Youngest ever runner Troy Kettle finished 10th in Cybi Coastal Marathon

By Don Hale

Youngest ever runner Troy Kettle finished 10th in Cybi Coastal Marathon.

Report by Don Hale.

 

Teenage endurance athlete Troy Kettle finished a magnificent 10th overall in the highly challenging Cybi Coastal Marathon last weekend.

The North Wales Road Runner completed this gruelling trail course in just 4 hours 1 minute and 56 seconds and is understood to be the youngest ever finisher. He also beat his more experienced club colleagues Karl Morris and Steve Bozier, despite both runners having excellent runs.



*Steve Bozier pictured en-route by the South Stack lighthouse.


*Karl Morris ran well in the Coastal marathon last weekend.


*Running buddies Karl Morris and Steve Morris pictured after completing their race.


Troy was one of 144 finishers who took part in this extreme event, which followed a very difficult but partially way marked route along paths, tracks, beaches, and the coastline of the Welsh National and Anglesey Coastal Path. 

The entire route passed through magnificent coastline scenery affording fine views of wide bays, sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, the famous South Stack lighthouse, and the summit of Holyhead Mountain.

Starting from Holyhead, the race included running on a variety of surfaces and additionally involved tackling tricky cliff tops, coupled with numerous hill climbs, and to top it off, there was also a short sharp climb to the top of Holyhead Mountain, and back down to sea level.



*Troy relaxes after completing his successful debut marathon

It was Troy’s marathon debut in a tough race that also attracted a host of top UK fell and trail runners, with the first nine athletes all dipping under four-hours. 

The NWRRC runner narrowly missed this target but excelled in his precise navigation of an acknowledged very difficult course and race.

His proud father, Jonathan Kettle, a top road runner, confirmed: ‘I am a super proud Dad. It was amazing running by Troy. His first marathon and he ticked off a time of 4.01. He was the youngest ever finisher of a very tough trail race with a heck of a climb at 22-miles.’

Karl Morris and Steve Bozier also ran very well, with Karl eventually finishing in 22nd place in 4.29.31, with Steve just behind in 24th place in 4.33.17.

After the race, Karl admitted: ‘It was a tough but stunning route. I ran well but I was stung by a wasp and had to take a toilet break.’

Team-mate Steve Bozier said:’ What a stunning trail marathon to run, not going to lie, that hurt like hell, and I collapsed with cramp after 24 miles - the worst pain ever - but I finished the race. I would recommend it, but it’s not for the faint hearted!’ 

The first three home included: Joe Baker (Stadium Runners) 3.17.44, with 2nd Nic Brook (Eryri Harriers) 3.23.42, and 3rd Ady Pendred (Un) 3.32.15.

Don Hale is a former award winning investigative journalist and now a best-selling author who has created a very popular blog post linked to numerous social media sites. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025.

Comments

Post a Comment

Most recent posts

Some personal stories by North Wales athletes in the London and Manchester Marathons.

By Don Hale
Image
*NWRRC athlete Gwen Charlton (*above right), heads towards the finish line at the London Marathon. Some personal stories by North Wales athletes in the London and Manchester Marathons... Special Marathon’s sporting feature: Introduction by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   This is a brief sporting spotlight featuring a number of the many North Wales based athletes who took part in last weekend’s London or Manchester Marathons, with a few even overcoming personal tragedies in order to compete, and most also raising some much-needed funds for local charities. It would be impossible of course, to mention everyone who took part, but this article will at least give a voice to some key individuals who have made a determined effort with hard training throughout the winter to ensure they were ready to start and finish one of the most gruelling races ever, over 26.2 miles.  This is a summary of their personal challenges: Fast time at London for Martin Green. Martin Green, ...
Read more

