The weather didn’t seem to have any impact on Warrnambool pair Tom Hynes and Anna McMeel, as they posted strong times in the 36th running of the Terang and District Lions Club Community Fun Run and Walk on Friday.
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Hynes, who was running for Warrnambool Athletics Club, completed the 5.92-kilometre course from Noorat to Terang RSL in a blistering time of 17 minutes and 53 seconds, becoming the closest runner to Steve Moneghetti’s long-standing course record of 17 minutes and nine seconds.
Three minutes behind Hynes was Clinton Hall (20 minutes, 52 seconds), with Brandon Moore (21 minutes, 55 swings) finishing a minute behind him.
McMeel finished in a time of 20 minutes and 50 seconds, with her nearest competitor, Belinda Bennett (29 minutes, one second) finishing nine minutes behind her and Harriet Fitzpatrick was 48 seconds behind in third.
“I was really happy with my run, conditions were warm and the rain made it better, as it cooled you down a bit, but it didn't seem to bother me at all as I posted by far my best time, so I’m pretty happy with that,” Hynes told The Standard.
“I like the distance of it, as I see what I get for the five kilometres and then push on in the last 920 metres of the race and finish strongly.
“My time was one minute quicker than last year and I feel that has come back to my training and it was eventually going to pay off with a strong time.”
McMeel was also pleased with her efforts to top the women’s race.
“I was pretty happy, as it was the first run I’ve ever completed,” she told The Standard.
“Haven't run that fast in six years and it was pretty hot and not too windy so it was good to get the run in.”
In the other men’s events Jack Bell (under 18, 19 minutes and 42 seconds), Rhys Buck (under 15, 21 minutes and 45 seconds), Jack Cowan (under 13, 24 minutes and three seconds), Joseph Mathews (veteran 40-49, 21 minutes and 45 seconds) and Carl McMeel (veteran 50+, 23 minutes and 21 seconds) crossed the line first.
On the female side of the run Tully Watt (under 18, 25 minutes and three seconds), Emily Monden (under 15, 23 minutes and 55 seconds), Sophie Curran (under 13, 31 minutes and six seconds), Alicia Boyd (veteran 35-44, 24 minutes and 59 seconds) and Elis Bell (veteran 45+, 25 minutes and 48 seconds) were the top placings in their categories.
Despite the wet and humid weather on Friday evening the Terang and District Lions Club confirmed that over 300 (100 walkers and 232 runners) competitors took part in the annual fun run, with the proceeds of the run going towards the Lions club’s community work within Terang and the surrounding areas.