Porthcawl Runnerslife at Margam Park (West Glamorgan XC League)

12-01-2012

Porthcawl Runnerslife Race Report(s):

Ladies Team Report: (courtesy of Rebecca Hambrook)

Against the stunning background of hills, castle and lake we sank into the mud waiting for the off.  Luckily all the field managed to pull their studs and spikes out of the ooze in an obscene slurping chorus.  Up the first hill to a joyous feast of bog, miniature railway line, marsh and a ditch to leap.  For me the best course that I've run so far this season, tough due to the mud especially in the 200m to the finish but with very runnable flowing hills.

Hats off to a powerful Port Talbot Harriers team who dominated their home fixture but a big cheer also for our own women who produced some superb runs to keep the team well placed in Division 1.  Sharon Ford led us home in 12th place in 26:27 (4th F40) a good time on such a tough course and after the race Sharon confided: -

"It was very muddy, which made it hard work. I had my chance to beat Charlotte (Brackla Harriers) but blew it on the last 40m. I went wide to avoid the mud and she overtook me. However, to be fair she would have been in front of me before that but she had to go back for her shoe, which stuck in the mud within the first 2 mins of the race starting. I had nothing left to give. On the whole it went well, got some points for team. The next one is in 2 weeks, round that lake. Not looking forward to it but I must do it"

Sharon was followed home in 16th by Nicola Thomas in 27:13 (4th F45) and Rebecca Hambrook 22nd in 28:59 (1st F60).  Elaine Kelleher was next in 30:04 for an excellent 28th place (5th F35) and was closely followed by Romana Maine who had risen from her sick bed for the event and only just lost out to her rival from Brackla in a great sprint finish.  In her condition and on this tough course her 30th place in 30:12 (4th F50) was a fantastic run.  The team's efforts were rounded off by a great Cross Country debut for Helen Beale who finished in 34th place in 31:08 (4th Senior Woman).
 
After three fixtures the ladies team is placed 3rd place in the 1st Division so our good season continues. It is also pleasing to note that three of our runners are well placed in the overall individual standings after the first three league fixtures.  Nicola Thomas lies a brilliant 4th, Sharon Ford 10th and Rebecca Hambrook 15th.
 
To Romana's everlasting joy and for those who don't enjoy making mud pies the next fixture will be a road race at Margam (around the TATA Steel reservoir) on January 22nd.

Ladies Results:

1 Claire Phillips (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 23.08 (F40)
2 Hannah Jarvis Guest 23.54
3 Jemima Osborn (Swansea Harriers) 24.35 U20
4 Sandra Pinkham (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 24.51 (F45)
5 Katie Reynolds (Swansea Harriers) 25.02 U20
6 Claire Cleathero (Tata Steel) 25.15 (F35)
7 Michelle Grey (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 25.42
8 Jayne Arnold (Celtic Tri) 25.49 (F40)
9 Louise Miskell (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 26 (F40)
10 Leanne Gibbs (Celtic Tri) 26.23 (F40)
11 Charlotte Johns (Brackla) 26.24 (F45)
12 Sharon Ford (Porthcawl Runnerslife) 26.27 (F40)
13 Mandy Morris (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 26.33 (F35)
14 Caroline Sandles (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 26.5 (F45)
15 Ceri Brambley-Tucker (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 26.59 (F40)
16 Nicola Thomas (Porthcawl Runnerslife) 27.13 (F45)
17 Pauline Williams (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 27.18 (F50)
18 Sian Phillips (Swansea Harriers) 28.17 (F50)
19 Andrea Starritt (Brackla) 28.37 (F40)
20 Libby Lavis (Brackla) 28.48 (F50)
21 Hannah Austin (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 28.5 U20
22 Rebecca Hambrook (Porthcawl Runners Life) 28.59 (F60)
23 Judith Oakley (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 29.1 (F45)
24 Lisa Williams (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 29.25
25 Helen Ross (Swansea Harriers) 29.37 (F35)
26 Kirsten Tucker (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 29.45 (F35)
27 Anne Marie Jones (Amman Valley Harriers) 29.48
28 Elaine Kelleher (Porthcawl Runnerslife) 30.04 (F35)
29 Tammy Razmick (Brackla) 30.11 (F35)
30 Romana Maine (Porthcawl Runnerslife) 30.12 (F50)
31 Jayne Scheiss (Celtic Tri) 30.32 (F35)
32 Alison Griffiths (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 31 (F40)
33 Karen Aitchison (Celtic Tri) 31.08 (F40)
34 Helen Beale (Porthcawl Runnerslife) 31.08
35 Linda Rees (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 31.22 (F50)
36 Margaret Reynolds (Swansea Harriers) 31.26 (F50)
37 Christina Hurdidge (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 31.49 (F60)
38 Patricia Jones (Brackla) 31.59 (F55)
39 Debbie Veck (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 32.06 (F40)
40 Laura Chapple (Celtic Tri) 33.3
41 Michelle Davies (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 33.38 (F40)
42 Sue Cook (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 33.52
43 Fay Sharpe (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 34.26 (F50)
44 Salli Davies (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 34.26 (F35)
45 Jill Colman (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 34.53 (F45)
46 Carol Vyner (Celtic Tri) 35.3 (F40)
47 Linda Waller (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 35.47 (F55)
48 Sian Roberts (Celtic Tri) 36.09
49 Barbara Thomas (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 37.43 (F60)
50 Danielle Harris (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 41.39
51 Paula Stockney (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 45.55

