Running news: Back to mud and hills for the first cross-country fixture at Bangor

Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery and Lesley Goodson

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

Five members of North Wales Road Runners entered the first North Wales Cross-Country League fixture of the season, well-organised by hosts Eryri Harriers at Treborth, near Bangor, last Saturday, and staged over a rather muddy, hilly, and challenging series of varied courses.

With different distance routes offered in respect of ages, and male and female races, ranging from juniors to masters, the general feedback was most encouraging with many runners welcoming a positive return to some sort of normality following an enforced period of uncertainty.

NWRRC members ran in either the senior women’s race, or the senior men’s event, over approximate distances of 3.5-miles, or 5.5-miles respectively, and my report is based on the provisional results compiled by hard-working league secretary Bernie Jones.

Will Williams and Stuart Culverhouse ran in the latter mentioned senior race, with Will running very well on his cross-country debut, finishing 50th overall, out of 163 entrants, in 38 minutes and 7 seconds, and was 4th in his MV50 age cat.

Stuart, meanwhile, also enjoyed a determined performance with a strong finish in 41.47, and was 87th in 41.54, and 10th MV50.

Will later said: “That was so much fun today. Absolutely loved it. I took a cautious approach to the start then worked my way through the field well as far as my little legs would take me but need to work on my decent my face on the downhill.

“Not bad for first XC race, and I ran well within myself for the first few miles, but maybe held back a tad too much! That said enjoyed the run much more this way than balls out and hold on.”

And Stuart added: “First cross-country race of the season, the usual lung-bursting mud fest!”

Cheryl Frost, Kay Hatton and Gwennan Charlton represented the NWRRC ladies, and battled well against the tough conditions in the near 3.5-mile race, with Cheryl quickly recovering from last week’s Chester Marathon, where she represented Wales, to tackling the Bangor hills and mud, finishing 77th overall out of 154 entrants, in a time of 29.57, and was 7th FV55.

Kay was also in form again, and finished 85th in 30.40, plus 6th FV60, with Gwennan 137th overall in 37.37.

After the event, Bernie Jones, secretary of the North Wales Cross Country League, said: “A big thank you to Eryri Harriers for putting on today’s League race and for managing to keep it sunny throughout the races.

“Thanks, too, to all their volunteers, helpers, and officials for not only putting on a great course, but also securing good weather when it was pouring down elsewhere!

“In particular, I would like to thank Helen Blair who organised everything and made sure it all went smoothly. I hope you all found the new Treborth courses to your liking.

“It was fantastic to see such a good turnout particularly in the older races which is encouraging, and we were back to pre-Covid levels in some of the races.

“There were some fantastic performances so well done to our successful athletes. However, a well done should go to all athletes for completing such a tough course.

“We’re quickly onto the second fixture, which is at Eirias Park, this Saturday (21st October). And if there are any athletes who aren’t already registered, but want to run, please let me know asap, and I will arrange for the numbers to be ready and put in your wallets.

“Finally, if you are interested in representing North Wales in the Welsh Inter Regions in Newtown, please let the team managers John Messum and Crispin Backshall know asap.”

Other race results:

Oswestry

Road Runner Jonathan Kettle had a great run at the Oswestry 10k on Sunday as he represented the North Wales Regional Athletics team against Shropshire.

Jonathan finished in 10th place overall and he also won his MV45 age cat in 35.09. Afterwards he confirmed: “I was very happy with my run, but the course was not very flat at all.”

North Wales men finished 1st and the ladies 2nd. Team manager Paul Brooks added: “Our times from Sunday: Men: Scott Nixon 33:00 (third overall); Connor Rogers 33:01 (fourth overall); Luke Northall 34:17 (sixth overall); Jonathan Kettle 35:09 (10th overall and 1st M45). Ladies: Rachel Shipley 39:17 (second overall); Gemma Brown (Moore) 39:47 (fourth overall and 1st F40); Jane Doughton (42:28); Melissa Turnbull 42:37 (eleventh overall) and Claire Purdie 43:42 (thirteenth overall).”

