Running: Mark Davies wins Cybi Coastal Marathon

North Wales Road Runners Club’s Mark Davies won the prestigious Cybi Coastal Marathon last Saturday just a week after celebrating success in the testing Paddy Buckley Round.

Listed as potentially one of the most scenic, yet challenging marathons in the UK, the race circumnavigated Ynys Cybi on the Welsh national coast footpath and the Anglesey coastal path.

Limited to just 200 entrants, the event attracted a range of experienced endurance and fell runners, and invited them to tackle way-marked tracks, paths, sandy beaches, and across dramatic cliffs, with the course running close to the famous South Stack Lighthouse and up to the summit of Holyhead Mountain.

Mark’s incredible journey started and finished at Holyhead’s RNLI Lifeboat Station and involved a succession of gruelling challenges over a distance exceeding 44k, which he completed in three hours 47 minutes to claim a unique victory.

NORTH WALES HALF-MARATHON

Tony Price Jones was the first NWRRC member back in the hilly North Wales Half Marathon last Sunday, finishing in 14th place in one hour, 35 mins and 22 secs.

Steve Roberts also had a great run and claimed the 2nd MV50 prize in 45th spot in 1.42.43.

Several lady club runners ran together and helped each other to master the challenging course with Mandy Owen, Kelly Alford and their friend Vicky Taylor finishing in 103rd-105th in 2-35.

GEMMA WINS PRIZE AT BARRY ISLAND 10k

Gemma Moore travelled to the Welsh holiday destination of Barry Island on Sunday and claimed 3rd F35 prize as the 21st female runner, 100th place overall, in the annual 10k race in 40 mins 59 secs.

SUMMER PHOENIX HALF-MARATHON

Veteran club marathon runner Jon Evans took part in the Summer Phoenix Half Marathon race last Saturday, finishing 8th in 1 hr 56 mins 40 secs to claim a worthy category win, and the following day he practically repeated his efforts by running the Summer Scorcher in 1.56.50.

Both events were part of the Scorcher series involving 10 races in 10 days.

PARKRUN ROUND UPS

Conwy

A mixture of juniors, seniors and veteran runners from NWRRC took part in the Conwy Parkrun last Saturday, which attracted 386 varied runners, many recording personal best times and claiming age category wins.

Jonathan Kettle was the first club member home over the 5k course to finish in 3rd place and was 1st MV45 cat winner in a fast time of 17 mins 50 secs.

Teenager Harry Driscoll was 11th and 3rd SM18 cat in 19.49, closely followed by Tony Price-Jones, 12th and 3rd MV35 in 20.06.

Sixteen-year old Troy Kettle was 24th and 2nd JM17 (21.11), with fast improving Gethin Jones 2nd MV30 in 22.04.

Youngster Alfie Walker celebrated a surprise 1st JM10 victory in 22.37 in 45th place, and in comparison, veteran athlete Don Hale was 54th and 2nd MV65 cat in 23.04, with Kay Hatton 77th and another cat winner as 1st VW55 in 24.16.

Rob Fryer, who was recovering from injury, finished in 116th spot (25.46), with Len Jackson 127th in 26.19, followed by John Walker 164th (27.52), and Rachel Morris 228th.

Gemma Moore took it easy this week whilst running with her young children, who both recorded personal best times; Catrin Moore also won her JW10 cat and claimed a new PB in 22nd place in 31.05, whilst her brother Finn finished with his mum in 302nd spot in 36.14

Penrhyn Castle

Marc Roberts finished in 22nd spot among 228 other runners at the Penrhyn Parkrun last Saturday in hot and humid conditions. He also claimed 2nd MV cat in a time of 22.26.

Hillsborough

Michael (Pat) Finnie enjoyed a fine run out at the Hillsborough Parkrun last weekend in Yorkshire and claimed the 2nd MV60 cat in 23.31.

NOTTINGHAM

Helen Hannam took part in the Nottingham Forest Rec Parkrun last week as part of her birthday outing to the East Midlands, and in hot and hilly conditions among 261 runners, she finished as 2nd VW40 cat in 26.11.