Poem by Drew Kettle about the race

PERCY CERUTTY MEMORIAL 12 HOUR TRACK RACE
TOOTGAROOK – MAY 2ND, 1993
by Dot Browne
As we arrived to set up in the early morning dark at Tootgarook Sports Reserve, we found the sprinklers going full bore on the grass track, making muddy puddles three inches deep in several depressions on the running surface. We couldn’t find the cut-off switch and visualised the runners doing an extended 12 hour “Chariots of Fire” sequence, splashing up the spray as they ran ankle deep in water. We eventually turned a nearby fire-hydrant on full blast, which reduced the sprays to just a trickle on the track and so the race could start.
Eventually an hour later, someone back at the Council flicked a switch and turned the whole damn thing off. We installed the lap-scorers in the double army tent, erected by Dot, Col, Hookie and Greg Wishart the night before and we were ready to start the clock.
We only received 10 entries, and the last one, Bill Beauchamp, roared up 5 minutes into the race, with no lapscorer or crew and looking very hot and bothered. He’d spent the night in a local motel but still missed the start.
Another person who missed the start was our eminent el Presidents, Geoffrey Hook, who had faithfully promised to help us get the whole show on the road. He got a very big serve from his ex-friend Peter Armistead when he arrived half an hour late, looking very sheepish and bleary-eyed. “I never sleep in”, he stated. Oh yeah?
We decided to run the race in lane two as the first lane had deteriorated badly since last year and deep muddy holes full of water had formed in all the depressions as a result of their unique watering system. The track had originally been built on an old tip site so it was difficult to keep it level anyway. We measured the lap and it was exactly 405 metres.
Although the numbers were down, the spirit of the runners was happy and friendly. Young Adam Hilibrick and rogainer, Bob Sayers were doing their first ultra and the rest of the field were experienced performers. Bryan Smith was in great shape and training up for the Queensland 48 Hour.
The race started in the half-dark with the frogs croaking in the gloom and the sea-gulls giving the odd squawk.. Bryan Smith and Jeff Visser stayed close together for the first couple of hours, leading the field.
Flocks of pink galahs landed in the centre from time to time and old Drew Kettle kept himself and everyone amused by singing “Daisy, Daisy” and other old favourites as he circled the track.
Around the 6 hour mark, Mike Grayling’s brother-in-law circled the track overhead in his new Cessna, doing low loops and dipping the wings to say “hello” to everyone. Spectators who arrived reported that a huge container ship had run aground on a sand-bar in Port Phillip Bay just off the coast near Tootgarook and the news was on national television.
Most of the runners (that is, all except Billy) had roped in their tolerant and extremely patient families to crew and lapscore for them and they all did a fantastic job, giving caring and concerned attention to their runner each time he or she circled. There was no hope of personal best distances today with the grassy track so heavy and water-logged. What surprised me as race director was that there were no DNFs, and 6 of the 10 starters ran over 100km. I guess one could say that the weather conditions were ideal, with a top temperature of 22 degrees and a few drops of warm rain several times during the day.
Shayne Walthers, a wonddrrul masseuse who gives the sport of ultrarunning tremendous support, was a willing worker all afternoon and evening, keeping sore muscles well massaged and relaxed. Thank you so much Shayne! Your therapy was very much appreciated.
We fed everyone with sandwiches, hot drinks, snags in bread and pancakes during the day and kept the wolves from the door. My juvenile helpers, Peter Armistead, Ross Shilston and Geoff Hook kept themselves from getting bored by throwing buckets of water over each other when they were least expecting it, and putting ice down each other’s backs. Some fellas just never grow up!
As dark fell around 6pm , we had extension leads running everywhere, car head-lights shining on the track and Ken Taylor’s generator ticking over in an effort to give the lapscorers light and floodlight the track.
The race eventually finished at 7pm and we pulled the tent down while the runners had their showers. At the presentations, Drew Kettle recited a magnificent ballad dedicated to his faithful dog “Laddie” who accompanies him on all his long “across Australia” runs. It tugged at the old heart-strings.
Thanks to all who contributed once again to make this historical race a success, and let’s hope we get a few more starters next year!

6112 HOUR ULTRA MARATHON – BUNBURY, W.A..
27TH & 28TH FEBRUARY, 1993
Due to lack of entries this years event was almost cancelled, up until one week before I had only two entries both 12 hour runners and none for the 6 hour event. After makinq quite a number of phone calls George Audley came to the rescue by entering_ himself and two other runners, plus several others entered on the day.
