A PAIR of North Wales Road Runners competed in the Mid Cheshire 5k Spring race last Friday night (April 29), and both claimed incredible new personal best times within a quality field of top athletes.

This star-spangled event attracted 747 international, elite, and club runners from across the UK, with many simply intent on recording personal best times over this exceptionally fast course.

And the race pedigree was proven by the first 27 runners all dipping under 15 minutes.

North Wales Road Runners Club (NWRRC) members Richard Eccles and Jon Evans enjoyed superb performances along the leafy lanes, with Richard finishing 244th overall in a chip time of 17 minutes 25 seconds, and he also claimed third place in his MV55-59 age category.

Richard said: “Never underestimate the effects of great support and self-belief. After a few weeks of struggling with my running, I managed a new PB over 5k.”

Jon Evans was also in fine form and finished 429th overall in 20.02 for another excellent PB.

Afterwards, he said: “It was a great course and an amazing standard. I have been targeting this race for 16 weeks and training hard.

“Slightly disappointed to miss sub-20, but I gave it everything!”

Chris Yorke (Prestatyn RC) was another athlete in top form, recording an impressive time of 16.57 in 184th place overall, and finishing sixth in his MV50 age category.

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Jamie completes 100k North Wales Ultra challenge

Endurance runner Jamie Tharme must be a glutton for punishment as he took part in the gruelling new 100k North Wales Path Ultra race last Saturday (April 30), just a week or two after competing in a tough marathon event.

Jamie eventually completed this tremendous challenge of running from Nova at Prestatyn to Bangor - with a good many hills thrown in - in a magnificent time of 15 hours and two minutes, covering a Strava distance of 101.95 kms including 2,044m of elevation.

Feeling utterly exhausted, Jamie later admitted: “I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my time, but this is definitely up there. Wow! That was so hard!”

Two other North Wales runners also took part including ultra-race tacklers, Amanda Durber and Bethan Wyn Roberts.

The pair ran together throughout and completed the course in an amazing time of 15 hours and seven minutes.

Amanda said: “A great experience, challenging terrain, and weather at times plus 2,000 plus metres of elevation.

“Huge thanks to Bethan for the time we've spent training in all weather conditions over the past few months, I couldn't have done it without you. It certainly all paid off.

“And thanks to my sister Karen for joining us and keeping us safe, and to Buddug Jones and Elen Wyn Bohanna, and Dylan for driving us home.”

Elsewhere, Steve Forsyth and Will Williams from NWRRC hit the road running in Cheshire on Sunday (May 1) at the Alderley Edge Bypass 10k race with Steve making his official race debut for the club.

He finished ninth overall out of a top-quality field of 1,462 entrants, and he also won his MV40 age category in just 34 minutes and 53 seconds.

Will also gave a good chase and recorded a similar excellent time of 38.23 in 40th place overall, and finished fifth in his MV45 age category.

After the race Steve said: “Not bad after food poisoning and (having) not run other than this race.”

A quartet of NWRRC runners also travelled to Liverpool last Sunday for the Spring 10k race at Sefton.

Kelly-Marie Alford and Cai Roberts ran together and finished in 736th and 737th places respectively in a good chip time of 52.05 amongst a massive entry of some 3,645 finishers.

Mandy Owen was also back racing again with a determined effort in 1,245th place in 59.46, with husband Charlie Owen finishing in 1.11.17 in 1,797th place.

Josh Keogh leads NWRRC to success at Conwy parkrun

North Wales Road Runners had three athletes within the top four finishers at Conwy parkrun last Saturday and claimed six age category wins during another well-attended and sun-drenched event.

This popular 5k event again attracted numerous bank holiday runners from across the UK to sample the delights of this spectacular riverside course with many of the 216 finishers also recording personal bests.

Josh Keogh led the club team, and he was the first runner home overall, and celebrated victory as the first SM30 cat winner in just 17 minutes and 19 seconds.

He was closely followed by club colleagues Jonathan Kettle in second place and first MV45 in 18.03, and Steve Mason, fourth, and second in his MV45 age category in 18.55.

Steve Roberts won his MV55 category, finishing 21st overall in 21.26, with Sean Butler continuing his good form to finish 27th overall and second in his MV60 group in 21.50.

And endurance club runner John Dalzell, just a week after his epic 53-mile ultra-challenge, finished 35th in 23.09.

Nicola Wylie put in another positive performance to finish 54th overall, and she also won her VW50 age category in 24.25, with Karen Butler again impressive and she too won her VW60 group in 25.39.

Helen Hannam also had a steady run to finish second in her VW45 category, and she was 71st overall in 26.09.

Veteran Len Jackson was back at parkrun again and he ran well to finish in 76th place in 26.37, with Gethin Wyn Jones 86th in 26.54, whilst Dave Spofforth ran with his son Ben, and the youngster took the honours again to win his JM10 age cat, finishing 109th overall in 28.58, with Dave one place behind, while Rachel Morris enjoyed an easy run in 158th place in 32.39.

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