I decided to go up to Ulverstone and have a “crack” at the Ulverstone Marathon with another Hobart runner. The event is organised by The Professional Cross Country club of Tasmania (PCCCT – more details and links below).
The Greg and Dianne Woodhouse marathon runs from River Park, Ulverstone to Turners Beach and back (two laps) and is a handicapped event. The handicapping system is outlined on the Club’s website (http://www.pccct.org/wp/?page_id=30), and runners heading along simply need to provide their recent times (for 5,10,21, and 42km) for evaluation before the event.
This year the event had 14 starters. Out-of-town runners were acknowledged by the Club on our arrival and mentioned in The Advocate Newspaper, which has great coverage of PCCCT events throughout the year.
In 2019 it was held in perfect running conditions, with early starters beginning in the dark in 5 degrees at 7am, followed by the rest of the runners at specified handicapped start times.
The course was scenic and quiet, with plenty of rabbits and Blue Fairy Wrens along the way, and took in the Miniature Railway, which was running that morning. The route went along the bike track all the way to Turners Beach and back to the start. The course was fairly flat with a few inclines and several turns. We ran mostly on the bike track but also gravel roads in sections. It was a fairly scenic course finishing the last 500m uphill back to the club house. The course was two laps.
Participants are looked after well by the organisers, with water and lollies at the drink stations and hot soup at the finish line. We were cheered on by a small crowd, but plenty of positive vibes, and I was extremely happy to come under 4 hours for the marathon. The PCCCT made us feel very welcome and I certainly would consider doing it again.
The event also has a 5km fun run (the Rod and Judith Priestly handicap), which had over 60 participants in 2019.
**Professional Cross Country Club of Tasmania (PCCCT) is a running club in north-western Tasmania. They conduct Sunday runs between March and September at varying locations in the north of the state. They have annual race registration, but welcome visitors.**
More info:
- http://www.pccct.org/
- https://www.facebook.com/The-Professional-Cross-Country-Club-of-Tasmania-279497322109230/
- 2019 race profile: http://www.pccct.org/wp/?p=2226
Written by: Teresa Seaman
Images courtesy of PCCCT and Teresa Seaman