By JESSE GRAHAM
ATHLETES from around the hills and beyond will be lacing up their running shoes for the annual Puffing Billy Great Train Race next month, with funds going towards a train restoration.
The Great Train Race will begin at 9.30am in Belgrave on Sunday 3 May, when 3500 runners will set off on a 13.5 kilometre marathon against the Puffing Billy.
The runners will aim to beat one of the two racing trains, which will head from Belgrave to Emerald Lake Park in roughly an hour and 80 minutes, respectively.
Last year’s winner, Cockatoo’s Craig Appleby, set a serious pace to contend with for the race, finishing in 43 minutes, 32 seconds.
Moorooduc’s Sarah Klein was the first woman to cross the line at 49 minutes, 35 seconds, and out of last year’s 3134 runners, 464 beat the first train to the finish line and 2424 beat the second train.
This year’s event is the 34th time the run has been held, and all funds raised will contribute to the restoration of the railway’s Garratt Locomotive.
Participants must pass certain checkpoints throughout the race by specific times to stay in the race, with 120 minutes the longest time possible to complete the event.
Sections of the Belgrave-Gembrook Road will be closed through the duration of the race, as well as other roads along the route, and motorists are warned to expect significant delays on the morning of the race.
All 3500 registrations for the event have been filled, as well as tickets for the two 300-seat race trains.
Visitors, participants and spectators are encouraged by Puffing Billy to catch a Metro train on the Belgrave line from Ringwood, with a train departing for Belgrave at 7.59am (arrives 8.34am).
For a map and list of road closures and detours, and checkpoint times in the race, visit www.puffingbilly.com.au.
