Griff Top Road Runner

After a return to competition following a 15-year lay-off Griff has been recognised by being named as the top veteran road-runner in North Wales for 2009.

The award is based on age-graded performances in a range of distances, and Griff topped the M60 class in 5k, 10k and 10 miles, giving him a total percentage of 263.47, with Wrexham’s M45 Mike Robbins second on 257.65.

With the cross-country fixture in Wrexham called off because of the weather – even though the sudden thaw meant the course would have been fit – most members were left without a competition.

Two of the club’s super-veterans, Steve Hatfield and Eddie Naisby, were among the 1,500-strong field for the Shell Four Villages Half-Marathon in Helsby and both finished second in their categories.

Steve – “Mr Consistency” - clocked 1-40.54 and at the age of 81 Eddie was second in the M75 class with a time of 2-06.12.

Griff Owens will be among several members looking for a return to racing in this Saturday’s Twin Piers 10k from Llandudno to Colwyn Bay.

 

 

THERE was a late bonus for Prestatyn Running Club following the Welsh Masters’ Cross-Country Championships in Builth Wells when it was learned that Neil Owen was awarded second place in the M55 category. The Corwen-based runner is enjoying his first season on the country and finished just a few seconds behind clubmate George Nixon who won the age-group. Neil is now looking forward to the North Wales championships being held on the Rhug Estate at Corwen, which is only a few hundred yards from his home. The championships, sponsored by Rhug Organics, take place on January 30. The Prestatyn club can now boast an amazing record in the super-vets’ classes, with George and Neil taking the top two places in the M55 class, Griff Owens in a class of his own in the M60s, Roger Harrison Jones and Dave Hughes completing a 1-2 in the over-70s’ section and Eddie Naisby probably the best over-80s’ runner in Wales if not the UK. At the club’s pre-Christmas social the draw for the two places in next year’s London Marathon was won by club chairman Arwel Jones and Nene Holmes. Arwel presented the award for winning the annual handicap series to Helen Ashworth and runners-up Helen Baxandall, Angel Alonso and Magda Fattah. It was another successful evening for Griff Owens, who received his Runner of the Month award for November as well as the award for Saints’ Member of the Year. ends