Kelly Marie Alford and her partner Cai Roberts both competed as individuals at the same Oswestry 10k race and ran together throughout. Kelly maintained her impressive form to finish in 179th place, and she also knocked about 3 minutes off her previous best time in 48.42, with Cai just one second and two places behind her.

Amsterdam

Road Runner Jamie Tharme took part in the Amsterdam Marathon last Sunday and recorded an excellent new PB of 3 hours 38 minutes, with a strong run, despite battling a hailstorm, heavy rain and sunshine, but he praised the fantastic support en-route.

Pont Y Bala

Steve Bozier returned to action after injury, and finished 6th at the Pont Y Bala Parkrun last week. He also won his MV45 age cat in 19.17, dipping under 20-minutes for the first time this year.

Steve later commented: “Made up with that today at the Bala Park run. Time 19.17 and I finished 6th and 1st age cat winner, and my first sub 20 in over a year.”

Cheltenham

NWRRC veteran Tony Gibson came 3rd in his MV65 age cat at the Winchcombe Parkrun near Cheltenham last Saturday, finishing 178th out of 536 entrants, with a good time of 25.30.

He said: “Finished 3rd in my age cat, so chuffed. All on grass, so hard work after torrential rain, but glad the sun came out. All the volunteers had tambourines or gongs, and it was a brilliant atmosphere.”

Wild, wet, and windy at a waterlogged Conwy Parkrun

Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery

It was wild, wet, and windy for nearly 200 entrants at the Conwy Parkrun last Saturday as they braved hailstones and driving rain at the start, and then faced a challenging waterlogged course full of puddles.

This seemed in stark contrast to the previous week when unusually barmy temperatures led to a very dry, bumpy, yet enjoyable route for a variety of mixed ability runners.

And an extra special mention should go to all the volunteers who turned out on such a horrible day, and to our regular photographer Steve Jeffery!

The first two finishers this week included travelling club runners, with Steven Sims (East Cornwall Harriers) taking the plaudits, and dominating the event, as the first man home on his Conwy debut in just 17 minutes and 13 seconds, to additionally win his SM25 age cat.

He was followed more than a minute later by Jamie Shingler (Ludlow Runners), who was another debutant in 18,18, with Stephen Eardley (Colwyn Bay) finishing 3rd overall in 19.35.

Alex Aldous was the 1st female finisher, 17th overall, in 22.16, and she won her SW25 age cat in 22.16, with Laura McKenzie (Betsi Runaways) 2nd, and 25th overall in 22.56, to top her VW40 cat, and Olivia Williams made her course debut in 34th place overall, and swas the 3rd female finisher in 23.53, and 2nd SW25.

North Wales Road Runners had depleted ranks this time due to the start of the cross-country season and other competing fixtures, with just eight members tackling the unpredictable elements.

Dave Jones was the 1st club finisher in 23rd place overall with a fine run despite the soggy conditions underfoot in 22.46, and he was followed by young Joe Culverhouse and his father Stuart, who both ran together. Joe headed his JM11-14 age cat in 40th place in 24.11, with Stuart one place and one second behind.

Master veteran Don Hale continued his recovery from injury with his best time of the year, finishing in 65th place on his 180th parkrun in 26.12, and he also won his MV70 age cat.

Veteran athlete Carol Moss continued to impress with another good run in 73rd place in 27.10, and was 2nd VW55.

And it was good to see veteran Rob Fryer back to form again this week with a positive performance in 83rd place in 27.49, and 3rd MV65, with fellow vet John O’Shea 87th in 28.16, whilst master vet Mike Hayton made a welcome return to parkrun, and finished 91st in 28.30 and 2nd MV70.

Mike also brought some of his friends from the cast of the Welsh National Opera to parkrun for their annual visit.

*Praise was again given 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/