Races > Castles | Father Time | Barry 40
The London Marathon accepts over 45,000 entries, of whom about 30,000 start. The Barry 40, in the form of M McGeoch, accepts 50, and about 35 show up. A lot drop out in both. There the similarities end.
Over for another year! 2010 results as a 13Kb Excel spreadsheet or as a Web page. Race report as a 188Kb MS Word document.
Some photos.
The race incorporated the 21st edition of the Welsh Ultradistance Championship, with 9 entries accepted, 8 of whom started and 7 completed the full distance. The entry of Mark Roberts of Swansea Harriers was a very welcome and interesting one. A former winner of both Cardiff and Snowdonia Marathons, as well as holder of a silver medal from the Comrades Ultra Marathon in 2007, Mark clearly had the potential to both win and post a fast time. He made his intentions clear from the gun, and by 18 miles was over 4 laps clear, when he stopped with a combination of asthmatic and allergy problems. He restarted after receiving attention and continued for 4 further miles, before the same problem intervened. Retiring from the race was the only realistic option, but in doing so he hopes to return in 2011.
This left ultra debutant Sean McCormack leading the Welsh Championship. Sean, from Abergele Harriers, had decided on a conservative strategy, ignoring the leaders and running even seven minute miles. It was a plan which was to serve him well, as he maintained this tempo, and took the championship by ten minutes, as well as finishing third in the race overall.
Jeremy Mower from Gloucester AC was another to run a conservative race, and this also produced a handsome reward of a ten minute PB as well as the Welsh Championship silver medal. The bronze medal went to local man Gary Hyatt from the host club Les Croupiers. Gary took his tally to 9 finishes from 12 starts in the Barry 40, and received the added bonus of a new Welsh Over 60 record for his excellent clocking of 5:47:45.
The Welsh Ladies Championship was perhaps the most competitive in the race?s history, with Jen Salter (Les Croupiers) and Emily Gelder (Dulwich Runners) running stride for stride through the first 10 miles. On Lap 46 however, Emily took the lead, which she was never to lose. Looking strong throughout, Emily?s winning time of 5:04:14 represented a new Championship record, and only Ann Franklin?s then world best of 4:47:27 in the inaugural run in 1986 is faster by a Welsh lady.
Jen Salter also maintained a strong tempo throughout, and her silver medal in 5:19:21 must give her great confidence for the Marathon des Sables next month.
Loretta Daley (Les Croupiers) had a marvelous run for the bronze medal, her 5:55:15 representing a new personal best by 10 minutes.
Our race is a 40 mile (more than half as far again) ultramarathon held on the running track at the Jenner Park Stadium, Barry (home of Barry Town FC).
Ever heard the phrase No guts, no glory? Well, there’s no glory, in the form of public men or cheering crowds, here. And you have to bring your own guts. On the other hand, hills are definitely out.
Like London, however, this race is always oversubscribed, and the same people keep coming back. However, as the event runs to just shy of 161 laps, it demands that the number of marshals, in the form of lap counters, equal, or nearly equal, the number of runners. We would therefore be grateful if each entrant could bring a friend to perform this function.
There is a time limit of 6 hours, which equates to nine-minute miling, or slightly better than 4 hour marathon pace. By the early afternoon, the sun has sunk behind the stadium stand, and the marshals all huddle like penguins in the middle of the pitch. So, however inclusive we’d like to be, come 4 o’clock, everyone wants to be somewhere warmer.
Google Map (using the postcode CF62 9BG).
Map showing Jenner Park (not marked), courtesy of Multimap.com.
Streetmap.com map. Again, Jenner Park is not drawn on the map.
UK Running Track Directory description of Jenner Park.
There are some photos courtesy of Rachael Elliott.
Results and report. Some Photos.
Mick wrote the Race Report and results as a 131 KB Word Document.
Still there? Why not send get in contact? NB No entries on day. This event is open only to those who have specifically trained and planned for it.
Races > Castles | Father Time | Barry 40
Last updated 21 March 2010
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