Allen invited to NZ once again after taming the mount

Pomona's big hill climb a true test for Trevor and his mountain mates

Trevor Allen. Picture: Ritchie Duce

OUR own Mountain Man Trevor Allen grabbed ninth position on the weekend's King of the Mountain race - but did it five seconds outside his 30-minute target.

"I was 10th last year, but I ran faster last year,” he said.

"This year I ran it in 30 minutes and five seconds.”

But that minor setback doesn't get in the way of the Peregian Springs resident being asked to represent Pomona in New Zealand in October, for the second time.

It was his 11th straight King of the Mountain with the aim of going sub 30 minutes again, and he achieved best in his race category.

Over the years the Cooroy IGA worker has tackled all sorts of hardcore running events like the Coast to Kosciuszko.

Last year, as the Aussie first home in the veteran King of the Mountain, Trevor won the trip to the New Zealand sister mountain race - which is twice as long.

The father of three was not a runner 10 years ago but took it up for fitness.

"I started out in the gym and I did a bit of running on the treadmill and I liked that. So I took up running,” he said.

The seed for conquering the KOM was first planted about 15 years ago by a female taunt.

"Me and my mate used to live with a couple of girls and they were laughing at us saying we could never do it,” Trevor said.

"They had highlights of the (KOM) race on TV and I said 'we could do that and they said no way'.

"Last year was my best time - I finished 29.38. I've pretty much got quicker every year. I've probably just got fitter and more consistent over the years, this year I've run a little bit less because we've got a new baby.”

He said while he had run less, his time spent on Mount Cooroora has been up there with previous preparations.

"I'm hoping that I can run as well as last year ... last year was awesome.

As for the assault on the mountain, Trevor said he's all good going up but he struggles more that some of the other elite runners in the going down ... which to many looks like a hybrid of mountain-goat sliding and free-fall.

"You get your breath for one second (at the top) and then you've got to go down.

"The people coming down have right of way - the people going up just have have to get out of your way.”

Trevor said two thirds of the way up where the course veers off the regular path allows "a free rein” for the quicker runners going down to really push ahead.

"Generally in running I just like the competitiveness. I just like to push myself and race people, but at Pomona it's just more about the atmosphere.

"It's just a big community event out there.”