MEDALS, milestones and many happy returns all came the way of Prestatyn Running Club members, in what could well be the busiest week in the club’s history.
The medals came in two North Wales championships; Cathy Wood doing the “double” with golds on the fells and road.
The packed week began on bank holiday Monday (August 31) with the annual Cilcain race on Moel Famau, which included the North Wales and Welsh inter-regional championships.
First Prestatyn runner home, in 81st place overall, was Jenna Bagnall, in 46.53, and she was followed by Gareth Jones (101st in 48.39), Rachel Jackson (157th in 57.11, eight minutes faster than last year), Mark Dakeyne (170th in 61.05) and Cathy Wood (193rd in 68.03) who won the L60 class.
Two days later was the Ruthin 5kin which Ann Claire Jones picked up the first of two age-group medals.
The placings were: 27 Danny Williams 21.20 (3rd M40), 23 Owen Jones 21.47, 59 Ann Claire Jones 25.12 (1st L50), 82 Cara Jones 28.19, 111 Russell Couper 33.29, 128 Julie Evans 40.08.
Friday saw the fourth and final race in the off-road grand prix series in Shotton, and Prestatyn members made up more than a quarter of the entrants.
The occasion was the 80th birthday of superveteran Steve Hatfield, for whom it was his 118th appearance in the competition.
His first race on the course was in 1992 and no-one has made as many appearances.
On Friday he was accompanied by a group of “escorts” from the club who turned out to support him.
End-of-season awards for the best three out of four races went to the following: SL: 1 Jenna Bagnall, 2 Nicki Triggs. L45: 3 Liz Martin. L55: 2 Clare Manley. L65: 1 Sue Hughes, 2 Glenda Roberts. MU20: 1 Oliver Birch-Jones. SM: 3 Dafydd Montgomery. M35: 1 Daniel Gallagher, 2 Ben Thomas. M40: 1 Tom Carter. M60: 3 Andy Thomas. M70: 1 Martin Cortvriend, 2 Philip Howarth. M75: 1 Mike Davis, 2 Steve Hatfield. M80: 1 Gareth Hughes.
Friday’s placings were: 8 Daniel Gallagher 26.38 (2nd M35), 12 Dafydd Montgomery 27.28, 25 Owen Gibson 31.14, 26 Jenna Bagnall 31.16 (2nd lady overall), 31 Judah Eastwell 31.58, 32 Ben Thomas 32.26, 39 Andy Thomas 33.57 (2nd M60), 47 Nem James 36.22, 49 Katie Baker 36.30 (2nd L35), 51 Philip Howarth 37.10 (1st M70), 61 Sue Hughes 40.59 (1st L65), 62 Mark Dakeyne 41.19, 63 Nicki Triggs 41.20, 69 Gareth Hughes 42.55 (1st M80), 70 Karl Martin 45.09, 71 Mike Davis 44.13 (1st M75), 72 Liz Martin 45.09, 73 Russell Couper 45.59, 75 Steve Hatfield 56.57 (2ndM75), 76 Duncan Longley 57.00, 77 Emma Birchall 57.00, 78 Clare Manley 57.52, 79 Julie Evans 57.52.
Both Cathy Wood and Ann Claire Jones picked up their second medals in Sunday’s Caernarfon half-marathon, which incorporated the regional championships.
Ann Claire was 1st L55 and Cathy 1st L60.
The placings were: 40 David Hudd 1-29.47, 61 Jack Hughes 1-33.48, 162 Paul Robson 1-49.42, 47th female Ann Claire Jones 1-47.28, 294 Owen Gibson 2-03.43, 323 Patrick Haberland 2-08.11, 94th female Laura Rich 2-08.27, 330 Zack Webster 2-08.28, 154th female Cathy Wood 2-21.05.
Two of the five members who competed in the Sandstone Trail Half-marathon came away with age-group awards.
The positions were: 17 Jonah Armstrong 1-47.47, 50 Marc Jones 2-00.52 (3rd M60), 67 Dan Liddle 2-06.10, 69 Beth English 2-06.19 (3rd SL), and 228 Jo Lewis 2-50.52.
That was Jonah’s second race in a few days, having come 10th in the fast Padarn 5k in Llanberis last week with a time of 17.43. In the same race Paul Sanders was 48th in 20.55.
Two members turned out in different 10ks. In Ballina, County Mayo, Katie Newe flew the Prestatyn colours in the Two Bridges race, clocking 64.42.
Meanwhile Oliver Harrison-Jones had a fine run on a surprisingly hilly and wet course in the Altrincham 10k, coming 20th in a field of 3,460 with a time of 34.60.
In addition to the numerous races, 26 members turned out in parkruns as far afield as Dorset, Ireland, Staffordshire and Australia.
Nova: 4 Sancho Edwards 19.30, 8 Danny Williams 21.36, 10 Alex Ryder 22.08, 19 Jamie Betts 23.35, 20 Michelle Meredith-Roberts 23.55 (1st lady), 23 Ed Shirt 24.15, 29 Jack Lally 25.21, 34 Stephen Langley 25.50, 37 Neil Davidson 25.54, 102 Mark Dakeyne 30.03, 104 Jo Lewis 30.07, 119 Mike Davis 31.10, 122 Grahame Shone 31.35, 137 Claudia Smith 33.24, 140 Claire Manifold 33.32, 169 Judah Eastwell 36.50, 188 Steve Hatfield 39.30, 193 Gill Brandrick 40.02.
Upton House (Poole): 30 Paul Sanders 22.40.
Greenfield Valley: 20 Jenna Bagnall 26.25.
Llandrillo-yn-Rhos: 296 Roger Harrison-Jones 37.25.
Ruthin: 20 David Tudor 23.22.
Lawson (Australia): 39 Martin Cortvriend 27.59.
Isabel Trail (Stafford): 219 Helen Alefounder 30.16.
Athlone: 63 Katie Newe 30.46.
Llangollen: 24 Andy Thomas 24.03.
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