After long, hard days of digging, lifting, hauling and shifting Stawell landscaper David Hunter finds it difficult to find the motivation to get out and run.
He trains for perhaps “one or two days a week” but that was enough to have him primed for the Stawell Amateur Athletic Club’s eight kilometre Tyler’s Rural Handicap at Rupanyup last Saturday which he won from the cheerful veteran, Terry Jenkins and improving rookie Rebecca Hurley who both got closer than he thought.
Hunter knows he has to get off his tail if he is going to be fit for the Melbourne Marathon in October, an endeavour for which he lacks no motivation.
“I love that weekend in Melbourne,” he said. “It’s a great atmosphere being with people with the same intent to do the best they can. And to finish the marathon on the MCG, that really gets the adrenalin pumping.”
Eventually, Hunter will build up to the minimum of running fifty kilometres a week if he is to fully fit to achieve his goal of bettering the four hours he’s managed so far.
“To be honest, I think I run best when I am fresh, but to run a marathon you have to have the kilometres in your legs. I actually think of the marathon as a relaxed jog for about thirty-five kilometres, but a hard slog for the last seven or eight ks.”
In a keenly-contested Sub-Junior one kilometre scamper, Hunter’s girls Chloe and Olivia did their best to emulate dad, but a determined Charlie Dunn held on to win by just six seconds.
The club returns to home turf for the eight kilometre Stawell Toyota Handicap this Saturday. Fun runners are welcome.