Cheers for Beer after a break through win | Ararat Cross Country

She never thought she'd ever run eight kilometres in her lifetime, but now, much to her surprise she won a cross country race at Ararat last Sunday over exactly that distance.

"I can't believe that I'm a runner!" she said after leading for most of the way in the Gallagher Family Handicap before holding on grimly to defy fast finishing backmarkers Andrew Reynolds and Gabe Tonks who closed to within 13 seconds of the winner.

"I reached the seven kilometre mark and I was wondering when the yellow shirts (the Stawell and Ararat Cross Country Club colours) would run past me. The thought crept into my head that I wanted to stop, but I knew I couldn't do that so late in the race so I willed myself on."

She might have been unlucky not to have won over the same distance on May 30 when she finished fourth just two minutes from the winner after a wrong turn cost her an estimated 500 metres.

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After that effort, and after stripping 1.20 minutes from her previous best in an Ararat Park Run, the writing was on the road that she would soon break through for her maiden win.

It was her willingness to try Park Runs and the urgings of coach Sue Blizzard that gave her the confidence to tackle longer distances, on tougher courses, in a competitive environment.

Now she was a training programme designed for her that includes weekly group sessions, tempo and a long run of between 40 and 75 minutes.

"I started in Little Aths but was never any good. Now I'm thinking of the 10 kilometre Run Melbourne in a couple of weeks, but distance wise that's as far as I want to go."

The club returns to McDonald Park this Sunday for the eight kilometre Fenn Family Handicap. The race starts at 9.45 am and fun runners are welcome.

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