Glittering annual trophy night for North Wales Road Runners

Report by Don Hale

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It was a glittering afternoon of trophies and celebrations for members of North Wales Road Runners at Colwyn Bay Cricket Club following the club’s annual festive handicap race at Rhos on Sea.

Kay Hatton was this year’s MC, ably assisted by her colleague Cheryl Frost, with all the prizes awarded following an excellent carvery lunch.

The first male awards went to the individual group winners and included: Group C – Rob Fryer, and runner-up Daniel Hennell. Steve Mason won the Group B section prize with runner-up Ben Hudson, whilst Jonathan Kettle was Group A winner, with Iwan Evans the runner-up.

In the female section, Nia Lister was the Group B winner, with runner-up Rachel Morris, and in Group A, Carla Green was the winner, with Cheryl Frost the runner-up.

The Male Over-60 veteran of the year was Rob Fryer, with Carla Green taking the Female Over-50 prize.

The Most Improved female athlete was Gwen Charlton and Adam Lemalle won the Most Improved male athlete trophy. The Rob Fryer Award for the best parkrun percentage went to Carla Green with 86.2%, and super-vet Sandy Johnston won the male award with 81.68%.

Carla Green capped a star-studded event by winning the prestigious Female Runner of the Year, with Jonathan Kettle claiming the male award; and the Dave Gardner Award for collecting the most points throughout the season went to Cheryl Frost with 167 points, Carla Green runner-up with 142, and Jonathan Kettle 3rd with 140.

And finally, the Nick Beer Award – for the club member who had contributed the most during the season – went to Iwan Evans.

Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race

Report by Don Hale

Twenty-four members of NWRRC took part in the annual Christmas club handicap race, this year staged in excellent weather conditions from the Rhos on Sea clock tower to the renovated far end of the promenade and back over a 4.5-mile course.

Well-organised with times recorded and verified by Carla Green and Elizabeth Driscoll, with support from other members, the handicap rules this time included each runner having to hand in their watches and mobile phones, and the need to predict their finishing times, so that no one knew their exact pace, or whether their estimated times were likely to be accurate, until they actually reached the finish line.

The top three female winners, who were closest to their times included the winner – Kay Hatton, with Sarah Ferguson Hudson runner-up, and Cheryl Frost third.

The male winners included: Mike Hayton who quite remarkably matched his prediction to the very second, with Tony Gibson runner-up and Dougie Graham third.

The overall results with the final finishing times included: (1) Will Evans 28.28, (2) Ben Hudson 31.51, (3) Adam Lemalle 32.48, (4) Mal Preece 34.10, (5) Sion Thomas 34.18, (6) Benjamin Brummitt 34.20, (7) Karl Morris 34.30, (8) Steve Poupart 34.44, (9) Cheryl Frost 36.04, (10) Richard Scamans 37.32, (11) Karen Butler 37.45, (12) Dave Jones 38.25, (13) Philip Moss 38.34, (14) Sarah Ferguson Hudson 39.08, (15) Tony Gibson 39.25, (16) Kay Hatton 39.28, (17) Don Hale 40.07, (18) Gwen Charlton 40.45. (19) Nia Lister 40.46, (20) Dougie Graham 41.45, (21) Len Jackson 41.45, (22) Mike Hayton 46.15, (23) Mark Davies 49.05, (24) Rachel Morris 57.31.

Other race results

Aberystwyth: Three NWRRC runners took part in the Senior North Wales Cross Country League fixture at Aberystwyth, with Martin Green, running for his dual registered club Meirionnydd RC, 20th overall out of 121 elite athletes, and he also won his MV50 age cat in 33.06. He was accompanied by club newcomers Roger Matthews and Michael Harris, with Roger 86th in 40.18, and 5th MV55, whilst Michael was 119th in 52.26.

Betws-y-Coed: Road Runner Gwen Charlton finished in 66th place in the Betws-y-Coed Trail Challenge and she set a new course PB in 66.31 as the 20th female. And in the 10k Canicross Race, Charlotte Rose Wilton-Jones came 3rd overall with her dog Mollie in 51.41.

Llandudno: Sarah Jones and her family ran in the annual Santa Dash fun-run on Llandudno promenade and finished in 40.55, and Rachel Morris completed her run in 40.12.

Six age cat wins for Road Runners at a mild Conwy Parkrun

Report by Don Hale

North Wales Road Runners turned out 19 members on a very mild November 30 morning, but on a puddle-filled course from the RSPB Nature Reserve, which again attracted a generous attendance of nearly 300 mixed ability and social runners.

Steve Mason led the NWRRC team home in 5th place overall as they claimed six age cat victories, including his own VM50 age cat win in 18 minutes and 56 seconds.

Kevin Slattery, the club chairman, celebrated both his 70th birthday, and winning his respective VM70 age cat after finishing 12th in 21.43, and he was joined in the parkrun this week by his son Ian, who finished 4th overall in 19.42.

Will Williams looked back to his best in 16th place in 21.57 and 3rd VM50, with Richard Scamans 23rd on his 100th parkrun in 22.48, and colleague Harry Driscoll 24th in 22.56 but winning is SM20 age cat.

Sion Thomas had a good run in 26th place in 23.02, and was 2nd VM40, whilst Carla Green won her VW50 in 23.06 in 29th, and was 3rd female finisher. Cheryl Frost won her VM55 in 23.09.

Daniel Owens, running with his guide Iain Burgess once again, was 37th in 23.53, with Iain one place behind but they shared the same time.

Jamie Tharme put in a determined display to finish 40th in 24.00, and super vet Sandy Johnston won his VM75 in 49th place in 24.14, with master vet Barrie Wells 62nd and 3rd VM70 in 25.22, whilst fellow master Rob Fryer was 75th in 26.12.

Hannah Griffith finished in 79th place in 26.22, and was 3rd VW50, with two other master vets in Don Hale and Mark Mason ensuring the club claimed five out of the first six master vet placings, with Don 102nd in 27.22, and Mark 133rd in 29.34. Veteran John O’Shea was pleased with 31.16 in 147th place, with Mark Davies recording a great new PB nearly two-minutes up on his last parkrun in 173rd place in 33.05, with Elizabeth Driscoll 259th in 54.15.

The first finisher at Conwy was SM30 Lloyd Williams (Cybi Striders) in 17.43, with VM35 Aled Hughes (GOG Triathlon) in 17.59, and Josh Keogh finished 3rd in 18.56.

The 1st female was VW35 Melissa Ward-Williams (Cybi Striders) in 22.02, and SW30 Alex Aldous took the 2nd spot in 22.35, with VW50 Carla Green (NWRRC) 3rd in 23.06. There were 281 finishers.