18 hours ago
Prestatyn Running Club members take on Welsh Castles Relay
For 17 of the 20-strong squad, it was a new experience, and though the standard of competition was higher than ever, they did the club proud.
The team finished a creditable 48th overall.
The team finished a creditable 48th overall. (Image: Submitted) Less than 24 hours after completing mountain stages in the relay, Ben Thomas and Oliver Birch-Jones were in action again in different triathlons.
Ben took on the tough Slateman Tri in Llanberis, a tough enough challenge on its own, and finished in 4-18.42.
Oliver opted for the Boundary Breeze Sprint Tri in Manchester, coming a brilliant 19th out of 120.
In the Slateman Sprint Tri in Llanberis, second-claim member Chris Bennett finished 31st in 1-45.44.
Four of the club's ladies also hit the trails again on Saturday (June 7), competing in the 27.1-mile Pilgrim Marathon on the Lleyn Peninsula, with Sue Hughes winning her age group in 6-31.
Ally Reid kept her company throughout.
Helen Alefounder and Cara Jones finished in 9-15, with Ann Claire Jones four minutes behind them.
10 of the relay squad had warmed up two days earlier by turning out in the first fixture of Deestriders' Off-Road Grand Prix series in Shotton.
In fact, 24 club members took part, representing more than 25 per cent of the total field, and 12 of them gained podium places.
Marc Jones, the club's road runner of the year, was its only representative in the Llanrug 5k, which incorporated the North Wales championships.
True to form, he won the M60 class in both the open race and championship, clocking 20.36.
The previous weekend, the club's mountain specialists and joint captains Lee Bailey and Gareth Jones took on one of the region's toughest challenges in the Welsh 1,000s, regarded as a classic event.
The 32k race starts on the coast at Abergwyngregyn and finishes on the summit of Yr Wyddfa, and this year it was more testing than usual, with 50kph winds on the peaks.
The event incorporated the Welsh Fell Running Championship long race, and Lee, who finished 24th overall, won the M40 class in about five hours and 30 minutes.
Gareth also had a superb run, coming 54th out of 142, finishing about half an hour behind Lee.
Elsewhere, Zack Webster has been on his travels, clocking 53.08 in the Geneva 10k.
Nova parkrun: 1 Tom Carter 17.00 (pb), 20 Jamie Betts 22.32, 36 Reg Jonas 24.19, 38 Neil Davidson 24.24 (pb), 41 Will Lines 24.35, 42 Lisa Lines 24.36, 56 Philip Howarth 25.40, 104 Andy Scott: 29.00, 196 Steve Hatfield 38.18, 221 Suzanne Evans 60.23, 222 Nicki Triggs 60.24, 229 Julie Evans 53.24.
Other parkruns: Greenfield Valley: 18 Steve Weedman 24.58.
Holkham (Norfolk): 86 Debbie Jones 28.22.
Black Ropcks (Matlock): 56 Martin Cortvriend 23.34.
