North Wales runners face Spanish challenge

Some 20 North Wales runners will be competing with, and against, an equal number of Spanish athletes this weekend in a unique virtual 5k team challenge.

Kevin Slattery, the chairman of North Wales Road Running Club, has organised the event with the Fondistes Penedes Running Club in Vilafranca, near Barcelona. It will involve a total of 10 teams of four, with two members from each club making up a team.

The idea is to create a new sporting friendship association with a mixed team of male and female runners, and the intention of trying to make each team roughly the same mix of abilities, based on previous 5k times.

Kevin explained: “Raimon, their club chair, and me, have carefully put together the teams so that the times of all four team members add up to roughly the same for each team. There is only 3-minutes total difference between the 10 teams, so it should be an interesting competition!”

Prior to the Coronavirus outbreak, it was hoped the Catalan club would visit North Wales for a series of competitive races, but this plan has been put on hold for a while, so this latest venture seems a great way to help develop a potential friendship base.

The event will offer prizes of kit from each other’s clubs for members of the fastest team, and for the members of the best age-related performance team.

All competitors however, will need to adhere to strict Covid-19 restrictions, and must submit their individual virtual run times by Sunday 6th December.

Josie’s 200-mile challenge for St David’s Hospice

Conwy endurance runner, Josie Davies finally completed her gruelling virtual Everest 135-mile ‘Ultra-
Everest’ challenge, and trebled her fundraising target for St David’s Hospice.

A delighted Josie said: “I just can’t thank everybody enough for all the generosity and overwhelming
support I have received whilst completing this challenge to raise funds for St David’s Hospice.

“As I completed the 135-miles quicker than expected, I decided to continue and see how many miles
I could actually do in the time given, and finally ran 200.52 miles.

“I seriously couldn’t have done this without the support of everyone, your generous donations, the
company of my special friend Gwenan Carter on some of my long runs, and my little boy Jordan,
who also did his bit in keeping me company whilst chatting about Dinosaurs.

“And not forgetting Rhian Roxburgh, and Tri-Rox training, for your expertise and continuous
encouragement and support in coaching me.”

Josie was later awarded the ‘Limited Edition’ Ultra-Everest 135 medal, and explained that to date
she has raised over £600 for the Hospice, which trebled her initial fundraising target.
https://stdavidshospice.org.uk/…/josies-everest-135…/