Talk:Shepparton Marathon

From CoolRunning Australia

Any one with out a cheque book can send in a entry form and pay on the Saturday before the race, Hopfully next year we will have a online credit card system set up - Steven Trevaskis (Travy)

Keating has been struck down with the flu

The winter blues have finally caught up with Chris Keating and it could not have come at a worse time. Poised to be one of the front runners in Sunday's Shepparton Marathon, Keating has been struck down with the flu in the past week and will leave it until race day to decide if he will compete. "It's disappointing because I've done a lot of work on it," Keating said of his eight months of training. "I've been building up and up to a couple of months ago I was doing 150 km a week." Having completed two marathons in sub three hours in the early 1980s, it has only been in the past 12 months that the 45-year-old has reacquainted himself with running long distances. "I made a commitment that I wanted to do another one because I haven't really been running for 20 years," he said. "I always enjoyed it, but I had to make a commitment to do it and fit it in with work and family." While many of his fellow Shepparton Runners Club members have touted him as a potential winner of this year's event, Keating said his bout of flu all but ruled him out. "Personally I'd do a reasonable time, but I wouldn't win it," Keating said. "If everything goes well I'd hope to be around the three-hour mark, but it's not a matter of winning, it's an individual achievement more than anything. "Tom (Avram) has got a good chance and Leon Sargent, whether he's doing the half or the marathon, he's a good runner." The 10th annual Shepparton Marathon starts at 8 am on Sunday from Princess Park. Entries fees are $50 marathon ($70 to register on the day), $30 half marathon ($50 on the day), $15 10 km ($20 on the day) and $2 for the 3 km fun run. Entries at the lower price can also be taken on Saturday from 2 pm to 6 pm at the club at Princess Park. To enter and for further information, phone Brian Gawne on 5821 1693 or 0419 332 179.

Title wide open

The race for the title of the 10th Shepparton Marathon remains wide open with a number of steely competitors in the mix for line honours. With last year's respective winners Tim Cochrane and Deanne Nobbs absent from the registration list because of Australian commitments abroad, any number of competitors could run home to the prize, as race organisers tout it as one of its most exciting races yet. "Tommy Avram's probably got a good show," Shepparton Runners Club president Brian Gawne said. "He's had a couple of weeks off with a calf muscle strain, but I don't think he lost much from it. "He won the Murchison 10 km earlier in the year." Kylie Lucas is a likely frontrunner for the women's event, while Leon Sargent is up there for the half marathon. "Leon is running extremely well and also Kylie, she's an excellent runner," Gawne said. It could be a relative unknown who wins the women's half marathon. "Cathy Ballis has been training exceptionally well," he said. "It's her first marathon, she's only run the distance a couple of times in training." The marathon starts at 8 am on Sunday from Princess Park. Entries fees are $50 marathon ($70 to register on the day), $30 half marathon ($50 on the day), $15 10 km ($20 on the day) and $2 for the 3 km fun run. Entries at the lower price will also be taken tomorrow from 2 pm to 6 pm at the club at Princess Park. For entries or further information, phone Brian Gawne on 5821 1693 or 0419 332 179.