Runners battled the elements at the new Llandudno 10 miler and half marathon

*North Wales Road Runners at the start of the Llandudno 10 mile and half marathon.

Over 1,000 runners beat the weather at the new 10 mile and half marathon races...

Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael Finnie.

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It was wild, wet, and windy for over 1,000 hardy athletes on Sunday for the Victorian 10 mile and half marathon races which started with a loop along Llandudno promenade before heading out towards Colwyn Bay, and a reverse route home.

The mass pack of runners had to negotiate a challenging course and a fierce and swirling headwind, with some heavy showers thrown in for good measure along their tough journey.

And yet despite the brutal conditions it still failed to deter numerous elite entrants with M35 James Yarwood (Wrexham AAC) winning the half marathon race in a very good chip time of just 1 hour 16 minutes and 43 seconds. He was followed by M50 Martin Green (Meirionnydd RC) in 1.18.57, and M35 Matthew Gaskin (GOG Triathlon) in 1.21.14. 

*Pictured above left - James Yarwood (Wrexham AAC), with Martin Green (Meirionnydd RC). The pair finished first and second at the Victorian half marathon race.

*The first female finisher was Louis Lee (Penny Lane Striders) with an outstanding performance in 1.22.53, in 9th place overall, and she was about nine-minutes ahead of her nearest rival, Hannah Carter (Liverpool) in 1.31.10, and Olivia Boothby (Macclesfield) in 1.31.48. 

  

*Carla Green *above left) with Kevin Slattery and Ben Hudson.

*NWRRC entered three members with club chairman Kevin Slattery (*pictured right) winning his M70 age cat in 110th place in 1.40.12, with ultra running couple Ben Hudson 113th in 1.40.53, and his wife Sarah Hudson finishing in 330th place in 1.59.11. *There were 749 finishers in the half marathon.

Two hundred and fifty-six runners tackled the associated 10-mile race over much of the same demanding course, and this event also included the NW Regional Championships over this distance.

Once again, many top club runners competed with Eamon Clowes (Newcastle, Staffs) the first man home in 55.31, with Richard Coen (Wilmslow RC) second in 56.48, and Steffan Sayer (Menai T&F) third in 57.01. *The first female was Georgia Stanfield (Trentham RC) who was 20th overall, in a very good time of 61.56, and Jennifer Rambaldi (Buckley RC) the runner-up in 65.30, with Joanne Stanfield (Trentham RC) third in 65.46. 

        

             

*Pictured above left - Will Williams, Steve Bozier, and Rob Fryer.

*NWRRC entered fifteen members with Jonathan Kettle 18th in 61.01 and he was 2nd in his M50 age cat, with Will Williams 28th in 67.08, and Stuart Culverhouse 37th in 70.29.  Steve Bozier finished 3rd in his M45 cat in 44th place in 73.04, and Carla Green was the 17th female, and 51st overall in 74.58.

   

*Stuart Culverhouse (*above left), with Nia Lister and Gwen Charlton.

Adam Lemalle enjoyed a positive run in 56th place in 76.05, and Cheryl Frost won her F60 age cat with a great display in 58th place, and she was the 20th female in 77.33. Steve Roberts was 70th in 80.27, and Kay Hatton was the 25th female, 79th overall in 83.48, and 3rd in the same cat as Cheryl.

Master vet Rob Fryer was also in top form, and he won his M70 age cat in 117th place in 92.24, with Nia Lister 118th in 93.33. Gwen Charlton was 120th in 94.07, Helen Hannam 142nd in 99.27, whilst veterans Len Jackson finished in 156th place in 101.56, and Kevin Higgins was 194th in 108.03.

*Kay Hatton and Cheryl Frost (above left), with Kevin Higgins and Len Jackson.

*NWRRC also won 11 medals including 5 gold, three silver, and three bronze medals in the NW Regional 10-mile championships. 

*The championships results included: GOLD: M45 Steve Bozier, M50 Jonathan Kettle, and M70 Rob Fryer. SILVER: M65 Len Jackson. BRONZE: M40 Adam Lemalle, and M50 Will Williams. Female – GOLD: F35 Nia Lister, F60 Cheryl Frost. SILVER: F35 Gwen Charlton, F60 Kay Hatton. BRONZE: F50 Carla Green. 

*The full NWRAC results are available on the NWRAC website.