*Pictured above - Martin Green crosses the finish line to win the half-marathon. (Photo credit Mick Hall).
Welsh Master Martin Green wins the Caernarfon half-marathon and strikes regional gold.
Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com
North Wales Road Runner Martin Green recorded another tremendous result last weekend with victory at the Caernarfon half-marathon race, which also included the Regional Championships.
The talented veteran athlete finished nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest rival, and he also won a gold medal and a winning trophy in his MV45-49 age category with an impressive time of just 1 hour 14 minutes and 35 seconds. *My report is based on chip times.
Martin was followed by Llyr Gruffydd (Eryri Harriers) who was 2nd overall in 1.16.20, and he won his M35-39 cat, with Scott Nixon (Wrexham AAC) 3rd in 1.16.33, and he was only 13-seconds adrift of Llyr, and he won his M21-34 age cat.
The 1st female athlete was Rachel Shipley (Abergele Harriers) in 1.26.15, with Anna Drinkwater (Eryri Harriers), 2nd in 1.31.07, and Emma Alofs (Cybi Striders), 3rd in 1.31.12. All three runners were in the same F21.34 age category.
Nearly four-hundred mixed ability athletes tackled this challenging event, and unusually for this time of the year, they had to brave extreme temperatures and high humidity, which proved a problem for a few participants, who suffered badly in the heat.
*Pictured above - Some of the successful North Wales Road Runners team members at the Caernarfon half-marathon and Regional championships.
The Road Runners celebrated six of the best however, after striking gold within the inclusive North Wales half-marathon championships. They had fourteen finishers and won nine regional medals in total in their respective age categories, claiming six gold medals, one silver, and two bronze, in addition to the main race prizes based on finishing places and age cat positions.
Martin Green was the overall race winner with Jonathan Kettle the next NWRRC member home in 6th place and 2nd in his MV45 cat in 1.18.26. Iwan Evans finished in 19th place in 1.28.10, with Steve Bozier 30th in 1.33.45, and Stuart Culverhouse 38th in 1.38.07.
Sarah Ferguson Hudson won her FV45-49 age cat as the 6th female (51st overall) in 1.40.50, and newcomer David Jones was 92nd in 1.51.04, with Sion Thomas was 52nd in 1.42.40.
Meanwhile, Cheryl Frost and Kay Hatton continued their fascinating cat and mouse encounter with Cheryl winning her FV55-59 age cat as the 15th female (94th overall) in 1.49.11, with Kay also winning her FV60-64 age cat (114th overall) as the 20th female in 1.51.43.
Steve Roberts was 98th in 1.53.10, and another promising newcomer Emma Mochan finished well as the 21st female runner (119th) in 1.53.14, whilst Hannah Griffith became the 53rd female (209th overall), in 2.05.29, with master veteran Mark Mason claiming the 2nd spot in his MV70 age cat in 213th place overall in 2.29.34.
*Welsh Master and Road Runner Jonathan Kettle (*above).
North Wales half-marathon Regional Championships:
Male results:
MV45 Martin Green 1st place (gold); MV45 Jonathan Kettle 2nd place (silver); MV50 Stuart Culverhouse 1st place (gold); MV50 David Jones 3rd place (bronze): MV70 Mark Mason 1st place (gold).
Female results:
FV45 Sarah Ferguson Hudson 1st place (gold); FV50 Hannah Griffith 3rd place (bronze); FV55 Cheryl Frost 1st place (gold); FV60 Kay Hatton 1st place (gold).
*This is the link to the provisional results for the Caernarfon half-marathon: