Frankston To Portsea 2017

Sunday April 2nd 2017

1.	Bryan Williams	4:50:29
2.	Kevin Lieberthal	4:56:07
3.	Michael Farrar	4:57:05
4.	Paul Spencer	5:27:53
4.	Jonathan Ennis-King	5:27:53
6.	Frank Palermo	6:14:55
7.	Brian Glover	7:23:15
8.	Alex Lebanie	8:05:15
9.	Peter Gray	10:07:35
	Justin Jeffery	42km
	Richard Matison	37km

NOTE: Justin Jeffery and Alex Lebanie started in Port Melbourne at 2:30am planning to run to the start then complete the Frankston to Portsea event for a total of 100km. Justin was forced to pull out with an injury at the 42km mark for an actually total of 87km. Alex completed his intended 100km in approximately 13 hours.

Frank Palermo finished the run then turned around and ran back to Frankston as darkness fell. He arrived at 11.30pm for a 16 1/2 hour 110km round trip.

Report by Kevin Cassidy

Still buzzing after witnessing the Melbourne Storm dish out a rugby league lesson to the hapless Penrith Panthers the previous night, I arrived at our regular meeting place in the car park behind “The Deck” night club in an upbeat and buoyant mood. Finding a 20 dollar note in the gutter as I parked my car was an added bonus.

Circumstances decreed that only six of our ten runners toed the line at the traditional 7am starting time. Brian Glover was already several kilometres down the road having made an early start while Richard Matison arrived in a cloud of dust only seconds after the run got underway. By the time he hurriedly got himself organised, he had given away a three minute head start.
Also missing the 7am kickoff were Alex Lebanie and Justin Jeffery. These guys set off from Port Melbourne at 2:30am to run the 45km to Frankston then continue on to Portsea for a 100km journey they’d appropriately named the “Port to Port” run. Having lost a bit of time on route, it was 20 minutes after the hour by the time they hit the road to Portsea.

Frank Palermo made a swift start. With the intention of running back to Frankston once he had lobbed in Portsea, he sensibly backed off to a more conservative pace after the flurry of the early few kilometres. Despite his self inflicted three minute handicap, Richard Matison soon assumed the lead and started putting ground on everyone. While still in the lead at 37km and looking unbeatable, Richard was suddenly forced out with a bad hamstring injury. Bryan Williams quickly hit the front with Kevin Lieberthal and Michael Farrar running together close by. Sitting midfield were Jonathan Ennis-King and Paul Spencer.

At this point, I dropped into the local Caltex service station to purchase the traditional chocolates awarded to each finisher. How nice it was to be able to make an uneventful transaction without being queued behind some slow witted, dithering, credit card fumbling bozo ! This year, the chocolates took the form of “Caramello Koalas” for the simple reason that they were on special at $1.50c each !

The road through the Rosebud shops at around the 35km mark is always a tad precarious offering minimal space to anyone other than the almighty god known as the motor car. This year, the two large circus tents and display of 1950s American cars on the village green added to the congestion. It was also an opportune time for yours truly to dash across to a nearby bakery for a couple of energy replenishing sourdough rolls where I was served by a young girl suffering the delusion that numerous facial piercings would enhance her looks. Honestly, the stud through her nose looked shocking, but I digress.

Motoring onto the finish, it was clear that there would be no catching Bryan. He crossed the line still looking strong with Kevin and Michael coming home a few minutes in arrears.

Paul and Jonathan were next, finishing together. Paul was beaming having sliced 40 minutes of his course PB.

Frank soon arrived and immediately prepared for his run back to Frankston. Not long after, the ever consistent Brian, decked out in his distinctive flouro orange attire, finished for the seventh time in ten years.

Quietly reading the newspaper as I waited alone for the two remaining runners, Justin was soon on the phone with the unfortunate news that he was forced out with back spasms at the 42km mark. Effectively, he had covered 87km of his Port to Port challenge. “So near yet so far”, he lamented. Alex continued on to Portsea finishing with a time just over eight hours and a total 100km time of around the 14 hour mark.

Heading back up the highway at the completion of a long day, I stopped off to see Frank who cut a lonely figure about a third of the way back to Frankston. I was curling up in bed when news came through that he had conquered his 110km round trip at 11.30pm after 16 ½ hours on the road.

With Easter and school holidays consuming the first week of April next year, the 2018 run is set for April 15.