Martin Green wins Caernarfon Half Marathon and strikes regional gold
Report by Don Hale
https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com
North Wales Road Runner Martin Green recorded another tremendous result with victory at the Caernarfon Half Marathon, which also included the regional championships.
The talented veteran athlete finished nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest rival, and also won a gold medal and a winning trophy in his MV45-49 age category with an impressive time of just 1 hour 14 minutes and 35 seconds. *My report is based on chip times.
Martin was followed by Llyr Gruffydd (Eryri Harriers) who was 2nd overall in 1.16.20, and won his M35-39 cat, with Scott Nixon (Wrexham AAC) 3rd in 1.16.33, and he was only 13 seconds adrift of Llyr, and won his M21-34 age cat.
The first female athlete was Rachel Shipley (Abergele Harriers) in 1.26.15, with Anna Drinkwater (Eryri Harriers) 2nd in 1.31.07, and Emma Alofs (Cybi Striders) 3rd in 1.31.12. All three runners were in the F21.34 age category.
Nearly 400 mixed ability athletes tackled this challenging event, and unusually for this time of the year, they had to brave extreme temperatures and high humidity, which proved a problem for a few participants, who suffered badly in the heat.
The Road Runners celebrated six of the best however, after striking gold within the inclusive North Wales Half Marathon Championships.
They had 14 finishers and won nine regional medals in total in their respective age categories, claiming six gold medals, one silver, and two bronze, in addition to the main race prizes based on finishing places and age cat positions.
Martin Green was overall race winner with Jonathan Kettle the next NWRRC member home in 6th place and 2nd MV45 in 1.18.26. Iwan Evans finished in 19th place in 1.28.10, with Steve Bozier 30th in 1.33.45, and Stuart Culverhouse 38th in 1.38.07.
Sarah Ferguson Hudson won her FV45-49 age cat as the 6th female (51st overall) in 1.40.50, newcomer David Jones was 92nd in 1.51.04, with Sion Thomas 52nd in 1.42.40.
Cheryl Frost and Kay Hatton continued their fascinating cat and mouse encounter with Cheryl winning her FV55-59 age cat as 15th female (94th overall) in 1.49.11, with Kay also 1st FV60-64 (114th overall) as the 20th female in 1.51.43.
Steve Roberts was 98th in 1.53.10, and another promising newcomer Emma Mochan finished well as the 21st female runner (119th) in 1.53.14, whilst Hannah Griffith became the 53rd female (209th overall), in 2.05.29, with master veteran Mark Mason 2nd MV70 and 213th overall in 2.29.34.
North Wales Half Marathon regional championships:
Male results:
MV45 Martin Green 1st place (gold); MV45 Jonathan Kettle 2nd place (silver); MV50 Stuart Culverhouse 1st place (gold); MV50 David Jones 3rd place (bronze): MV70 Mark Mason 1st place (gold).
Female results:
FV45 Sarah Ferguson Hudson 1st place (gold); FV50 Hannah Griffith 3rd place (bronze); FV55 Cheryl Frost 1st place (gold); FV60 Kay Hatton 1st place (gold).
*This is the link to the provisional results for the Caernarfon Half Marathon:
https://www.eventrac.co.uk/files/user_uploaded/results/535/Caernarfon%20Half%20Marathon%20Overall%20Results).pdf
New course PB for Rachel Morris at Great North Run
Report by Don Hale
Road Runner Rachel Morris claimed a great new course PB by more than tw minutes at the Great North Run last Sunday, with an excellent run despite the heat.
After completing in 2 hours 32 minutes, she was later able to celebrate her time and performance at this spectacular event with her parents Brian and Hilda, who also took part in the race, and power-walked the route from Newcastle to South Shields in an amazing time of just 3 hours and 42 minutes.
Rachel later confirmed: “It was a great race, but it took us an hour to get through the starting line. GNR officials however, put on extra water stations, and they also put crates of water all around the waiting areas in the waves.
“There were 60,000 runners and it’s now the world’s biggest half marathon. It was so hot! The atmosphere was amazing though, with kids handing out ice pops, oranges, and sweets.
“It was just an amazing race, and I got a new course PB, knocking two-minutes off my time from last year.”
Gwennan enjoys night out in the woods
Report by Don Hale
NWRRC athlete Gwennan Charlton took part in the Sandman Black Diamond Torchlight Trail 5k plus event last Saturday night which was set amidst the pine trees and sand dunes of Newborough Forest, Anglesey.
Staged during the Sandman Triathlon weekend, the events offered either a 5.3k, or a 10.6k trail race option, promising a very special experience for all those taking part.
The trail races started and finished in the village and took runners around the forest trails before welcoming them back at the end of their adventure.
It was primarily a fun-run for all abilities, and for people who love trail running but perhaps wanted to try something different.
Gwennan certainly enjoyed her night out and finished 8th overall, and was 4th female finisher in 37 minutes 29 seconds, just missing out on a podium place by a mere 4 seconds.
The overall race winner was George Staples (Black Diamond) in 23.36. After the race, Gwennan said: “We set-off at 8pm through the forest with our head torches and it was such a lovely atmosphere.”
Hot and humid for Conwy Parkrun dash
Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Mike Smith
Hot and humid was the order of the day at the Conwy Parkrun last Saturday, as a generous sprinkling of visitors, social runners and top cub athletes took part in this 5k dash on a picturesque riverside course.
Student Harri Jackson (Manchester Metro University AC) was first runner back for the second consecutive week, but this time he was 18-seconds down on his previous time.
He still finished well ahead of his nearest challengers, which included promising Prestatyn RC pair, Andy Bromley and Alex Ryder.
Harri’s time was 17 minutes and 30 seconds, and he won his SM20 age cat, with Andy 2nd overall in 18.10, and 1st SM30, with Alex third and 1st SM25 in 18.16.
First female finisher was Hayley Turner (GOG Triathlon), 20th overall in 22.24 and 1st VW35 cat, fellow GOG, Vicky Cole winning her VW40 cat, 22nd overall, in 22.30, and Claire Grimmer (Knutsford Triathlon Club) took the third female spot in 48th place with a new PB of 24.58.
North Wales Road Runners entered 12 members, but their numbers were down again due to other competing fixtures.
Will Evans was the first NWRRC man home in 7th place overall with a new PB of 20.17, and was 2nd MV40.
Endurance runner Karl Morris was the next finisher in 32nd place in 23.00, with Richard Scamans – who is rapidly heading back to form – with another good run in 33rd place, and he pushed Karl all the way, finishing just one second behind him.
Stuart Culverhouse was 37th in 23.29, and Karen Butler ran well in 82nd place, winning her VW60 cat in 26.58, with master vet Don Hale finishing well in 92nd place and 1st MV70 in 27.28. Veteran John O’Shea finished 100th in 28.07, with Nia Lister 107th in 28.39.
And Adam Lemalle, jogging around the course with his young children, was pleased with 135th place in 29.58, whilst Rachel Morris used the parkrun as a warm-up for the Great North Run, finishing d 154th in 30.56, with veteran Sue Smith making a welcome return to parkrun in 204th place in 34.33, and the injured Rob Fryer was 206th in 35.03.
*Praise was given to the run director and the team of volunteers and marshals. This is the link to the provisional results from Conwy: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults/