Nineteen years after breaking the magic four minute barrier for the mile Tom Carter took on a very different challenge at the weekend when he made his marathon debut.
Injuries had interrupted the Prestatyn Running Club member’s training for the London Marathon and so he had not set himself an ambitious target, aiming to simply finish the course.
He took it steady, going through the halfway mark in 1-35.27, and crossed the line in 8,506th place, clocking 3-25.39.
Tom was a Great Britain international while a student, and another of the club’s GB internationals was in great form at the weekend. Oliver-Birch-Jones, who has been selected for the European junior triathlon championships later this year, won the Boundary Park Tri in Cheshire on Sunday, beating 52 other athletes.
His aggregate time was 2-27.13, comprising 11.05 for the 750-metre swim, 1-33.01 for the 55k bike ride and 40.13 for the 10k run, with 2.56 for his two transitions.
Four Prestatyn members completed a hilly “double” when they ran the Moel Wnion fell-race at the weekend, having been among 11 members who turned out in the third race in the Joe Brown Tuesday night series at Moel Lus, near Penmaenmawr.
Though only 4.7-miles long and involving 1,772 feet of ascent, the Moel Lus, which starts from Llanllechid, is a tough one, with steep climbs and a final descent through gorse.
In the latest round of the duel between joint captains Sophie Johnson gained revenge over Mandy Cartwright after being pipped by four seconds earlier in the week.
The placings were: 40 Sophie Johnson 61.58, 43 Mandy Cartwright 64.49, 51 Ann Claire Jones 70.36, 58 James Rogers 76.41.
There was a field of 160 runners for the 5k Moel Lus race and after a steep climb negotiated in single file they were rewarded with stunning views on a perfect evening.
Places: 16 Lee Bailey 27.39, 40 Gareth Jones 29.59, 53 Ceri Vaughan 31.42 (2nd LU23), 110 Mandy Cartwright 38.03, 112 Sophie Johnson 38.07, 115 Martin Cortvriend 38.25 (2nd M70), 137 Ann Claire Jones 41.27, 152 James Rogers 45.41 (3rd M50), 157 Helen Alefounder 47.09, 158 Nem James 47.29, 159 Liz Martin 47.31.
A week after his marathon debut in Manchester Steve Stocker finished third in the Nova Parkrun, understandably in a slightly slower time than usual, with first place going to his fellow Prestatyn member Jamie Betts.
Placings: 1 Jamie Betts 19.10, 3 Steve Stocker 20.16, 26 Andy Clark 24.16, 86 Nicki Triggs 29.53, 113 Emma Birchall 32.31, 131 Jo Edwards 35.25, 132 Ally Reid 35.26, 148 Clare Manley 38.08, 149 Sue Hughes 38.09, 163 Roger Harrison-Jones 42.00.
Nant-y-Pandy Parkrun: 29 Rachel Jackson 28.46, 50 Sion Jones 35.23.
Penthyn: 27 Steve Weedman 23.34, 105 Debbie Weedman 31.29.
Chester: 45 Andy Carter 22.45 (pb), 46 Paul Sanders 22.46, 48 Dave Ellis 22.48, 319 Steve Hatfield 38.41.
Conwy: 20 Darren Thompson 22.03.
Pavilion Gardens (Buxton): 50 Martin Cortvriend 23.53.