Mens Team Report: (courtesy of Will Edwards)

The 850 acre country estate of Margam Park is one of the major ancient settlements of Glamorgan. It's history can be traced back to pre-historic times, Bronze and Iron Age relics abound the area, and evidence exists of Roman and extensive Celtic occupation, the deer herd probably introduced by the Romans.

Margam Park has been a place of particular religious importance throughout it's history. The Norman Abbey, founded in the mid 12th Century. The remains of the Abbey are extensive including the ruined Chapter House where my daughter Alex enjoyed playing as a toddler (she's now 16).

Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, successive owners built and rebuilt their houses on the Abbey site. In the late 18th century considerable redevelopment took place, under the Mansel Talbot family, the area was laid out on classical lines as parkland and the famous Orangery built which remains one of the largest and most outstanding buildings of its kind in the country.

In the early 19th century the park was further enhanced and extended and the present Margam Castle was built. This Tudor 'style' Mansion remained in use until the end of the second world war, and the ensuing quarter of a century of neglect took its toll and the building was in a badly deteriorated condition when acquired by the present owners.

The Park was officially opened to the public in 1977 and the deer must have seen some bizarre sights but perhaps none more so than over 200 local athletes trudging through the muddy fields, leaping streams and staggering over railway tracks.

We did try slipping a club vest of a few but they were too quick to catch.

Some of those athletes were running pretty quickly too, including my team-mates Tom Davis and Geraint Lewis who always put in good performances for our club, keeping us moving up the league tables.

We've got a great group of runners - one ladies, one mens senior and one mens veterans team entered in the West Glam League and most of us are newbies to cross country. Days upon days of rain meant that today we were tested severely on a very boggy, muddy course. Personally, it was only the cheers and camaradarie of the the team that got me round.

There's always a bit of banter between the runners from different clubs and lots of chatting out on the course and shouts of encouragement.

Margam Park is a remarkably diverse and varied landscape within which there is evidence of over 4000 years of continuous habitation and use by man. I just wish they hadn't used it for cross country!

As the race progressed it soon became apparent that my body was rejecting the idea of slogging through the mud on a Sunday morning and already had moved on to Sunday Lunch, leading to a dislocation of me from my mojo and a rather embarassing post Christmas run.

Luckily for me, my team-mates made a better fist of it, with Tom Davis, Geraint Lewis, Chris Jenkins, Terry Jones and Rob Scott picking up the points for the Mens Senior Team. Roger Davis, Julian Maine, Tony Phillips, Dave Breen and Mark Clatworthy picked up the points for the Mens Veterans Team. Chris Johnson bravely ran this as his first cross country for the club and put up a good showing.

Sharon Ford, Nicola Thomas, Rebecca Hambrook, Elaine Kelleher and Romana Maine picked up the points for the ladies in their considerably shorter race (so much for equal opportunities lol).

The post run celebrations were at the Prince of Wales, Kenfig for Tony Phillips birthday - Sunday lunch and chocolate cake supplied by Coach Gareth Roper.

It's all to play for in the next fixture at Tata on 22nd Jan. See you there.

Mens Results:

