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Please ensure you are at the start line for your posted handicap time. Race start is at 9:30am.

Please note: There is no nominated time event this week.

There will be drink stations but you need to place your own drink bottles in the collection crates at the start. Please make sure they have your name and number on them.

If you have a supporter providing you with drinks/nourishment, they must do this at the drink station. We don’t want runners or supporters crossing over the road during the race at random spots.

Please be very careful on this course because you will be running across intersections and driveways which won’t have marshals. 

The meeting place is at the cenotaph in West Park, Burnie.

Run east towards the gate and then up the path inside the park adjacent to West Park Grove. Exit the park and continue on the right -hand side of West Park Grove to Fortuna Avenue. Turn right and continue to towards the roundabout at Brickport Road. There will be a race marshall to cross you to the left-hand side of Futuna Avenue. Turn left into Mooreville Road.

Here you will be crossed over to the footpath on the right-hand side. Continue until you reach Three Mile Line Road and turn right.

Continue until you reach West Mooreville Road and turn left. Stay on this road until you reach its junction with Ridgley Highway, then go straight ahead before finally turning right to finish in the car park at the Ridgley Football Club.

The first of the season’s major races will be run this Sunday, with the running of the High on Penguin Mountain Classic 16.5km Handicap.

Starting at Burnie Park, the course heads up via West Park Grove, Mooreville and West Moorville Roads, to finish at Ridgley. It has a reputation for being a very tough course, with over 400m of elevation gained over the distance and members look forward to testing their fitness and resolve. It typically has suited the stronger runners, who can maintain a solid pace while conquering the hills.

A good field of forty-six has entered and while there are many realistic chances, Ben Brockman could very well be the strongest among them. He has shown great promise in shorter races this year and this distance will suit him down to the ground.

His biggest challengers look to be Ben Young, Jason Scott and Kelly Baxter. They have all recorded seconds in earlier races this year and will be hard to beat again.

Aaron Robertson, Felicity Lovatt and Rhian Miles all bear watching as they are each nearing a win and it could be here.

Gerard Lowry has won this race twice and is running well enough to make it a hattrick. Clearly, he loves the course.

Entries have now closed, with the first runner away at 9:30am. Handicaps, as well as the race brief, will be posted on the website www.pccct.org on Friday at 6pm.

The meeting place is at the Spreyton Cider Co on Melrose Road. However, the start will be in the big paddock across Sheffield Road where we have started in recent years. Please be careful crossing Sheffield Road. The course is the same as 2021.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT do your warm-up on Sheffield Road. Use the paddock or the area around the cidery.

Run straight up the paddock to Jowetts Lane and turn left. Follow the road (stay on the left) until a finger directs you left into an orchard where you will run straight ahead.

Follow the fingers and arrows which will take you through the cherry orchard, turn left and head down Pilgrims Road where you will be directed behind the apple shed. Complete the marked loop and rejoin your path out which will take you back to the start/finish.

The presentations will be at the Spreyton Cider Co. 

Thank you to Roselyn Hendriks for measuring and marking the course.

Following some tough races, this Sunday the PCCCT – Running Club provides members with a short and mostly flat course with the running of the Spreyton Cider Co five-kilometre handicap at Spreyton.

The course provides plenty of variety, taking competitors on quiet country roads, through paddocks, apple orchards and even a cherry orchard.

The race will commence at the later time of 11:00am to allow members to run in the Great Train Race at Don earlier in the morning.

With many members opting to compete in that earlier seven-kilometre event and then backing up over five kilometres shortly later, picking the likely winner is more difficult but one runner who will certainly be a top chance is Rhian Miles.

Miles has been running very consistently and finished strongly into sixth last week. She can easily take this out and make it the second win this year for the female runners.

Her biggest threat maybe another female in Kelly Baxter. After making a late start to the season, Baxter has quickly hit form and is putting in some big kilometres in training.

Others to keep an eye on include Steve Tammens, Mary-Lou Troughton and Tony Abel.

New runners are very welcome and can register for membership on the website www.pccct.org. Entries can only be made on the website and close at 6:00pm on Friday.

There will be nominated time events at the earlier time of 10:30 for those wanting a shorter event.

Members are also reminded that entries close this Sunday at 11:59pm for the High on Penguin Mountain Classic to be run on May 1st.

• Course begins on Fernglade Road outside top entrance to Pony Club.
• Proceed down the road on the left hand side to the bottom entrance to Fernglade and turn left before the bridge into Fernglade Reserve. (marshall)
• Continue on the road, past the picnic area and onto the track.
• Follow track right through to the pumphouse, turn around large witches hat and proceed back up the road towards top entrance.
• Turn left about half-way up onto the track and proceed back down to bottom gate.
• Continue up the road on the western side (now right hand side) past starting point and up to the second turnaround (marshall)
• Proceed back down the same side of the road to be directed into Fernpark Pony Club at the top gate. (marshall)
• Witches hats and painted arrows will guide you on a 2km loop of the pony club to finish in front of the clubrooms.

• Last year some runners crossed the road prematurely, meaning we were running on both sides of the road and creating a potential traffic hazard. Please stay on western side of road until final crossing at the marshal.
• As this course is in the bush with dappled light and variable terrain, including roots and leaf litter, please avoid running with sunglasses and run with your eyes as well as your legs

This Sunday the PCCCT – Running Club will head to Fernglade at Burnie for the Wilkinson’s Pharmacy 6-kilometre handicap.

This interesting course starts at the Pony Cub and takes runners through the reserve, followed by some road running and then a bush trail back to the finish.

Although it has some hilly sections, the variation in underfoot conditions and the scenery make it a pleasant run.

Following her great second in last week’s ten-kilometre event, the athlete to beat could very well be Felicity Lovatt.

She had to have some time off running in the last two years with a persistent injury but is now back in excellent form and the results are coming with a sixth and an eighth before her fine result last week.

The main danger may be Ben Brockman who has been able to run consistently with the Club this year and has been very competitive.

John Badcock has been getting closer each week and will put in a strong bid as the terrain will also suit him well.

Several other runners have been knocking on the door including Ben Young, Jason Scott, Rhian Miles and Ross Smith and all must be chances.

New runners are very welcome and can register on the website where entries for the event must be made by 6pm Friday.

There will be nominated time events at 9:00 for those wanting a shorter event.

There will also be Easter eggs for the children.

All information is at www.pccct.org