Busy weekend for North Wales Road Runners at Chester and Bangor races

Report by Don Hale

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

This past weekend proved one of the busiest of the season for local runners with four major events taking place at Chester and in Bangor, including a fierce marathon rivalry between English and Welsh athletes, plus several parkruns, in Conwy and elsewhere.

A gruelling schedule staged in unusually warm weather, included 17 top North Wales runners involved in the Bangor 10k, Bangor Half Marathon, Chester Metric Marathon and the full distance Chester Marathon.

NWRRC had two members selected to represent Wales last Sunday during the international match v England, within the Chester Marathon, and both Martin Green and Cheryl Frost competed well.

And veteran athlete Martin, an experienced long-distance champion, enjoyed an exceptional run finishing in 16th place overall out of 4,586 entrants, and he also won his MV45 age category in just 2 hours 34 minutes and 27 seconds.

Martin later declared: “A great day at the Chester Marathon this morning, and nice to meet up with lots of fellow athletes.

“The beauty of this sport is generally you get out what you put in so with different targets over the summer this was always going to be a tough ask, but I couldn’t ask for more than 2.34.30 off just two long runs.”

Cheryl, meanwhile, unfortunately suffered from a few health issues during the race, but she did not disappoint, and despite some additional pre-race nerves, she still turned in a very brave and gritty performance to run home in 2,051st place in 4.24.14.

A downhearted Cheryl later confirmed: “I had a disastrous marathon, right on target up to 8 miles from the end, but then I had an asthmatic episode, followed by a couple more. Very disappointed and frustrated. I will have to do Manchester now to prove I can do it!”

This challenging 26.2-mile distance also attracted three other club members with newcomer Tom Aindon finishing in 375th place in 3.13.22, and Kelly Marie Alford celebrated an incredible run, knocking a remarkable 28 minutes off her previous best time in 1,415th place.

She just dipped under the 4-hour marker with a fantastic effort in 3.58.04, whilst the ever-green marathon man Jon Evans ran the adjacent 4-hour pacer bus, and once again he arrived right on time in 3.59.29.

A delighted Kelly added: “I finally got myself a sub-4-hour marathon! I’m over the moon! And it was a 28-min pb too!”

In the Chester Metric Marathon, Sarah Ferguson Hudson led her team home with a great run in 77th place out of 1,204 starters. She was 13th female athlete, and claimed fifth FV45 in 2.05.09.

Her husband Ben, who had been suffering from a heavy cold, finished in her wake this time, despite a brave effort, recording 2.14.54 in 134th place.

Cai Roberts finished 431st in 2.38.39, with Vicky Taylor 666th in 3.01.09, and Rachel Morris continued her excellent Eryri Marathon preparations, with a very determined and brave run in 843rd place in 3.20.30.

Rachel later said: “The conditions were extremely hot! I felt unwell enroute and had to take it easy. Some runners collapsed. Such a shame as so much training goes into these long runs. This was my toughest race yet, I think? My feet are burning. I felt ill but I’ve got a nice shiny medal now and a new training top – plus a bag full of goodies.”

Five Road Runners took part in the Bangor City Half Marathon and Will Evans was the pick of the pack finishing well in 12th place overall out of 264 entrants, and 3rd MV40 in 1.32.11, with Sion Thomas also on song in 40th place in 1.42.29.

Steve Roberts was 46th overall, and he additionally won his MV55 age cat with a strong performance in 1.44.31, and Dave Jones finished 69th in 1.50.32, whilst newcomer Carol Moss was pleased with her club race debut in 180th place in 2.13.24, and she claimed the 2nd spot in her FV55 cat.

With so many other events underway this weekend, just two club members entered the Bangor City 10k race, but both runners enjoyed podium places, with another promising newcomer Daniel Hennel winning his MV45 age cat in 54.30 in 47th place, whilst master veteran Mike Hayton produced a strong finish in 79th place in 61.01, and was 3rd MV70

Other results

*Southend: Kay Hatton won her VW60 age cat after finishing 39th overall, and the 4th female runner at the Southend on Sea Parkrun last Saturday, with a good time of 23.21.
*Chester: Stuart Culverhouse was another age cat winner after finishing 9th, with a course debut time of 19.50, to win his MV50 cat.

Top duo battle for honours amidst sprint finish at Conwy Parkrun

Report by Don Hale

It was another battle from start to finish by two talented club runners during last Saturday’s parkrun at Conwy with Wrexham AC’s James Yarwood just taking top spot following a sprint finish ahead of NW Road Runner Jonathan Kettle.

Despite unusually humid conditions and a strong blustery wind, the experienced pair were locked neck and neck throughout on this puddle-filled 5k course but both athletes remained well ahead of any potential rivals.

James eventually finished in 17 minutes and 33 seconds, with Jonathan just 16 seconds adrift in 17.49, and Aled Hughes was 3rd in 18.15.

First female runner was Alex Aldous, who won her SW25 age cat in 18th place overall with a new PB of 21.52, and Emma Bishop was the runner-up in 39th place, and won her SW30 cat in 24.11, closely followed by Sarah Jones in 41st place overall with another PB of 24.35.

The Road Runners entered 10 members, and celebrated two first-place age cat wins, one second, and two third places.

Jonathan Kettle again led the team home, and won his MV45 age cat in 17.49, with Steve Bozier 7th and 3rd MV45 in 20.59, with newcomer Phil Rogers running home in 20th place on his course debut in 22.05, and finishing 2nd MV60.

Karl Morris enjoyed a comfortable outing in 21st place in 22.30, and was 3rd MV40, with Adam Lemalle going from strength to strength in 23rd place in 22.40, and master veteran Don Hale won his MV70 age cat, finishing 60th in 26.37,

Meanwhile, fellow vet John O’Shea ran hard in 27.51 in 83rd place, and it was good to note that our partially sighted runner Daniel Owens returned to parkrun after nearly a year away, and he enjoyed a strong finish in 121st place, alongside his trusted guide Richard Scamans in 30.20, whilst Rachel Morris also ran well in preparation for her Chester Metric run, finishing 132nd overall in 31.59.
*Praise was again awarded to the Conwy run director and their hardworking team of volunteers and marshals. This is the link to the provisional results from Conwy: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults/