Road Runners celebrated hat-trick of awards at Easter 5k Dash.
Report by Don Hale. Photos by Kevin Slattery and Steve Jeffery.
North Wales Road Runners had two athletes in the top three placings, in addition to winning both the male and female team prizes and claimed five age category wins at the popular Easter 5k Dash on Llandudno prom last Saturday.
Martin Green led home a large club entry of some twenty-eight athletes for this revived race which has not been held since 2019 due to Covid-19 restrictions and postponements.
The overall race was won by Scott Nixon (Cardiff AC) in 16 minutes 23 seconds, with Martin just 12-seconds adrift in 2nd place, despite a gallant effort, and Mark Jessett finished 3rd in 16.48, and he deserves extra credit after competing at the Conwy parkrun earlier that morning where he was the top club finisher in 18.50.
Martin also won his MV45 age category, with Mark claiming similar success in his own MV35 cat. These age cat wins were celebrated amongst a total of five overall victories in addition to seven other podium placings, and several personal best times, but the icing on the Easter egg was later confirmed by NWRRC winning both team prizes!
It was a magnificent turnout of 226 varied ability runners on a bright, sunny, and warm day, with the event well represented by many local running clubs, in addition to individual tourists, and club runners from as far afield as London, Brighton, Cardiff, Sheffield, Fylde, and Bourneville, amongst many others.
The superb weather ensured fast times, and the packed crowds on the prom were treated to a fine display by many elite athletes, in addition to a family fun-run which also attracted generous support from children and parents alike.
The results displayed the chip time, the gun time, and the overall finishing positions, with a decisive first past the post system implemented: Will Williams continued his excellent run of form to finish 14th and 4th in his MV45 cat in 18.37/18.39, with Harry Driscoll 16th and 4th in his Senior Male cat in 18.47/18.47, with Iwan Evans 21st and 1st in his MV40 cat in 18.55/18.55.
*Iwan Evans (*above left) with Rory Middleton (*right).
Rory Middleton impressed again with another rare race, finishing 25th and 8th Senior Male in 19.12/19.16, with Steve Roberts enjoying a good run out in 40th place and 4th in his MV55 cat in 20.48/20.52.
Carla Green marked her recovery from injury with a great result as the 4th female athlete in 42nd place overall, but she won her VW50 age cat in 21.12/21.12, and Carla finished just ahead of colleague Jamie Tharme in 43rd place and 5th MV40 cat in 21.12/21.15.
* Carla Green (*above left) with Jamie Tharme (*above right).
Veteran Sean Butler performed well again in 46th place and he was 3rd in his MV60 cat in 21.43/21.47, and it was good to see Cheryl Frost back to her best again, finishing 56th overall and 2nd in her VW55 age cat in 22.36/22.39.
Kay Hatton remained as consistent as ever with another fine run to finish 59th and 3rd in the same age cat as Cheryl in 23.03/23.06, with Nicola Wylie 71st, and 3rd in her VW50 age cat in 23.56/24.06.
*Sean Butler (*above left) with Cheryl Frost (*above right).
Kevin Higgins celebrated a really good performance in 78th place and 5th in his MV60 cat in 24.28/24.32, and he was just ahead of Hannah Griffith, 83rd and 3rd in her FV45 age cat in 24.43/24.51, followed by the impressive Karen Butler, who ran her socks off in 91st place, and finished 1st in her VW60 cat in 25.22/25.25.
*Kevin Higgins (*above left) with Kay Hatton (*above right).
Helen Hannam recovered from recent marathon duties to maintain a good pace throughout the race in 94th place and finished 5th in her VW45 cat in 25.21/25.28, with Mia Morris 103rd and 5th in her Junior Female age cat in 26.21/26.27. Tessa Bushnell finished 105th, and she was 3rd in her VW35 age cat in 26.35/26.44, and she was closely followed by Samantha Williams in 106th place and 4th in her VW35 cat in 26.34/26.44.
*Helen Hannam (*front) and just ahead of Mia Morris and Samantha Williams.
Veteran Don Hale was unable to shake off his calf injury jinx and struggled around the course in 108th place, yet somehow scraped 3rd spot in his MV65 age cat in 26.44/26.52, followed by in-form fellow vet Len Jackson in 112th place and 7th MV60 cat in 26.58/27.03.
*Len Jackson (*above left) with Sue Smith (*above right).
Rachel Morris celebrated another good run, finishing 127th place overall, with a great new PB, knocking about 90-seconds off her last 5K, in 28.39/28.46, and she was 7th in her VW40 cat, with Sue Smith in close pursuit in 130th place and 6th in her VW55 cat in 28.47/28.55.
*Mike and Sue Smith (*above left) with Nicola Wylie and Helen Hannam.
Gwennan Charlton was 133rd place and 7th in her VW35 cat in 29.00/29.11, with Mike Smith 156th and 10th in his MV60 cat in 31.19/31.27. Robert Harding finished 186th and he was 4th in his MV70 age cat in 35.18/35.30, and Joan Edwards carried the prestigious No1 race bib number, but despite a determined effort, eventually finished 196th, and she was the 9th VW60 cat in 36.40/37.00.
*Gwennan Charlton (*above left) with Hannah Griffith (*above right).
*Mike Smith (*above left) with Joan Edwards (*above right).
*Plaudits were also given to father and daughter Sandy and Alice Johnson. Master veteran Sandy won his MV70 age cat in 48th place overall in 22.02/22.06, with Alice finishing as the 2nd female, 26th overall, and 2nd place in her Senior Women age cat in 19.08/19.11.
In addition, super vets James Thomas (Buckley Runners) and Roger Harrison-Jones (Prestatyn RC) battled for honours in the MV80 age cat, with James eventually claiming 2nd place and 147th overall in 30.16/30.29, with Roger just 12-seconds behind in 3rd spot and 150th overall in 30.28/30.38.
*Super veteran runner Roger Harrison-Jones (*above left) with the intrepid endurance duo Bethan Wyn Roberts and Amanda Durber (*above right).
And endurance runners Bethan Wyn Roberts and Amanda Durber deserve a mention after both competed in the Conwy parkrun shortly before the start of the Easter Dash. Bethan won her VW50 age cat at Conwy in 25.02, with Amanda 3rd in her VW40 cat but sharing the exact same time, and both then ran together in the Dash, and again shared the same consistent time of 25.03, with the pair each claiming 4th place in their respective age cats.
*The Ladies race was won by Anna Mackenzie (Eryri Harriers) in 19.08/19.11, with Alice Johnson (Les Croupiers) 2nd in 19.19/19, and Rebecca Davies 3rd in 19.55/19.55.
*This is the link to the provisional results for the Easter 5k dash.
,%20Mike%20Hayton,%20Carla%20Green,%20and%20Stuart%20Culerhouse%20.jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment
Your comments are welcomed on all posts