Fast dash to Race the Train at Caernarfon

Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery

The popular ‘Race the Train’ event proved to be an enjoyable summer dash for 258 runners last Wednesday night.

More than half the starters finally managed to beat the Highland locomotive and its entourage back to the start at Caernarfon.

The unique 5k course in perfect weather conditions led to a very fast downward dash for a mixed entry of local elite club and social runners with 17 athletes dipping under 17 minutes, and 47 people in total beating the magic 20-minute mark.

The race was eventually won by Luke Northall (Wrexham AC) in 15 minutes and one second, and he was just 7 seconds ahead of rival Tom Roberts (Meirionnydd) in 15.08, and Math Roberts from hosts (Eryri Harriers) in 15.24.

North Wales Road Runners entered six members with many claiming course PBs.

Gethin Wyn Jones was first club man home in 26th place in 18.43, with Ben Hudson and Karl Morris running hard together, Ben finishing 40th in 19.31 and Karl 43rd in 19.41.

Sarah Ferguson Hudson was 77th and 6th in her FV35 cat in 21.16, with Elizabeth Driscoll 134th and 4th in her FV55 cat in 23.32, followed by Rachel Morris who ran well to dip under the 30-minute mark in 29.20.

• Other well-known local runners included Chris Yorke (Prestatyn RC), who finished 10th and he was 1st MV50 in 16.54, and Gemma Moore (Eryri Harriers) 1st FV35 in 17.58. And plaudits too for youngster Josh Mottram (Ysgol Bryn Elian), who beat the train in his sponsored charity run for Conwy Connect for Learning Disibilities and finished 79th overall in 21.22.
• The train finally arrived, I am told, back at Caernarfon in just 23 minutes, with 115 runners successfully managing to ‘Race the Train.’

*This is the link to the provisional results for the Race the Train event:
https://my.raceresult.com/212448/results?fbclid=IwAR3Q52Zq4zMZJnAqHj0qf3CsO_ptmjj2dQ3vZLzthJoAsrknVpK4l1dN_zI