NIGHT 1 of pre-season is always exciting, well, except for the 2km time trial, that is.

Proceedings kicked off with a sprint around The Tan, where Melbourne Media learnt one thing: you can’t outrun athletes.

Actually, make that two things: don’t even try to outrun athletes in work shoes.

Unfortunately, there’s no vision of the finish line, but the results are in, and there was an upset of sorts.

They say you only get one chance to make a good first impression and Eliza McNamara did just that.

Pulling on the Melbourne colours for the first time, the 18-year-old, who was selected with pick No.15 in this year’s draft, led the whole way and was first to pass the post (apparently).

She did that in under seven minutes, which, if you’ve ever been unlucky enough to have had to run 2km before, you’d know is pretty impressive.

The machine that is Karen Paxman was at the front again to come runner-up, while Sarah Lampard ticked off an important milestone to take out third place.

Lampard suffered an ACL injury – the second of her career – in Round 6 of the Dees' 2020 campaign, but has recovered quickly to set herself for a full pre-season.

Young duo Casey Sherriff and Shelley Heath were the next quickest, with the potential to play on opposite wings in 2021, and Shelley Scott showed her off-season catch-ups with Mick Stinear have come in handy, finishing in sixth position.

After the testing was complete, the girls jogged back to a barricaded Gosch’s Paddock to get their skills session underway.

Daniel McPherson, the club’s compliance manager, marched along the boundary line to ensure the COVID regulations were being adhered to, as the non-contact training run played out on Thursday evening.

Masks were worn to and from the track, and a gym session in small groups wrapped up a successful return for the Demons.