Guild Running Workshop along Colwyn Bay promenade.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - Chris Spillane and Steve Poupart at the running workshop. 'Guild Running Workshop' organised along Colwyn Bay promenade. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog North Wales athletics coaches Tony Price Jones, Jonathan Kettle and Hayley Price Jones, organised a 'Guild Running Workshop' recently in cooperation with Welsh Athletics along Colwyn Bay promenade. Tony confirmed:  “We were able to put fifteen new people through the course to help with Dalzell Runners, and also at Rhos, and at other local parkruns, and to be able to offer more Guilds opportunities. “The course was 500m, and I managed to get the entire course fees covered by some fantastic sponsors, including FatFace , who were the largest sponsor, but also many thanks to Chris Spillane and Co .” And praise should be given to athlete Jasper Mcqueen, from Porth Eirias Runners, who has also organised some previous Guild Running workshops.    *Above some volunteers and coaches in action ...
Read more

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Prolific poet and author Vernon Keith Fowler - Special Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature.

By Don Hale
Image
Special Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature Welcome to another new author feature in conjunction with Amazon.   ABOUT THE AUTHOR : Prolific poet and author Vernon Keith Fowler, who has written three volumes of varied and fascinating poems compiled throughout his colourful life.   Published by North Wales based firm:   www.bookpublishing4u.co.uk   *All three volumes of his interesting poems are now available on the Amazon links below: - MI Poems - Volume 1.: An eclectic mix of poems written over many years. Paperback – 25 May 2024 https://amzn.to/3AWDrYI   MI Poems - Volume 2: An eclectic mix of poems written over many years Paperback – 6 Aug. 2024. https://amzn.to/3AHZUbW   MI Poems - Volume 3: An eclectic mix of poems written over many years. Paperback – 10 Nov. 2024. https://amzn.to/3AHZYsc
Read more

Race 4 Life runners raise welcome for funds for important Cancer Charities.

By Don Hale
Image
*Helen Hannam takes time out to relax after completing another Race 4 Life. Race 4 Life runners raise welcome funds for Cancer Charities Well done to all the local runners who took part in the recent Race 4 Life 5k and 10k races for important Cancer Charities. The latest event was held in Rhyl on a very breezy weekend. This is just a brief mention of some of the many competitors and charity fundraising entrants who took part at Rhyl. Intro by Don Hale.   donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   *NWRRC member Helen Hannam - pictured right - said:  “My third Race 4 Life 2026 in Rhyl marks my 8th  Year of Smashing Races to Smash Cancer. Very happy that I managed to run it all, but my injury seems to be ok now. Thank you as always to chauffeur and photographer extraordinaire Lee.  Very happy with my sub 30 minutes for 5k after my injury, in 29.32.” https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/.../helens-race...   *Josie Davies:   “ All done and dust...
Read more

Artist Elizabeth Haines’s exciting new ‘Thin Places’ exhibition in Fishguard. 14th July to 29th August 2026.

By Don Hale
Image
Artist Elizabeth Haines’s exciting new ‘Thin Places’ exhibition in Fishguard...14th July until 29th August 2026. Special Coast and Country online art feature. coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 *Pictured above and below - some of Elizabeth's paintings in the Peppers Gallery. The much-admired Pembrokeshire artist Elizabeth Haines will be staging an exhibition of her latest and exciting paintings from Tuesday 14th July at Peppers in West Street, Fishguard until 29th August. This week Elizabeth confirmed:   This is to let you know about my forthcoming exhibition at  Peppers (West Wales Arts Centre) in Fishguard.  The theme is  Thin Places:  a term rooted in ancient belief, but referring to any physical location where the boundary between the mundane world and the divine or spiritual realm is felt to be especially permeable. It’s often used to describe sacred sites, perhaps associated with ancient ritual, or areas of great natural beauty. In a ‘thin ...
Read more

