Road Runners tackled various Marathon challenges...plus other results round-up.

*Stuart Culverhouse (*above) ran well at the Manchester Marathon.

Road Runners tackled various Marathon challenges.

Report by Don Hale.

 

Marathon mania returned to the streets of Manchester and elsewhere in the UK again last Sunday as tens of thousands of runners celebrated their long winter training slog in style by completing numerous and very personal 26.2-mile journeys.

The events, which helped to raise many millions of pounds for various charities, always attract a wide variety of entrants ranging from top international stars to first time social runners and brought mass crowds out to cheer on their heroes.

The Manchester race was eventually won by Lithuanian athlete Ignas Brasevicius in just 2 hours 16 minutes and 27 seconds, with Naomi Mitchell taking the plaudits as the 1st female finisher in 2.31.27.

North Wales Road Runners welcomed back various marathon challenges and entered seven members at Manchester, with two others competing at the Boston Marathon in the UK, and one more at the Newport Marathon, with several claiming new PBs!

*Jamie Tharme (*above left) with Cheryl Frost.

Stuart Culverhouse was the first NWRRC club member home at Manchester with a superb time of 3.40.55 (5,443), followed by Jamie Tharme (6,156) in 3.45.16. Cheryl Frost (7,750) had another good run in 3.55.05 and celebrated a new marathon PB, with Kelly-Marie Alford (12,155) in 4.26.27 for a two-second PB, and Samantha Williams ran well (12,810) in 4.31.51, with Cai Roberts (13,925) in 4.43.25, whilst marathon debutant Gwennan Charlton was (16,735) in 5.25.07. Gwennan later remarked: “I did my first ever marathon today at Manchester. Really enjoyable but very tough!”

*Samantha Williams (*above left) with Kelly Alford and Cai Roberts.

And after the race, Cheryl Frost, also confirmed: “I did alright in Manchester and I’m happy considering my recent form. Pleased with a sub-4 and a 22-minute PB in 3.55.05.”

*Boston Marathon: Sarah Hudson and her husband Ben (*pictured above) competed in the Boston (UK) Marathon on Sunday and quite amazingly finished within a few seconds of each other. Sarah was absolutely delighted with her run and claimed a fifteen-minute marathon PB, running home in 3 hours 36 minutes and 8 seconds, with Ben just five seconds ahead in 3.36.03. 

She later admitted: “I nearly caught Ben. I can’t believe it and I was sobbing when I finished. I’m over the Moon and I can apply for a good for age entry for London and will see if I can qualify for Boston USA!”

*Newport: Iwan Evans remained in Wales and ran in the Newport Marathon last Sunday and enjoyed another positive performance finishing in 3.13.48.

*Iwan Evans (*above left) with will Williams.

Other race results:

*Rhyl: Four NWRRC members competed in the Rhyl 10k on Sunday on a new and revised course from Abergele and along the promenade. Will Williams finished 5th out of 282 entrants and won his MV50 age cat in 37 minutes and 33 seconds. He was followed by Steve Gardner in 11th place in 39.18, and he also won his MV60 age cat in 39.18. Mal Preece continued his good form and finished 3rd in the same age cat as Steve in 71st place in 43.19, and Gethin Wyn Jones was 95th in 50.40.

*Falkland Islands: Elizabeth Driscoll (*pictured below) returned to action during the Cape Pembroke Lighthouse parkrun on the Falkland Islands last Saturday and won her VW55 age cat with a steady performance watched by some unusual spectators. Elizabeth was one of thirty-seven starters who completed this challenging course and ran home in 10th place overall in 26.08. Afterwards she said: “Enjoyed my favourite Parkrun again. A lovely run after a few days of snow earlier in the week, and we even saw some penguins too. All in all, a great first week back.”