On Sunday the Stawell and Ararat Cross Country Club hosted the Lindsay Kent 8000m Championship race with the Stawell Amateur Athletic Club. The morning race meet commenced with a minute silence marking respect for past member Keith Lofthouse, who passed recently and had contributed to both clubs tirelessly. He wrote many passionate articles for our club and had run 200 club races. All present, runners and non-runners wore armbands to honour Keith during the event.

The conditions were perfect to race a cross country course around the Illawarra Reserve, Stawell, with enough room to run around the puddles, a bit of sand and few undulations. The two clubs have an annual inter club competition, with the overall times of the first ten runners from each club. We congratulated the Stawell Amateurs in taking out this year’s shield, with 11 minutes and 37 seconds the difference.

A sealed handicap always builds anticipation of who will take home the winner’s sash. Jess Hunt won with 4 seconds splitting Tessa Thompson in second and Shev Healy came in third. Jess, new to running, has been working hard to improve her style with Sue Blizzard from Blizzard Run Coaching. She recently ran her first half marathon during the Great Ocean Road Running Festive. Jess said ‘my main goal at the moment is to keep building my pace and to sustain that over longer distances’.

It was great to have so many helpers at the race. And Jess commented that ‘My favourite part about the race was coming together with the other club, and hearing so many supportive words from everyone on course, it makes a difference’. Mary Kent, wife of the late Lindsay who the race is named after, along with her daughter Belinda Kent presenting the trophy and sash to Jess. Mary, bright as always, loved seeing all runners doing their best and cheered them all across the finish line.

Next Sunday 26th June meeting Deep Lead Road, McCann Dam, Stawell for the Logan 10km race starts at 9.45am, all welcome to attend.