North Wales Road Runners tackle variety of top races during busy weekend

Report by Don Hale

Plenty of North Wales Road Runners took part in a wide variety of races last weekend during one of the busiest times of the year which involved several fixture clashes and attracted some bumper entries.

NWRRC members travelled to compete in marathons in London and Chester, together with the Chester Metric race, the Cardiff Half Marathon, the season’s first cross country at Bangor, and Conwy Parkrun.

The most popular event, however, for NWRRC club runners was the Chester Metric Marathon race with six members competing over this unusual and very challenging distance.

Martin Green and his wife Carla Green were the star runners yet again, with Martin claiming a 4th place finish overall at the Metric Marathon, and he also won his MV45 age cat among a quality field of nearly 1,000 experienced athletes. Martin’s impressive time of 1 hour 34 minutes and 39 seconds was just 12 seconds adrift of his third placed rival.

Carla Green, though, took all the plaudits this week following her tremendous display in this same Metric Marathon event, and she also won her FV50 age cat with another determined effort as the 3rd female finisher and in 30th place overall in 1.53.02, and she was delighted to climb upon the podium and break her two-hour target.

Iwan Evans also ran well to finish in 43rd place overall in 1.58.15, and Nicola Wylie, despite a few injury niggles, continued with her fine form in 369th place and the 97th female runner in 2.36.46.

Helen Hannam turned in another gritty performance to finish in 456th place and the 150th female in 2.45.13.

Mandy Owen seemed slightly disappointed with her result in 588th place in 2,59.27, adding: “My slowest Metric so far. I just wanted to get the miles in the old legs and to collect my triple medal for the Chester 10k and half-marathon.”

The race was won by Gavin Tomlinson (Chorlton Runners) in 1.29.13, with James Meader (Derby AC) 2nd in 1.33.41, and David Morris (City of Stoke) 3rd in 1.34.27. The Ladies race was won by Lindsay Fisher (West Cheshire) in 1.47.29, Kate Wells (Telford AC) was 2nd in 1.50.08, with Carla Green 3rd in 1.53.02.

London Marathon

Steve Bozier and Kelly Alford joined more than 40,000 runners at the London Marathon last Sunday.

Steve recorded an excellent time of 3 hours and 31 minutes but admitted to a few problems en route.

He explained: “I massively dropped the pace after half-way because I thought I was out of time to get a good for age time again, and to save it for the Snowdon Marathon in four-weeks’ time, but that last half was still really hard and painful. I still got my second fastest marathon but with the right training I can do much better!”

Kelly ran in her special bright yellow charity costume but later admitted that she had picked up a bug and unfortunately couldn’t shake it off, adding: “It was also a mega hot-day, and I was in my costume, so I was melting, and I was struggling from mile 9.”

Despite her problems Kelly bravely battled on and finished her run in a very respectable time of 4 hours 48 minutes.

Chester Marathon

Jamie Tharme took part in the Chester Marathon on Sunday and was pleased with his time of 3.42.40 to finish in 772nd place among more than 3,000 starters.

Cardiff Half Marathon

Cheryl Frost celebrated with another superb PB and a great run at the Cardiff Half, but she was slightly annoyed by the delay in starting with 12,896 runners called forward in waves, which provided some confusing gun times.

Despite this handicap Cheryl still claimed a very good chip time of 1.42.04 in 199th place. Afterwards she confirmed: “We started in waves, so it was at least 10 minutes difference, hence the awful gun time. I was quite happy in the end though with my PB.”

Five Road Runners tackle Bangor cross country race

Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery and Kay Hatton

Five Road Runners swapped their trainers for spikes at the first cross-country fixture of the season at Treborth, near Bangor last Saturday in the North Wales League.

Martin Green used the race as a warm-up for the Chester Metric Marathon the following day and ran steadily around the course to finish 9th overall and 2nd in his MV45 age cat in 32.42 in the Senior Men’s race.

Stuart Culverhouse was the only other male member involved and he finished 81st in 39.19 and 11th in his MV55 cat. The event attracted 142 runners.

Kay Hatton led a team of three female club members home in the Senior Women’s race finishing 62nd overall and 6th in her FW55 cat in 31.56, with Tessa Bushnell enjoying a good run in 91st place and 9th in her FW35 cat in 37.13, whilst Gwennan Charlton was 95th in 39.03 and 10th in her FW35 cat. This race welcomed 109 runners.

Road Runners take plaudits at blustery Conwy Parkrun

Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery

Due to several fixture clashes only six North Wales Road Runners took part in the Saturday morning parkrun at Conwy, but they still recorded three age category wins and Steve Mason was first male back home amidst 181 starters.

Steve maintained his recent good form to claim a notable victory, and he also won his MV45 age cat in 18 minutes and 59 seconds despite the blustery conditions and a puddle-filled course.

Former NWRRC athlete Chris Yorke took the 2nd spot overall, and he too won his VM50 age cat in 19.21, with Lewis Jones finishing in 3rd place and 1st VM35 cat in 19.53. The 1st female runner was local junior athlete Sophia Voice who also won her JM11-14 age cat in 11th place overall in 21.33.

Jamie Tharme was the next Road Runner back, and he finished in 13th place in 21.51, with Carla Green 22nd overall and 2nd female athlete, but she won her VW50 age cat in 22.45.

And Stuart Culverhouse enjoyed a steady run to finish in 34th place in 23.50, with veteran Rob Fryer 60th overall and 2nd MV65 in 25.57.

In addition, master veteran Dave Gardner made a surprise but very welcome parkrun appearance for the first time in about three years and recorded a time of 50.11 to win his MV80-85 age cat.

*This is the link to the provisional results from Conwy Parkrun:
https://www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults/