A GRUELLING physical and mental test awaits a team of Bendigo athletes in Sunday's Macedon Trail Run.
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Mother and daughter Lisa and Rebecca Wilkinson, Philip Shambrook and Andrea Smith will line-up for the 30 kilometre race through Mount Macedon.
The team representing Bendigo University Athletics Club is taking part in the event for the first time.
They are expecting a tough initiation.
"Myself and a couple of others did a training run up at Macedon a few weeks ago on part of the course, it's very challenging," Lisa Wilkinson said.
"Lots of very steep hills - up and down.
"It will be very challenging."
The consensus among the team was that the team youngest runner, 20-year-old Rebecca Wilkinson would challenge for a spot high in the rankings and possibly even a podium finish.
Smith said for those "not as fast as the Wilkinsons", a time of four-and-a-half hours was achievable.
The cross-country quartet compete on a year-round basis and could not be more prepared for the challenge head.
"You alter your training when an event like this comes up - you try and do more hills and trails," Lisa Wilkinson said.
Daughter Rebecca Wilkinson said the team aspect of the Macedon Trail Run appealed to all four runners.
"We are part of the same cross-country club and we've been doing that for the last few months because it's cross country season at the moment," she said.
"This being a trail race is a little bit more gnarly and will be challenging with all the rain that's been happening.
"I'm expecting to have a few falls."
Smith, who has only been running for 12 months, and Shambrook were also expecting the course to be tricky.
The only male in the team, Shambrook moved to Bendigo less than a year ago from New Zealand for study purposes.
He said the running club had served as more than a good place to keep up his fitness.
"I've met a lot more people just getting out and running," he said.
"Now I'm starting to explore the (running) events that are on around here - there is a tremendous amount to choose from."
The Macedon run is the second of four events in the Trailsplus Mountain Trail Series.
It also offers 10 and 50 kilometre events.
Future series events will be held at the You Yangs and Lorne (Surf Coast).