A close finish at the blustery Felinheli 10k race in midweek

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - some of the NWRRC members at the Felinheli 10k - (l-r): Will Evans, Stuart Culverhouse, Hannah Griffith, Adam Lemalle, Steve Roberts and Kevin Slattery. A close finish at the blustery Felinheli 10k race in midweek   donhaleblog.blog.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It was very warm and windy for the challenging Felinheli 10k race in midweek, with three members of Meirionnydd RC finishing within the top four places overall. Tomos Roberts  and team-mate  Daniel Kashi  actually shared the exact same finishing chip times of 32 minutes and 21 seconds in a very close-run contest, with  Ifan Dafydd  claiming fourth place in 33.41; whilst in between the club rivals, was the promising youngster  Noa Vaughan,  who finished third in 32.53. In addition, there some excellent performances by many of the top ten finishers including  Steffan Sayer  (Menai T&F) in sixth place in 34.57, and from  Ian Edwards  (Eryri Har...
Read more

Repeat performance by one man and his child buggy at Rhos parkrun - plus NW results round-up

By Don Hale
Image
Repeat performance by one man and his child buggy at Rhos parkrun - plus NW results round-up. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie, and others. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It was very warm and very breezy for hundreds of runners and walkers at all North Wales parkruns last weekend, and the Llandrillo yn Rhos 5k event attracted another bumper attendance, where James Yarwood (*pictured right) once again finished first in 17.47, accompanied by his young twins in a child buggy! The Wrexham AAC runner was chased all the way though by young  Joe Culverhouse  (NWRRC), a talented soccer player and junior referee, who won his JM15-17 age cat with a determined effort in 18.19, with  Gemma Moore  (Eryri Harriers) the first female, and in third place overall in 18.30.  Abbie Robinson  was the second female in 21.30, with  Bethan Parry  third with a new course PB in 22.23.  *There were 468 finishers at Rhos. * N...
Read more

Proud moment for athletics coach John Hatton and a popular former midwife Sharon Buckley.

By Don Hale
Image
*John Hatton (*above left), with Sharon Buckley at the Conwy half-marathon. Proud moment for athletics coach John Hatton and a popular former community midwife Sharon Buckley. It was a proud moment this weekend for athletics coach, MC and promoter, John Hatton as he saw his new running protegee  Sharon Buckley – a well-known former North Wales midwife - cross the finish line at the challenging Conwy half-marathon with a remarkable time. John, who is heavily involved with North Wales Road Runners , Conwy parkrun , and is also a keen supporter and promoter of a host of charity events, confirmed: “Over the last 6 months I have been training Sharon, who is 60, to run her first half-marathon which she did today in 2.34.17, which is a fantastic achievement. “Sharon was a highly respected midwife in North Wales, and at one time she received an award as the top midwife in the Betsi Cadwalader Health Board for her dedicated service to the community.” *John Hatton was on hand last ...
Read more

Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race...plus other race results.

By Don Hale
Image
*North Wales Road Runners are pictured (*above) just before the start of the festive handicap race on the promenade at Rhos on Sea. Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Twenty-four members of NWRRC took part in the annual Christmas club handicap race, which this year was staged 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 the closest to their times included the winner –  Kay Hatto...
Read more

Triathlon sprint success for veteran Kevin and GOG members

By Don Hale
Image
*Master veteran Kevin Slattery on the last lap of his final 5k race. Triathlon sprint success for veteran Kevin and GOG members Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   Master veteran Kevin Slattery, the chairman of North Wales Road Runners, won his VM70 age category at the prestigious Llandudno Open Sprint Triathlon championships staged recently from the town’s promenade. Despite very warm and blustery conditions, which included a tough swim, bike, and a 5k run, with the swim slightly reduced due to the challenging conditions - and a cycle race twice around the Great Orme - Kevin eventually triumphed to huge acclaim after finishing his two-lap run in a very good time! Following his event, Kevin, who is pictured right - he modestly confirmed:  “It was a well-managed event in good conditions, although windy in places, and great support from spectators.  “It included a 500m swim (reduced from 750 because of the wind) 14.06; twice around the G...
Read more