The Bank Holiday weekend offered runners a range of events to stretch their legs and take to hills and cities. The hills of Devils Bridge provided a scenic and dramatic backdrop for the Sialens y Barcud – Red Kite Challenge on Saturday 4th May 2019.
Sarn Helen members participated in trail junior, half marathon and 10k events. Conditions were excellent for the routes which included challenging climbs, forestry track, woodland, fields and footbridges. In the junior trail running championship, Dafydd Lloyd recorded a superb time of 00:20:53, achieving first in West Wales under 17 and 4th overall in the Welsh Championship. In the half marathon, which was also a championship race for the West Wales and Welsh Championships, Sarn Helen achieved the following results: Glyn Price: 01.44.46; Jessica Bruce:1.47.32; Kevin Hughes: 01.52.21; Mick Taylor: 02.12.42; Andrew Edgell: 02.19.57 and Delyth Crimes: 02.22.35. In the 10k race, Mark Rivers: 00:59.00; Michael Davies: 00:59.32; Eleri Rivers: 1.09.15; Mitchell Readwin: 1.09.29; Rebecca Doswell: 01.33.40 and Jane Holmes: 01.53.04.
With everyone hanging up their running shoes for the day, Carwyn Davies was preparing to take on the Dragon 100 Coastal Race, an ultra-trail footrace along the Wales Coastal Path from Rhossili Bay to Cardiff Bay, with approximately 3,000 meters of ascent. Starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday 5th May, competitors were required to complete the course within 31 hours. With his family travelling through the night to support him, Davies ploughed through the eleven checkpoints, passing Margam as the sun rose, and finishing in Cardiff with a cracking time of 23:48:22 on Sunday.
Weather conditions were perfect for the second Newport ABP Wales Marathon and 10k on Sunday 5th April 2019, with around 6,000 runners taking part in events during the day. Sarn Helen members recorded impressive times, with results as follows: Marathon: Ken Caulkett, 25th in category: 03:00:00; George Eadon, 50th in category: 03:05:35; Liz Pugh, 39th in category: 04:37:49; Nicola Davies, 118th in category: 04:49:00, stripping a huge 00:37:45 from her performance in 2018. 10k: Jenny Caulkett, placed 20th in her category, with a time of 00:53:11.
Meanwhile, over the border, taking in Derwentwater and the Newlands Valley, the Keswick Half Marathon is said to be one of the most scenic in the country. Sarn Helen runner and long-distance regular, Caryl Wyn Davies recorded an outstanding time of 01:38:10.
Bank Holiday Monday saw Sarn Helen’s second Club Race of the season, with headquarters for the second time in Ysgol Dyffryn Cledlyn in the centre of Drefach. This popular event was very well supported by all ages, and the BBQ, cakes and trifle were very popular! Sixty-two Foundation Stage juniors, aged 3 to 7 participated in the first events of the day, followed by thirty-four Years 3 and 4 juniors with the following Sarn Helen results: 2nd Eva Davies, 5th Elin Onwy, 6th Jacob Burton, 7th Jeston Allan, 8th Woody Lewis, 10th Ben Hall, 17th Alex Brown, 19th Abbie Green, 20th Alis Evans and 29th Poppy Caulkett. In the years 5 and 6 juniors, there were twenty-eight competitors, with Sarn Helen juniors awarded the following places: 4th Tudur Jones, 6 Christopher Readwin, 8th Non Crimes, 14th Tomos Green, 22nd Elin Evans. In the under-16s, there were thirteen runners, 1st Rhys Williams, 3rd Jack Caulkett, 4th Harri Rivers, 5th Violet Caulkett, 8th Maddie Caulkett, 12th Gwenllian Jones and 13th Llŷr Rees. Da iawn pawb!
Sixty runners took part in the Seniors five-mile race, ranging from as far afield as Halifax, Yorkshire. The race comprised several hill climbs, and took in views across the Teifi Valley, with a final downhill finish back into Drefach. Results in categories were: Open: Male - Ken Caulkett, 00:30:05 (1st overall); Dafydd Lloyd (3rd overall) 00:32:14; Simon Hall 00:32:55. Female: Dee Jolly 00:34:23, Nicola Williams 00:38.39, Nia Venville 00:40:44. Female 24: Jenny Caulkett 00:46:02. Female 35: Sian Roberts Jones 00:40:00, Heather Hughes 00:42:51, Joanna Rosiak 00:43:14. Female 45: Eleri Rivers 00:37:57, Dawn Kenwright 00:41:00, Delyth Crimes 00:41:14. Male 40: Mark Rivers 00:32:33, Nigel Davies 0:33:14, Kevin Hughes 00:33:31. Male 50: Michael Davies 00:32:20, Glyn Price 00:34:24 and Richard Marks 00:36:46.
Further Sarn Helen results: Steffan Thomas 00:34:15, Daniel Jones 00:34:27, Irfon Thomas 00:34:47, Gethin Jones 00:34:48, Eilir Evans 00:36:33, Huw Price 00:37:22, Mitchell Readwin 00:39:12, Carwyn Davies 00:39:47, Paul Edwards 00:40:21, Murray Kisbee 00:41:04, Pamela Carter 00:43:56, Owen McConockie 00:44.23, Marc Davies 00:44:31, Carol Rees 00:44:49, Eric Rees 00:44:49, Amy Edgell 00:45.10, Dorian Rees 00:46:04, Elisha Jones 00:47:59, Nanette John 00:49:42, Haydn Lloyd 00:52:25, Jane Holmes 00:53:01, Emma Gray 00:58:50, Emma Davies 00:58:50, Rebecca Doswell 01:00:34, and Nicola Davies 01:02:64.
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