Longshot wins by a long way
If veteran cross-country runner Bob Freeland was a racehorse he’d have been at odds of 2001 to win the five-kilometre Kieran Ryan Handicap in the Stawell Ironbarks on Saturday.
His form had gone from bad to worse – 12th over the same course and distance, 15th, 17th and 19th – in the four races preceding the Ryan.
Somehow, this time he won, not by a mere tick or two but by 41 seconds, denying brave rookie Michelle Dunn her maiden win, with the fast-finishing Bal Sukhpreet just seconds behind her.
The first question, which had to be asked after that miraculous form reversal in just one week, was: ‘Where did that come from, Bobbie?’
The 70-year-old’s answer wasn’t all that convincing.
“I’ve been swimming,” he said.
“I haven’t had a run all week but I’ve been swimming for a kilometre most days and that’s helped reduce the weight.”
There’s a theory that the performances of older footballers – and runners – will improve if they train less strenuously and rest more.
“But Bobby,” came the next question, “you’ve run two minutes faster than you did over the same distance a week ago. Did it help that you designed and marked the course today and that it’s given you some advantage?”
“No, I don’t think so,” he said. “I’ve just got fitter through racing. I knew when I’d clocked 27.20 minutes at the four-kilometre mark that I was going pretty well.”
It seemed that Freeland was the only runner in the event to be unsurprised by the win, though he did tell his wife on race morning that he wasn’t sure if he had the energy to run the 5km.
In the one-kilometre sub-junior event, Colten Kenny prevented a Freeland clean sweep by winning clearly from Milla Freeland with newcomer Kade Santuccione a promising third.
Stawell Amateur Athletic Club joins Stawell and Ararat Cross Country Club for the eight-kilometre Lindsay Kent Memorial Handicap on Sunday.
The race starts from the Pipetrack Road behind Stawell Airport at 9.45am.
Fun runners are welcome and can contact Keith Lofthouse on 04 5883 0034.