BRACE STAYS THIRD ON WELSH ALL-TIME LIST
TWO Bridgend AAC runners remain on the top-10 chart of best Welsh Marathon times, writes Tony Poole. This month’s Virgin Money London Marathon saw Josh Griffiths (Swansea Harriers) take possession of sixth place.
In taking the London Marathon bronze medal for British runners in finishing 18th overall, he sliced one minute, 24 seconds off a personal best (pb) to set the bar at 2:13:11.
And North Walian Charlie Hulson, who is a member of the Liverpool Harriers club, now occupies ninth place on the listing having run a pbtime of 2:13:34 in the London Marathon.
But after clocking 2:10:35 in his pomp back in the 1990’s, Steve Brace remains third while another fine Bridgend marathon man, Dale Rixon, is 10th courtesy of a time of 2:13:41.
The full list of Welsh top-10 Marathon times now reads: Steve Jones (Newport) 2:07:13, Dewi Griffiths (Swansea Harriers) 2:09:49, Steve Brace (Bridgend AAC) 2:10:35, Dennis Fowles (Cardiff AAC) 2:12:12, Tony Simmons (Luton) 2:12:33, Josh Griffiths (Swansea Harriers) 2:13:11, Norman Wilson ( Thames Valley) 2:13:17, Ieuan Ellis (Elswick) 2:13:21, Charlie Hulson (Liverpool Harriers) 2:13:34 and Dale Rixon (Bridgend AAC) 2:13:41.
The 40th staging of the London Marathon was limited to elite runners, who covered the 26.2 miles via 19.7 laps of a COVID-19 secure course around St James’s Park.
And after four-times winner Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) fell away during the closing stages, it resulted in a blanket finish with Shura Kitata (Ethiopia) winning in 2:05:41 while just one second behind came Vincent Kipcumba (Kenya).
Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) retained the women’s title, clocking 2:18:58, from Sara Hall (USA) 2:22:01 and Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya) 2:22:05.
Natasha Cockram of the Mickey Morris Racing Team in Monmouthshire was top Welsh woman in 13th place via a time of 2:33:19. - and it also enabled the Cwmbran-based runner to win the British women’s title.
As the London Marathon of 2020 was unable to follow its usual format, owing to the ongoing coronavirus situation, the 40th staging went global and invited 45,000 runners to take up the unique opportunity to compete.
They had until just before midnight to run, jog or walk the 26.2 miles on a course of their choice.
Stars from the world of sport and media also took part, and they included former Wales and British Lions wing Shane Williams, ex-football star Stephen Warnock, BBC News reader Sophie Raworth and disc jockey Chris Evans.
Though the fun and bravery elements of running the London Marathon were missing from television screens, it was haled a superb unifying event in the midst of COVID-19, as money continued to pour in for charities.
And a message last week on the official London Marathon Twitter account read: “We’ll never forget the 40th London Marathon – thanks go to everyone for being a part of a different event in 2020.
“Throughout the day, you inspired the nation with your incredible efforts.”
BERLIN MARATHON
LAST month marked the 29th anniversary of Bridgend star Steve Brace winning the Berlin Marathon in a sizzling time of 2:10:57.
He was the last British runner to take the Berlin title, and the sprightly 59-year-old runner is now in the midst of his latest quest - “The I Beat Steve Brace Challenge”.
He’s throwing down the challenge to the latest generation of 10K runners to this month beat the time that he sets.
And last week, Brace changed track from the Porthcawl 5K Parkrun course from the seafront up to Rest Bay, in favour of the Bridgend County countryside.
On the same day that the London Marathon was contested, in wet and windy conditions he rolled back the years in completing a half marathon.
JUNIOR CROSS COUNTRY
IT’S hoped a pilot junior cross country event staged earlier in the month by the Cookham club in Berkshire will have ramifications in Wales.
The Junior Performance Cross Series was launched on an invitational basis with two Welsh clubs – Cardiff Archers and Carmarthen Harriers – sending competitors to the event.
Normally, the cross country season is just getting under starter’s orders, and this event went some way to ending the drought.
It’s believed it was the first cross county event to be staged since the March lockdown with 12-strong waves of runners (two waves per age group) contesting the races.
Strict COVID-19 rules were observed with no spectators present, and the hope now is that Welsh Athletics will soon follow suit.