Some of you will know this and to others it will be new news.

Peninsula Trail Runners was started by Johnny as he and his buddy ‘Pitty’ spent hours exploring the Mornington Peninsula’s trails. Pitty loved the Lego Movie and so their tagline became ‘everything is awesome’. Crossing the Rubicon came to reflect their constant striving to achieve more and more whilst out on the trails. Johnny created Bad Leroy and the PTR logo and designed their tops, printing them at home- the first PTR running tops- wearing them out on the trails, at events and races and people began to recognise them as PTR. He later progressed this initial design to the PTR tops that are seen out on the trails today.

Other runners joined their jaunts around the Peninsula and in an attempt to further share his passion he created the PTR Facebook page in January 2014 to share their runs and encourage others to join them.

PTR attracted a growing number of members who met regularly to run local trails and enter trail running events and was led behind the scenes by Johnny and a small team of individuals. These individuals agreed that the natural progression of the group was to become an Incorporated Association, and so on 31st May 2016 PTR became Peninsula Trail Runners Inc and these individuals became the inaugural committee, continuing to run and support the club for a further 3 years.

So, after bringing PTR from 2 members to over 100 members it is with great sadness that Johnny ‘The Seagull’, founder of Peninsula Trail Runners, has decided not to continue as president of the club. This decision was made public at the AGM held 15th August 2019.

The last 14 months have been stressful and difficult for Johnny dealing with internal bickering, disharmony and the sense of entitlement displayed by some. It’s not what PTR was about and not what Johnny wants it to be. PTR is the thing he loves, the thing he built, his passion. He is ‘Mr PTR’, which was also acknowledged at the AGM as he was awarded the PTR Ambassador Award for 2019. But he has made the decision to let PTR go.

This is definitely not the end of ‘The Seagull’, his passion for all thing’s trails will continue and grow.