North Wales Road Runner Llyr a surprise winner at hilly Bangor 10k race!

The East Midlands-based athlete finished just 15 seconds ahead of his nearest rival and won his MV45 age cat in just 37 minutes and three seconds.

Llyr led home a North Wales Road Runners Club (NWRRC) team of eight runners among an entry of some 198 finishers, with five members recording podium places including four runners, who also won their respective age categories.

After the race, Llyr admitted his surprise at his outstanding victory.

He said: “The race was great as I won, but I went into it with the sole purpose of just doing a course PB, and then see what would happen, so I was surprised when I crossed the line first!”

Llyr’s colleague Harry Driscoll also put in a gritty performance to claim 10th place in 41.53, and Kay Hatton was the worthy third female finisher, and she finished first in her F55 cat in 47.41.

Kevin Higgins was also in good form and finished 51st and knocked about a minute off his previous best time to finish fourth in his MV60 cat in 51.18.

Cai Roberts and his partner Kelly Alford ran the course together with Cai 51st in 51.10, but Kelly won her F35 age cat, and she was also the 10th female runner in 51.13.

Master veterans Rob Fryer and Mike Hayton also claimed excellent podium places with Rob 74th overall and third in his MV65 age cat in 58.25, with Mike putting in another positive run to win his MV70 cat in 85th place overall in 1.02.25.

Bangor 10k provisional results: www.runwales.com/files/user_uploaded/results/535/Bangor%2010K%202022.pdf.

READ MORE:

North Wales Road Runner Elizabeth tackles the Cascais Ironman race in style!

Road running duo fly the flag at Conwy parkrun

Elsewhere for NWRRC, Martin Green finished in third place in the Abingdon Marathon on Sunday in a good time of two hours and 35 minutes, despite struggling with a painful injury.

A similar problem affected his wife Carla Green, who unfortunately had to drop out of the same race after running for one hour and 59 minutes due to a painful quad injury.

Carla later confirmed: “Horrible conditions and I had tight quads, so made the decision to pull out at 17-miles. I was just zapped. Onwards and upwards.”

NWRRC athlete Samantha (Sam) Williams ran in the Witney parkrun last Saturday and finished in 106th place overall, and she was the 29th female and sixth in her VW35 age cat in 30.57.

Spooky Dark Run success for Hope House and Ty Gobaith Children’s Charities

A slightly early but rather spooky Halloween-style 5k Dark Run took place last Saturday night from the RSPB site near Llandudno Junction, and followed the Conwy 5k parkrun course under lights to help raise funds for Ty Gobaith and Hope House Children’s charities

It was not a race, yet the event still attracted 250 runners and walkers of all ages, who carried special Glow Sticks and head torches to help light their way across the bridge to the Cob, then out and back along the river path towards Deganwy Quay.

Backed by a superb team of event marshals and volunteers, the entrants enjoyed a great physical warm up at the start under bright floodlights with music, backed by a further disco set pitched along the Cob to give some additional musical bounce to all the determined fundraisers.

John Hatton, from NWRRC, who was one of the main inspirational promoters and the MC on the night, said he was delighted by the response.

He confirmed: “Saturday night at the Dark Run was absolutely brilliant! The atmosphere was friendly, and it gave adults and a lot of children a good feel factor during these troubled times.

“We had a warm-up by Louise and Mindy from Aspire Fitness, who really got everyone jumping around, especially with all the entrants waving their multi-coloured glow sticks.

“The event was started by the Lovelady family whose son Alfie is supported by Ty Gobaith.

“I was the MC providing music at the start, and we also had a disco on the cob, plus Conwy Castle was lit up.

“Everyone, when finishing, said the atmosphere and marshals were fantastic, and they all want to do it again.

“The photographs were taken by Steve Jeffery, and we also had a drone filming at the Cob. The sponsors included Schneider, Llandudno Lions, Conwy Town Council, Bone & Payne, Fletcher & Poole, Lanyon & Bowdler, and Feet First.

“Thanks, were also expressed to Aspire Fitness, Roger W Jones, Kellogg, Bookers, Gerard’s, St John Ambulance, and Cade. And, a massive vote of thanks was given to the RSPB, who allowed the use of their car park and kept their cafe open until 8pm.

“The whole event involved raising money for this incredible cause. The start area included a specially constructed stage and a massive start/finish arch, which was all lit up in the hospice colours.

“Alfie’s parents Rachel and Colin later thanked the organisers who provide regular support to Alfie and his family. It was an amazingly colourful site.”

Hat-trick of age category wins at a bright and sunny Conwy parkrun

North Wales Road Runners entered 13 athletes in last Saturday’s Conwy parkrun and claimed eight podium places including three age category victories.

Blessed this week with bright sunshine and a light breeze, the event attracted over 200 runners of varied ages and abilities, and from different parts of the UK.

The first man back was James Yarwood (Abergele Harriers), the runaway leader who won his SM30 age cat with a fast time of 17 minutes and 32 seconds.

The second spot remained undeclared, but the 3rd placed runner was Matthew Young in 19.09.

The first Lady was Anna Drinkwater (Eryri Harriers) in sixth place overall in 20.00, with Elisha Price second in 23.26, and Ffion Williams third with a new PB in 24.47.

The parkrun attracted 211 finishers.

NWRRC endurance athlete John Dalzell led the Road Running team home in seventh place overall in 20.08, and he also won his MV45 age cat.

Steve Mason remained in hot pursuit but finished ninth, and just a few seconds behind his club colleague in 20.11 to claim the second spot in the same cat, with Stuart Culverhouse a further nine-seconds adrift in 20.20 in 10th place and second in his MV50 cat.

Jamie Tharme was in top form yet again and recorded a great new parkrun PB in 21.40 in 15th place, and he finished third in his MV45 cat to ensure the club claimed all three places in that age category.

Martin Green just used the event as warm-up for his marathon preparations the following day and was satisfied with 19th spot overall in 21.51, and Gethin Wyn Jones seems to be back to his best and ran home in 23.47 in 38th place, with veteran Rob Fryer continuing his fine form to win his MV65 age cat in 58th place in 25.25.

Dave Spofforth ran the course with his son Ben, and the youngster continued his rapid improvement with a new PB of 26.18, and he also won his JM10-11 age cat in 72nd place.

Veteran Mark Mason claimed second spot in his MV65 cat in 27.02 in 77th place, and he was followed by Sue Smith, who finished 122nd, and claimed third place in her VW55 age cat in 30.30.

Rachel Morris ran well again in 163rd place in 34.13, with Sue’s husband Mike Smith 186th in 37.34.

Praise was again given to the race director and all the volunteer’s and marshals.

This is the link to the provisional results at Conwy: www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults.