Darwin road race tests the limits

Blitzing the competition was all in a day’s work for one RAN officer last month, when he took first place in the 2005 Shoal Bay Classic road race.

Commanding Officer FIMA Darwin, LCDR Graeme Bacon, ran into the winner’s circle of the 16km endurance race in a time of 1:12:31.

The annual ADF run, which stretches from Defence Establishment Berrimah to Shoal Bay Receiving Station, attracted a total of 35 runners this year from Navy and Army.

Many personnel ran in relay teams of six with each runner completing approximately 2.5km.

LCDR Bacon said this was the first serious race in which he had competed.

“I have only done a few runs for fun before, nothing like this,” LCDR Bacon said.

“I don’t really train – I just run with my deputy at lunch times for something to do.

“I paddle for NT and for Arafura in the dragon boating though and I think this is where my fitness comes from.

“The distance didn’t worry me. I ran with a couple of guys and their company took my mind off the distance.

“When the last guy I ran with hurt his knee, then I really felt the last three kilometres, but for most of the race the distance didn’t bother me.”

LCDR Bacon said that although he pulled up sore the following day, he recovered in time to complete the RAN fitness test the following Thursday, with the run in a time of sub nine minutes.

Army’s SGT Lisa Sheridan from HQNORCOM took out the open female division in a time of 1:36:57.

A team from FIMA Darwin took home the Petras Memorial Trophy for the first open team across the line, while the veterans’ section winner, in a time of 1:32:48, was Army’s WO2 Gordon Watkin. The open walkers event, in a time of 2:04:50, was won by PONPC Nerida Godfrey.