LATEST   NEWS

The date of the 5000 metres at Hampton has been changed from October 25 to November 1.
Our 3000 metre race on November 8 has been moved from the athletics track at Hampton to Albert Park Lake to be part of a City of Port Phillip festival.

The SMAC mountain running championship was conducted on October 19 at Upper Ferntree Gully. The course consisted of 2 and a bit laps (total distance 11 or 12 km), starting at the bottom of the Mount Dandenong Tourist Rd and proceeding via dirt tracks uphill towards One Tree Hill and back.   The weather was cool and sunny and the bush scenery is spectacular, although appreciated more by spectators than runners.   Tony Sacco was first across the line in 72 minutes and 57 seconds.   Peter Logan followed him closely the whole race and was only 13 seconds behind at the finish.   Greg Payne was two minutes back, a good effort considering he ran the Melbourne Marathon the previous weekend, followed by Keith McIntosh, Chrys Sacco (who also ran the marathon), and Lisa Nicholson.

The Winter season finished as usual with the Tan Relays on September 20.   We could only field two senior teams but we managed two under 14 teams as we did last year.   Stuart Gibson led off our top side with a brilliant 12 minutes and one second for the 3.83 km lap.   Other top performances came from Peter Logan (16 min 20) who continues to get fitter and our under 14 runners, especially Edward Faulkner in 15 min 59, and Charlie Faulkner in 17 min 08.

The Half Marathon was held on Sunday morning, September 7.   Conditions were mild for early morning but little wind.   Mark Markovic turned the tables from the previous race on an unfit Andy Demetriou by overhauling him at about the three quarter mark and finishing as first South Melbourne runner in 1 hour 27 minutes 07 seconds.   Good performances came from Peter Logan in 1 hour 37 min (considering his limited preparation after injury), Mick Whiteoak’s 1 hour 41 in only his second race back, and Lau Soon Hau ran 1 hour 48 min on 10 or 15 km a week training.

At the 4.7 km “Jim Crawford” Lap of the Lake on August 23, our new runner Stuart Gibson ran a wonderful time of 15 minutes and four seconds, the fastest by a club member for several years. Andy Demetriou escaped from Mark Markovic in the second half to take second place by 14 seconds in a time of 17 minutes and forty two seconds.   Mick Whiteoak returned after several years not racing with the club through injury and Clive Davies put in his first appearance for the year with 20 minutes and forty two seconds.


Click here for full results.