I've lived in Stawell for a little more than five years now and the club is the thing I miss most about Melbourne...where there seems to be some kind of transport or traffic chaos every day. In the first three years up here I made 21 trips to Melbourne for 21 races, but now I am Secretary of one club, the Stawell and Ararat Cross Country Club (they race Sundays) and President of the Stawell Amateur Athletic Club (which race Saturdays) and duty calls. Unfortunately, all our rest days coincide with Melbourne's. The one exception is Murchison, but from Stawell that's a four hour drive! Still, I will make every effort to make it. It's an historic race and the 40th and last should be something special. Doug Tuhan was here for the Stawell Fun Run at Easter. What a trouper he is. I really hope I can make it. I will have to miss the Caruana this year, but to Joe and Machelle, probably the first friends I made at the VCCL, I wish you a great race. It always is. I have encouraged young Nathan Makovec to come down for another crack, but he impaled his leg on bike pedal recently and may not make the trip. Of course, VCCL members if ever travelling up this way during your own season, do think of us. You will be made to feel as welcome running with us as I felt running with the VCCL. | 