EIGHTEEN Abergele Harriers took part in the 20th Nick Beer 10k Memorial Race around the Great Orme in Llandudno on Sunday.
Rob Armstrong led the Harriers home in 39min 35sec for 48th overall with Richie Lee running 40min 24sec for 60th position.
Mark Mayers finished in 41min 54sec for 92nd ahead of Jeni Richards’s 42min 57sec for 120th and Anthony Howe’s 45min 16sec for 187th.
Carol Willgoose finished in 45min 36sec for 197th and 2nd FV50 with Chris Birch crossing the line in 45min 44sec for 199th and 1st FV 60.
The remaining club places were; Dave Edwards (208th, 45min 56sec), Darren Battersby (231st, 46min 58sec), Tom Bancroft (243rd, 47min 22sec), Rachel Shipley (348th, 50min 57sec), Paula Maguire (415th, 53min), Sue Calvert (493rd, 55min 38sec), Peter Hardy (524th, 57min 12sec), Dominique Jones (535th, 57min 39sec), Graham Arden (572nd, 59min 15sec), Kim Westwell (580th, 59min 54sec), Stephanie Wynne (653rd, 1hr 7min 6sec).
THREE Mysteruns took part in the club’s latest hell race at the weekend, travelling to Staffordshire to take part in the gruelling Hell in the Middle.
Running in horrendous conditions and temperatures as low as minus seven degrees, the race took it’s toll on the runners with two breaking ankles, including Mysteruns athlete Melanie Williams, who has since had metal pins placed in her ankle to fix the injury.
The other two athletes managed to complete the treacherous course, with John Humphries finishing in 1hr 34min followed by Austin Bell in 1hr 43min 33sec.
The club also welcomed guest runners Alan Owens and Gary Jones, who ran a brilliant race to finish in a time of 1hr 54min 29sec.
Also running for the club were the Watson family from the Kinmel Arms, who tackled the Nick Beer 10k and recorded three personal best times. Tim Watson lead the family home in 41min 46sec, followed by Lynn Watson in 52min 17sec and Tom Watson in 53min 46sec.
PRESTATYN Running Club’s women again showed up the men in the Nick Beer 10k at Llandudno on Sunday.
Russ Cheetham was the first of the 15 members across the line, clocking 42min 13sec for 97th place overall in a quality field.
The remaining places were: Des Davies (162nd, 44min 45sec), David Owen (282nd, 48min 57sec), Shelley Ward (320th, 50min 19sec), Helen Ashworth (394th, 52min 55sec), Claire Gardsby (402nd, 53min 6sec), John Jones (457th, 54min 50sec), Julie Logan (462nd, 54min 59sec), Mike Davis (479th, 55min 50sec), Duncan Longley (495th, 56min 20sec), Erin Ross (498th, 56min 26sec), Jason Burton (505th, 56min 51sec), Helen Baxandall (522nd, 57min 40sec), June Cooke (557th, 59min 20sec), Gill Brandrick (567th, 59min 31sec).
The cross-country season ended on a pretty flat note for the club though the women once again kept the flag flying high.
Only five men completed in the main race of the final Grand Prix Express North Wales League fixture at Oswestry, but super-vet Ron Harrison-Jones extended his unbeaten sequence in the M70 class to take the title with ease.
The ladies did the club proud, finishing strongly in close proximity to each other.
The full places were: George Nicholls (30th, 37min 13sec), George Nixon (88th, 41min 58sec), Russ Cheetham (94th, 42min 58sec), Gareth Hughes (116th, 46min 12sec), David Owen (127th, 49min 22sec). M70: Ron Harrison-Jones (1st, 25min 43sec). Ladies: Katie Brandrick (24th, 24min 19sec), Shelley Ward (27th, 24min 36sec), Brenda Tiedtke (29th, 24min 50sec), Gay Waring (31st, 24min 52sec), Amia Bagnall (36th, 25min 42sec), Sharon Jones (48th, 27min 2sec), Eleri Goddard (50th, 27min 21sec), Eleri Jones (51st, 27min 36sec), Glenda Davies (57th, 28min 15sec).
George Nicholls has been named as Runner of the Month for January after a series of good performances in the Borders League, Cross-Country League and Twin Piers 10k.
With the junior section about to be revived the club is anxious to hear from anyone interested in attending an assistant coaches’ course.
RHYL’S MARSH Tracks cycling arena will host an unusual road race next month.
On March 2 Prestatyn Running Club will stage a 5k race at the cycle track following a successful low-key trial event at the end of last year.
The event will feature two races on the same evening, the first at 7pm for those who would expect to finish under 22 minutes, and the second half an hour later for those over 22 minutes. Only one set of prizes will be awarded however for the best times overall in each category.
Race organiser Arwel Jones said the smooth, level surface had the potential to produce fast times and the twisting circuit added an unusual new dimension.
“Another interesting factor is that it is the only road race in North Wales to be staged under floodlights,” he said.
Entries for both races will be accepted only on the night, up to 15 minutes before the start of each race.