Emma and Rachel McCready, the club’s newest and youngest members, were making their third starts in the 6.5km event.

The Norval teenagers finished at or near the tail of the field in two 5km races, but generous handicapping meant that they were first to leave from the downhill start.

Inspired by having to lead from the start, the girls were never threatened by the battle-weary chasers. Third placegetter Nathan Bendelle stopped to a walk on the formidable hills and was two minutes once he reached the timekeepers.

Emma, 14, and Rachel, 15, had finished side by side in their previous starts. But with 500m run, Rachel let Emma finish the race without her.

“It’s the furthest I’ve ever been and I think Emma is a better runner than me. It would have been unfair to hold her back,” Rachel said.

Race fit, the girls are sure to be prominent in the Marian College 3km cross country race meet later in the week.

The club relay awaits at Ararat’s Alexandra Gardens (2 x 2.5km) from 9.30am next Sunday. 

David Hunter is a changed man since starting competitive cross country running with Stawell Amateur Athletic Club in 2013.

In that time he has won three or four races; has stepped up from half-marathons to run his first full marathon last year, won the club aggregate in 2016 and, above all, shed at least 10kg from his body weight.

Nowadays, his whole family is involved in the weekly competition – daughters Olivia and Chloe run sub-junior events and wife Naomi, recovering from an Achilles injury, helps with timekeeping and is club secretary.

Having broken a two-year drought by winning the 5km Axis Employment Handicap at Deep Lead on Saturday, the hard-working landscape gardener was keen to talk about what lies ahead.

“I was probably underdone for the Melbourne Marathon last year and was satisfied with my time (4.20 hours), but I’ve read that the global average for all men is 4.13 hours so I’d like to get below that.”

Hunter, who turns 40 in September, admitted to a slow start to the season. Marathon training typically slowed down his leg speed, something he was only able to retrieve through the free Monday night speed sessions at Stawell’s Central Park.

With 500m to run in the Axis, Hunter doubted he had the leg speed to reel in Stephen Baird, but Baird’s legs turned to jelly on the final climb. Hunter had enough to hold off Gary Howden and Tom Walker, who rocketed into third, recording fastest time of 17.02 minutes. In the sub-juniors, Miles Membrey scored a tenacious win from the Nitschke brothers, Jordan and Jay Jay.

The 5.5km Hunter Gardens and Landscaping Handicap is at Concongella Hall at 10am this Saturday.