It took thirty-years for Simon Edge to win his first ever foot race a fortnight ago and seven days to win his second.
Despite being re-handicapped for his maiden win in the King of the Mountain at Halls Gap, Edge backed-up a week later to beat not only the handicapper but a field of determined chasers in the five kilometre Ivan McDonald Handicap at Stawell’s Big Hill last Saturday.
“At the start of the season I’d picked out these two races as my best hopes,” Edge said. “I thought it would take this long to get fit enough to make an impact and when I won it helped with my confidence levels.”
Clearly showing a liking for five-kilometre hill climbs, Edge had a decisive twenty-six second margin over the luckless Jess Cass by the time they reached the time-keepers with Nathan Baker closing fast just four seconds further behind.
Cass has been runner-up at her last three starts and winless after fifteen attempts this season. She won’t get another chance in the season finale this Saturday as she will be holidaying at Port Douglas.
But there are no hard feelings as she and Edge have formed a team with other club members to run a 25 kilometre leg of the Surfcoast Century ultra-marathon along the Great Ocean Road on Saturday, September 15.
Edge has increased his work load in preparation for the marathon and credits that for making him more competitive. But now the Halls Gap schoolteacher faces a dilemma – how to maintain his momentum while on a weeklong camp with primary school students at Mount Baw Baw.
“I’ve got no idea if there’s anywhere to run up there and whether I’ll have the time,” he said.
In the Sub Juniors one kilometre race at Big Hill it was a Baker bonanza with Johnno Baker beating brother Barney and Jerome Baker, from another clan, in third place.
The three kilometre Chris Blake Handicap on the North Park track this Saturday is open to fun runners. Meet at 4pm.