ATHLETICS
JAMES HUNT went through the gears in driving to victory last Saturday in the 198th Porthcawl Parkrun, writes Tony Poole.
The Bridgend-based runner, who is a member of the Cardiff club, registered a personal best time of 15mins 35secs.
This also represented a fourth best time since Porthcawl Parkrun was introduced in April 2013 – and it also sliced 10 seconds off his previous best.
In cold conditions on Porthcawl seafront, an initial inspection for ice was made before 292 competitors faced the starter with 27 of them first-timers.
James Carpenter hammered away to claim second spot in 17:13 and next home was another unattached runner, Matthew Verran, who clocked 19:03. Six other runners carded sub-20 minute times, and they came from Rowan Hobbs (Brackla Harriers) 19:15, Ian Edwards (unattached) 19:24, Dave Dickson (Porthcawl Runners) 19:26, Jordan Groves (unattached) 19:38, Steve Hogan (Cornelly Striders) 19:53 and Ian Ogilvie (Brackla Harriers) 19:56.
There were also fine runs from Dave Carrington (Bridgend) 20:13, Wilf Edwards (Porthcawl Runners) 20:15 and Adrian Phillips (unattached) 20:27.
Top female and 29th overall was Deborah Goule (Porthcawl Runners), recording 21:59, from Joanne Edwards (unattached) 43rd in 22:20 and Ceri Thomas (Bridgend) 45th in a personal best time of 22:49.
The organisers expressed thanks to everyone who donated Bridgend Foodbank items - and to Louise Hogan for organising it, proving there is more to the event than just runners.
And with the 200th event fast approaching on Saturday week, it’s been decided that the race theme is Burns Night, and competitors can turn up in anything with a Scottish link.
In the annual points competition for men, Wilf Edwards (Porthcawl Runners) tops the chart with 3,358 points and Deborah Goule is female leader on 3,849 points.
Turning to Sunday’s 71st Bridgend Junior 2k Parkrun in Newbridge Fields, Devin Coombes charged to victory in a time of 6mins 59secs.
This was only seven seconds outside the competition record that he set last July.
Just 48 seconds back came Dafydd Pratchett while a third Bridgend runner, Jack O’Brien, clocked 8:05.
Ellie Evans (Bridgend) was top female and fourth overall in 8:14, and there was a personal best from Aled James 8:26.
Ioan Phillips was sixth, registering 8:37, and next to finish were Anna-Rose Merchant 8:46, Mia Allen (both Bridgend) 9:04 and Joshua Morgan 9:06.
They were followed home by five females – Abigail Morgan 9:23, Niamh O’Brien 9:29, Nancy McAllister 9:34, Georgia Smele 9:35 and Jessica Crawley (both Bridgend) 9:37.
There were 23 other personal best times and they came from Freya Allen (Cornelly Striders), Henry Willsher, Gruffydd James, Evan Jenkins, Jack Morgan, Jake Watts, Sophia Miles, Amy Carey, Dylan Motley, Evie Richards (Warburtons), Wil Morgans, Faith Lambert, Ollie Edwards, Maisie Morgans, Matilda Humphreys, Lucy Morgan, Rose Jenkins, Finley Williams, Lucy Clarke, Amber Furlong, Sian Murphy, Eluned-May Lambert and Charlotte Moon.
Interest in Parkruns in Wales is growing by the week, and last Saturday another new event was due to be launched in Newport.
But the Riverfront 5k Parkrun at the Kingsway was called off, owing to the icy state of the course.
Meanwhile, two local clubs are extending innovative running opportunities for newcomers.
Porthcawl Runners have introduced a “Couch to 5k” plan aimed at the benefits to be gained from running.
With New Year’s resolutions very much in vogue, and for some it’s either losing weight or getting fit, then “Couch to 5k” might well be right up your street.
The three-nightly course for beginners got underway last Monday, and it runs for nine weeks.
The cost is just £27, and that works out at just £1 per session.
Porthcawl RFC in South Road is the meeting place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings at 6.15pm.
Further details are available from either email at c25k@porthcawlrunners.com or via their dedicated Facebook page PorthcawlRunnersc25k.
And Cwm Ogwr Runners have recently introduced a “Zero to Hero” scheme which is also aimed at people looking to lose weight and get fit through running.
Each step will take newcomers closer to their goal and carrying out a New Year’s resolution.
The meeting place for Cwm Ogwr newcomers is Pandy Park in Ynysawdre every Sunday morning at 10am.
Finally, the Merthyr Mawr Trail Running Festival has been shortlisted along with 11 others in the new events section of the Evenbrite 2017 Running Awards.
The event was launched last summer, proving a resounding success, and now local runners have a chance to vote with their feet for Merthyr Mawr to give it an even higher profile.
The main features in the fledgling event were the 7m Rabbit Run; 18m Great Rabbit along with a variety of family races.
Evenbrite has again been chosen as the platform for the 2017 awards, and this year’s ceremony is being staged on April 20 at the O2 Arena in SouthEast London.