We started with a total of 7 runners 4 in the 12 hour and 3 in the six hour not enough to cover costs but the Bunbury Runners Club agreed to cover the outstanding expenses.
As George Audley pointed out at our post race meetinq when an event is cancelled it very rarely re-appears therefore if Western Australia is to develop in the ultra field all events should be supported. Even if the more experienced runners use these events as training runs.
Both the 6/12 hour events started at 6 pm in perfect weather conditions. We ran on a qrassed 400 metre track for the first time this year and qot positive feedback from all runners. Unfortunately we haven’t qot a permanent track and because of the lack or entries havinq the track certified was out of the Question althouqh it was measured with a Jones wheel and tape.
Mary Morgan took of like a startled Gazelle and was never headed, this was her first ultra event and what a result 125km and 153 metres. Joe Record crewed for Mary and when asked why he was not runninq was heard to say ” with Mary runninq the competition is to tough”.
6eorge Audley had stomach trouble and battled at times but put in a determined effort even though work commitments prevented him training prior to the event.
Yours truly Mark Pritchard ran a steady race to achieve a PB. Dave Horn runninq his first ultra covered 52 km in the first 6 hours although failing to finish put in a qreat effort.
Jacqui Robinson was the winner of the 6 hour event. She has a very smooth style and ran very consistently. Jacqui and Colin fought for the lead in the early staqes but Jacqui’s experience and long leqs not only won her the race but the admiration of the onlookers.
Colin Green from Queensland celebrated his discharge from the Army by runninq his first ultra and coverinq 58 km and 88 metres. He found the going tough at times and admitted to me that nothinq he had done in the Army compared to the effort he had to muster to finish the race. He also admitted that nobody in the Army was as tough on him as was his crew manager biq Barry Edmonds (also recruited as our race masseur).
In the past Dennis Sutton has suffered injuries in this race and has shown his determination to finish regardless of the pain being suffered. This year he ran the 6 hour injury free and covered a respectable 55 km and 322 metres this should qive him the confidence for the longer events in the future.
It    was great to see women winning both the 6/12 hour and I
hope it will give other women runners confidence to enter ultra events.
Trophies were donated by Barry Edmonds, RAC, Bunbury-Runners Iq Club and our main sponsor Appelbees the Jeweller in Bunbury.

VICTORIAN 24 HOUR TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP
HAROLD STEVENS ATHLETIC TRACK, COBURG, VIC.7r
6 HOUR AND 12 HOUR TRACK RACE & 24 HOUR RELAY
on 27th & 28th February, 1993
by Dot Browne (Race Director)
In an effort to swell the numbers for my traditional 24 Hour Race, and to make it a special event for its 10th year, I added an extra 6 Hour and 12 Hour to this race, as well as agreeing to incorporate a Coburg Harriers 24 Hour Relay as well.. The added events blended in well with the established 24 Hour but did not have the desired effect of attracting more runners. I was dismayed with the entries – 8 in the 6 Hour, 3 in the 12 Hour and only 8 in the 24 Hour. Not really worth the effort or expense.
This 24 Hour race started back in 1984 with 9 runners as a result of Geoff Molloy asking me to put on a race in which he could test himself over a longer period of running before he put in an entry for the Westfield Melbourne to Sydney. In that respect, it was successful, because 3 months later, he went on to win the big one plus gained $20,000 for his efforts. The 24 Hour event became very popular, and each year saw the numbers growing, partly because it was a qualifier for the Westfield (200km was required), and partly because it was such a challenging event. This trend continued until the halcyon year of 1989 when there were over 70 entries and I even had to knock Bryan Smith back when he put in a late entry!
But when Westfield pulled their sponsorship on the Sydney to Melbourne race in 1992, it was the start of the rot for my 24 Hour as well.. Very sad. And now my efforts to give it an injection of life for the 10th year have not succeeded. I guess it’s the end of an era really.
However, those stalwarts who did enter this final one, were a very interesting group. Cliff Young, one of my regular entrants for the last 9 years, was going for the over 70 world age record, which was 174km. He put in a blinder in conditions which were not ideal, and missed it by only 3km to record 171.650km. Cliff is always a popular competitor because he not only is a top performer, but he gives tremendous support and encouragement to every other competitor in the event. He’s also a real character.
