Various news updates are posted below.
(For images and virtuoso piano playing please see our instagram or facebook pages)
Firstly, we look at Saturdays Rabbit run trail race, with 12k and 40k options covering the vast expanse of the Merthyr Mawr estate!
In the 40k, we had 3๏ธ athletes competing! A huge well done to all for finishing! A huge well done to Laura McClelland, who finished 4th woman & ๐ฅ F40 and Lee Dando, who finished 5th overall & ๐ฅ M40!
We had 9๏ธ athletes in the 12k! Results include:
- Alfie Sargeant ๐ฅ MU20
- Wayne Humphries ๐ฅ M50
In an interview after the race, Matt Jones said: โRabbit run? RABBIT DONEโ
From Merthyr Mawr to Gogledd Cymru, where Rachel Lammin & Owain Zerilli completed the Ras yr Wyddfa! The course involved a 10 mile race up and down the tallest mountain in Wales! Truly amazing running! ๐
Saturday also saw Gethin Evans taking part in the 100 mile rat race in Northumberland, huge kudos for completing 60 miles of challenging and hilly terrain!
Finally, Matt Green did a PB on the piano and gave a wonderful rendition of โEspressoโ to Reading train station on Saturday morning ๐ถ
Turning to Sunday, and the Wye Valley, where Joseph Mordey & Rory McDermott completed the Wye Valley tunnel run! The route involves a 4km tunnel, how cool is that!
(For images please see our facebook page or instagram feed.)
At Croups, we pride ourselves on being a club whoโs members take part in a variety of events over lots of different terrain, and last weekend proved that in spades ๐
We first start with the track events. On Wednesday, Ed Foster ran a hugely impressive 1:58 in the 800m in Watford. This was followed on Saturday by impressive runs from Alfie and Vaughan in the 1500m inter regional races in Carmarthen! ๐
From track, to Fell racing, on Saturday evening in 30 degree heat, Sam Wilson finished 7th in the Guto Nyth Bran race in Caerphilly! Dom Shields also competed in the 6 mile race with almost 1300 feet of climbing! ๐งโโ๏ธ
From fell racing, to, according to Arwel, โsome mental 50 mile trail race in the Alpsโ, where the brilliant Lowri Morgan finished 11th amongst in a high quality field! The event in question is called the Trail Verbier St-Bernard Trail Race!
Turning to Sunday, Louise Flynn finished ๐ฅ Lady and ๐ฅ overall in the Ludlow Half Marathon. Gareth Logan came ๐ฅ overall in the 5k. We have been informed that Gareth and Louise got the train down, so they lead the standings in furthest travelled by train for a Sunday morning race ๐
From Ludlow to Torfaen Paul Francis finished an impressive ๐ฅ in the V50 age category with a fab time 35:20 in the Mic Morris 10k! ๐ฅ
In the Ammanford 10k, Janneke Van Beijnum finished ๐ฅ in the F45 age category, with Emyr Morgan finishing ๐ฅ M50! Huge results from the super couple ๐
Lastly, but very much not least, a huge well done to Tim Gibbons for completing the Half Ironman in Swansea! Tim finished 8th in his age group, absolutely top performance! ๐
ย
ย
The start of July was a popular week of racing for the Croups! ๐ด๐ข
Starting on Wednesday, Judi Rhys competed in the Run4All 5K in Aberavon. Finishing in 24:08, Judi came ๐ฅ in the F60-69 age category ๐
Jenny Martin completed the tour of Merseyside, a week of running which took place in six different venues across Merseyside, covering 52 miles over 7 days. A huge congrats Jenny ๐
Thursday saw the return of the Tintern Trot, a 5.5 mile multi terrain race in the heart of the Wye Valley. The race is part of our off road club championships, so we had lots of croups participating, and category wins:
- Menโs team ๐ฅ
- Owain Zerilli ๐ฅ overall
- Steve Chadwell ๐ฅ MV50
- Julie Scholey ๐ฅ FV65
- Clive Osmond ๐ฅ MV65
- Howard Kent ๐ฅ MV70
- Nicola Mason ๐ฅFV70
- Mike Murphy ๐ฅ MV70
Saturday saw 30 Croups venture to the Cotswolds to participate in the Cotswolds Way Relay. Our teams did themselves proud over the 103 mile off road course, which was split into 10 stages ๐
In the preliminary category results:
- Open team finished 9th (14th overall)
- Vets team finished 13th (78th overall)
- Mixed team finished 16th (66th overall)
We begin Sunday at 5am on the other side of the world, where Rachel Hooper ran 57:04 in the Hat Yai 10k, Thailand.ย Looks like a beautiful race in a wonderful country ๐
From the beaches of Thailand, to the beaches of Trecco Bay, where over 30 Croups were representing the club at the Porthcawl 10k! A huge well done to all who took part! ๐ซถ
We had a number of notable performances:
- Alaw Beynon-Evans ๐ฅ F35 & 4th women
- Louise Flynn ๐ฅ F40
- Andy Blair ๐ฅ M60
- Judi Rhys ๐ฅ F66
- Wayne Humphries ๐ฅM50
- Carl Nealon 1 second negative split between first and second 5k
Lastly, but certainly not least, Ben Beckingsale had a great performance at the Great North 10k in Newcastle on Sunday, setting his second fastest 10k time on a hilly course! ๐
Some dates for your diary
The below is the information to hand about the coming season's Gwent League fixtures:
2025
Sat 11 Oct - Margam Park
Sat 8 Nov - Llandaff Fields (with Cardiff Cross Challenge)
Sat 6 Dec - Blaise Castle, Bristol
2026
Sat 7 Feb - Chepstow Race Course
Sat 28 Feb or Sun 1 Mar - Penlan, Brecon or Parc Bryn Bach TBA
With thanks to Jeff Aston.
ย
Howard Kent's video of the track 3000 metres event can be found below.
Read more: ย Video
ย
A playlist of Howard Kent's WCR videos can be found using the link below, enjoy!
ย
Howard Kent's latest musical production can be found here:
ย
Paul Stillman's finish line images from Wednesday's event can be found below. (Disclaimer -ย Les Croupiers Running Club will not be held in any way responsible for that weird grimace you were making.)
ย
Links to Paul Stillman's images can be found below. Lots of Green and Red!
ย
Links to Paul Stillman and Leo Holmes' images below.
Experience the Senior Women and Masters Men race at Brecon by clicking the link below.
ย
The following advice is intended to keep our runners SAFE at all times!
It is also essential that, whilst out running as a club, we are seen to be polite, responsible, set a good example & not put others at risk.
AT ALL TIMES BE SAFE BE SEEN! You can never be too visible! During the day, always wear bright or light-coloured clothing - fluorescent is good.
At night we would strongly recommend that people ALWAYS wear light-coloured clothing plus a REFLECTIVE (not just fluorescent) bib or sash.
Clip on flashers are a great way to be seen. NEVER ASSUME YOU'VE BEEN SEEN. Always be cautious with traffic.
We would like to remind people that they are responsible for their own safety and that they run at their own risk.ย