By JESSE GRAHAM
THE GREAT Train Race is coming to the hills again this weekend and thousands of eager runners are set to take on the iconic Puffing Billy in an intense foot race.
About 3300 runners will take off from Belgrave at 9.30am, battling their way along a 13.2 kilometre track to Emerald Lake Park.
The runners will have almost an hour to beat Puffing Billy, which will make its way into the park at around 10.25am, before a second train gets in at around 10.45am.
Upwey High School has been preparing its students for the race, with around 12 students set to take on the train.
Year 11 physical education teacher Peter Castillo and staff member Matt Lucas have been guiding the students in the lead-up to their race against the train, and Mr Castillo said he wanted the school to compete each year.
“The school is doing a plan to get kids involved in activity – one of our activities is school representation at the Great Train Race,” he said.
“It’s really good for these guys – for some, it’s their first time doing a mass, long run like this.”
Some of the dozen students said they took on the track in a trial run last weekend, making a time of around one hour, 10 minutes, but that they hoped to shave off a few minutes.
“We’re hoping to beat the train, and we’re hoping to beat Peter,” one said.
This year’s race marks the 33rd year of the event, and president of the Puffing Billy Preservation Society Jeff Goodwin said that the registration for the event sold out in just 10 days.
Mr Goodwin said that runners from every state and territory would be taking part in the race, including three Melbourne men who have been in all 32 previous races.
The date of the race this year may set it apart from others, however, with International Star Wars Day falling on the same day – 4 May.
A Puffing Billy spokesperson confirmed that one of the runners will be taking on the mammoth race dressed as Darth Vader, and said that more fans are expected to dress up to mark the special day.
All money raised through the race will go towards restoring a NGG16 127 Garratt locomotive for the Puffing Billy Preservation Society.
For more information on the race, visit www.puffingbilly.com.au or call 9757 0700.