Neville Mercer, top ultra-runner, came all the way from New Zealand with his wife and blitzed the field. But he didn’t do it easily. Although the weather conditions were fine and mild for the first 20 hours of the race, it turned suddenly nasty early on the Sunday morning. A strong cold wind sprung up and the rain started to bucket down. Neville didn’t change into warmer gear early enough, and in his skimpy singlet, got hypothermia and was dragged off the track absolutely frozen, looking positively blue. We wrapped him in blankets, head and all and gave him hot coffee. Anthony Ashley-Brown, the masseur, filled a plastic drink bottle with hot water for him to hold to try and thaw his icy hands. As time went by, his body started to warm up and he was keen to get out on the track again. The fact that he had only a few km to go to achieve a p.b. was great motivation. He struggled out there again and went on to achieve a 9km pb. with 229.755km. An amazing effort. He had little opposition from any other runner. Peter Gray finished in second place around 50km behind him.
Another competitor who had travelled an enormous distance to compete was Elvira Janosi, a delightful 36 year old Jugoslavian athlete, who had a string of fine marathon (2hrs.40mm) and ultra performances m Europe and Japan to her credit. She arrived with her husband, Tibor and we were happy to accommodate them. Elvira ran brilliantly for the first 12 hours, and was in third position overall at that stage. But a combination of factors slowed her down in the second half. With her fair skin, she developed sun-stroke from the strong ultra-violet rays during Saturday afternoon, her newly-purchased socks rubbed her feet into blisters and she was generally disappointed in her performance after midnight. She had run around 100km in the first half but only 41km in the second. However she achieved 141.126km, a very good effort. Her Jugoslavian sponsor would be pleased to see that she had won the women’s event and taken home the trophy.
The 12 Hour race, also starting at noon on the Saturday was a 2 horse race. Jacqueline Taylor achieved a 3km p.b. to run 84.191km and Rudy Lombardi won the event with 104.563km, both very good efforts.
The 6 Hour race proved to be more interesting. Keith Alexander, a novice ultra-runner, surprised himself and everybody else by going out fast and keeping up the pace to lead from the start and win the event with 72.752km, with Bill Joannou from Sydney hot on his heels all the way. Bill finished only 2km behind him. Sandy Kerr ran brilliantly and evenly to win the women’s event with 66.338km. Congratulations Sandy! In typical fashion, she also stayed around when her event was completed to lap-score for the rest of the 24 hours for Cliffy. Incidentally, Cliffy talked his 26 year old nephew, Peter Woods into having a go at the 6 hour for the first time. Peter showed heaps of talent by covering 62.049km and seemed quite comfortable all the way. Norm Brooke, recovering from a heart attack, but persistent to the end, walked aggressively for the 6 hours and covered just over a marathon.
It was a pleasure to have the 12 Coburg Athletic Club runners tackling the 24 hour relay between them and running in half hour shifts. It was a bit of a trial run for a special challenge event they are planning for the Coburg Athletic Club Centenary in a couple of years’ time. They organised themselves up the far end of the track from the equipment shed, and encouraged all other competitors as they came around the bend. It became quite a competition amongst themselves to see if anyone could crack 20 laps in the half hour stint. I don’t think any of them made it Nineteen laps was the max. After 12 hours, they had covered 382 laps, or 152.8km, and at the final whistle, their distance was 755 laps or 302.055km, a rather amazing effort.
At the end of each event, the presentations were held and the trophies distributed. At the final 24 Hour ceremony, Neville Mercer, on receiving his Perpetual Trophy, his Winner’s Trophy, his 24 Hour coffee mug, his 24 Hour Medal, his cloth badge and his Certificate, was obviously absolutely thrilled to have “fixed up the Aussies”. He’d had recently ( on Dec 28th) come fourth in an Australasian 100km Challenge and been beaten by Don Wallace, Aussie who came in first, and then the Aussies won the team’s prize. So Nev. was highly delighted to take his revenge.
Thank you once again to my fantastic support team which has come out in force for each of the 10 years of this event. The Croydon Vets, particularly Annie Callaghan, Sandy Kerr, Bill Baxter and Les Clarke, the Society of Clinical Masseurs lead by Anthony Ashley-Brown who gave massage therapy for 28 hours non-stop, my race doctor, Dr.Spiro Moraitis, who kept a check on each runner throughout the races, my long suffering husband, Colin, who updated the leader board every hour and computerised the hourly lap-counts and results, Harold Stevens, Coburg Ground Manager who constructed the lap-scorers’ tent , Pauline Nippard who manned the canteen, and Geoff Hook, AURA President who was my right-hand man. I can’t thank you all enough.
I’m really sorry to see this race go down, but it has turned into a financial disaster for me as race director in recent years because of poor entries, and I’m basically not prepared to go down the drain financially, plus do all the work, year after year. So that’s it folks. Thanks for the memory.
(Results were printed in last issue of ULTRAMAG)

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