station. Runners follow the pathway to Turners Beach and then along The Esplanade to the turn which is beside the Forth River where there will be another drink station. This is where the second and fourth teams’ runners will commence their runs. Runners follow the exact same course back to the Ulverstone Cricket Club. This will be the halfway point for the marathon competitors and where the third leg teams’ runners will commence.
Runners, both individual and teams’ runners, are asked to provide their own drinks in clearly marked containers – either their name or race number. These can be left at the start/finish and will be transported to the drink stations.
Runners are also reminded that they should not be paced either by another runner not in the race or someone on a bike or other device. In the event of any pacing the runner or teams risk disqualification.
Post-race presentations will take place in the Ulverstone Cricket Club clubrooms. There will be soup served post-race. There are toilet and shower facilities available.
The PCCCT – Running Club Greg and Dianne Woodhouse Marathon is the longest-running handicap marathon in Australia, and the 2022 edition of the race will be held this Sunday.
Alongside, it will see the second running of a relay marathon with teams of four runners sharing the hard work. This year the event has been named the Terry Watson Memorial Teams Handicap in honour of the late Terry Watson who was a Club member and promoted and sponsored the first teams marathon held last year.
Both races utilise the pathway between Ulverstone and Turners Beach, starting at River Park in Ulverstone, and heading out to the end of the esplanade at Turners Beach, before returning. The Marathon competitors will complete two laps of this course, with Teams Marathon competitors each completing a 10.55km point to point leg.
A small but quality field will assemble for the main event, the Marathon, with the first runner away at 7am.
It is always difficult to predict the winner of this event because of the distance and it is even harder this year as there are three runners having their first races with the Club.
On exposed form, Amy Courto should start favourite. She is proven over distances even longer than a marathon and is in good form. Troy Reader may be her main danger while Lib Smith always enjoys this event and will be very competitive.
There are eighteen entered in the relay and a close exciting race is anticipated. The first team will get underway at 7am.
Entries for both events have now closed. There will be no nominated time event this week.
Handicaps will be posted Friday at 6pm, along with the race brief.
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.
Toilets and changerooms in the new facilities will be available.
NOTE – The men’s race will commence at 9:30 with the women’s race as soon as possible after the completion of the men’s race. (The order of the races was incorrect on the entry page)
Please be aware we are sharing paths with the public and need to give other users due consideration.
The course is a very simple one. It is four clockwise laps, plus a bit, of the streets surrounding Meercroft Park. Care will be needed running the back straight, North Street, as there is no footpath there.
Similarly, care is needed while running through the parking area on the William St side of Meercroft Park.
Thank you to our sponsors – Anne and Ben Ketelaar (men’s race) and Everyday Lions (women’s race).
This Sunday the PCCCT – Running Club will conduct split division races at Meercroft Park Devonport.
Until last year, the event has been split into Frontmarkers and Backmarkers. However, last year saw the races run by gender which proved very popular and has been retained for 2022.
Split division races events are very popular with runners because as well as competing in one event, they get to watch the other.
The course is a flat, fast, four lap one on the road around Meercroft Park. and this also makes them great viewing for spectators.
The Ketelaars Male Five-kilometre Handicap will be run first at 9:30.
There are many men who have been close without winning lately and one who will be well suited here is Brendan Burr. After starting the season slowly, he has been getting closer each week and was not far away in finishing ninth last week.
He will be challenged strongly by Jordan Mathews, Steven Tammens and backmarker, Hayden Bishop.
Pat McMahon will also be a big chance to take a deserved win.
The Everyday Lions Female Five-kilometre Handicap will follow and should also be an exciting contest. Selina Crispin is favoured here. She won this event last year so proved the course suits her. She is back in winning form running a great sixth last week
Felicity Lovatt will be the hardest to beat while Lyn Saint-John, Rhian Miles and Anne Thomas will also be chances. Runners are reminded that entries are online only and close at 6pm Friday. New members are always welcome.