1 Mark Roberts (Swansea University) 34.31 (V40)
2 Daniel Beynon (Swansea Harriers MMTG) 35.18
3 Tom Davis (Porthcawl Runnerslife) 36.00 (U20)
4 James Hocking (Celtic Tri) 36.12
5 Gareth Ayres (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 36.27
6 Asley Harper (Swansea University) 37.05
7 Alan Davies (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 37.17 (V55)
8 Ross Macdonald (Swansea Harriers MMTG) 37.3
9 Leighton Williams (Celtic Tri) 37.45
10 Rob Dyde (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 38.01
11 Chris Fulcher (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 38.02 (V40)
12 Richard Lewis (Celtic Tri) 38.11 (V35)
13 Alex Williams (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 38.15 (V40)
14 Richard Mann (Swansea University) 38.25
15 Peter Crane (Neath Black Tuesday) 38.26 (V50)
16 Dean Johnston (Neath Black Tuesday) 38.39
17 Geraint Lewis (Porthcawl Runnerslife) 38.42
18 Neil Jones (Amman Valley Harriers) 38.59 (V35)
19 Christopher Jenkins (Porthcawl Runnerslife) 39.32
20 Lyndsey Christopher (Tata Steel) 40.01 (V40)
21 Stephen Richards (Swansea Harriers MMTG) 40.17
22 Simon Wilson (Swansea Harriers Vets) 40.20 (V45)
23 Hugh Pascoe (Celtic Tri) 40.24
24 Gareth Elliot (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 40.35
25 Chris Lewis (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 40.42 (V35)
26 Dan Thomas (Swansea Harriers MMTG) 40.53
27 Peter Osborne (Swansea Harriers Vets) 40.55 (V50)
28 Alex Lewis (Swansea Harriers MMTG) 40.57
29 Steve Thomas (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 40.58 (V35)
30 Richard Jones (Swansea Harriers Vets) 41 (V50)
31 Andrew Jenkins (Tata Steel) 41.04 (V45)
32 Steve Williams (Neath Black Tuesday) 41.18 (V50)
33 Damian Evans (Guest) 41.24
34 Dave Williams (Guest) 41.24 (V40)
35 Glen Draisey (Swansea Harriers) 41.31 (V45)
36 David Crane (Neath Black Tuesday) 41.32 (V50)
37 Chris Dixon (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 41.33
38 Kevin Lewis (Neath Black Tuesday) 41.42 (V50)
39 Andrew George (Celtic Tri) 41.44
40 Niel Davies (Cornelly Striders A.C.) 41.45 (V50)
41 Paul Davies (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 41.58 (V45)
42 David Hesketh (Cornelly Striders A.C.) 42.10 (V50)
43 John Sinnett (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 42.18 (V55)
44 Terry Jones (Porthcawl Runnerslife) 42.24 (V35)
45 David Parfitt (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 42.28 (V40)
46 Ian Ogilvie (Brackla) 42.38 (V40)
47 Kevin Taylor (Amman Valley Harriers) 42.42 (V50)
48 Mark Dunscombe (Sarn Helen) 42.44 (V50)
49 Bernie Henderson (Port Talbot Harriers Vets) 42.46 (V55)
50 Steve Gibbons (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 42.54
51 Roger Davis (Porthcawl Runnerslife Vets) 42.56 (V55)
52 Gary Davies (Celtic Tri) 42.58 (V45)
53 Huw Matthias (Tata Steel) 43.08 (V40)
54 Mark Terry (Trots) 43.19 (V50)
55 Paul Jelley (Port Talbot Harriers Vets) 43.52 (V45)
56 Paul Rees (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 44.01 (V45)
57 Steve Raikes (Celtic Tri) 44.06
58 Andrew Munday (Brackla) 44.25 (V35)
59 Robert Scott (Porthcawl Runners Life) 44.4
60 Hywel Jones (Amman Valley Harriers) 44.45 (V45)
61 Peter Turner (Cornelly Striders A.C.) 45.08 (V60)
62 Dean Hardie (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 45.18 (V50)
63 Julian Maine (Porthcawl Runnerslife Vets) 45.24 (V50)
64 Colin Price (Tata Steel) 45.31 (V50)
65 Mike Evans (Neath Black Tuesday) 45.4 (V50)
66 Mike Tate (Celtic Tri) 45.48 (V40)
67 Richard Webster (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 46.07 V55
68 Geraint Jenkins (Amman Valley Harriers) 46.29 (V40)
69 Paul Arnold (Celtic Tri) 46.33 (V40)
70 Alan Jones (Brackla) 46.37 (V55)
71 Alan Perkins (Port Talbot Harriers & A.C.) 46.43 (V60)
72 Paul Colman (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 46.5 (V50)
73 Lawrence Worth (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 46.59 (V45)
74 Peter Deacon (Swansea Harriers Vets) 47.01 (V50)
75 Will Edwards (Porthcawl Runnerslife) 47.48 (V35)
76 Owen Price (Tata Steel) 48.04
77 Mario Rabaiotti (Port Talbot Harriers Vets) 48.07 (V45)
78 Barry Morgan (Brackla) 48.15
79 Dave Griffiths (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 48.16 (V45)
80 Rees Roberts (Celtic Tri) 48.19 (U20)
81 Dan Palmer (Guest) 48.23
82 Anthony Phillips (Porthcawl Runnerslife Vets) 48.34 (V45)
83 Steve Ridout (Brackla) 48.37 (V35)
84 Ross Poiner (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 48.4 (V35)
85 Dave Breen (Porthcawl Runnerslife Vets) 48.59 (V55)
86 Jason Owen (Tata Steel) 49.46
87 Dan Colman (Pembrokeshire Harriers) 49.54 U20
88 Simon Sheperd (Amman Valley Harriers) 50.21 (V40)
89 Terry Jones (Celtic Tri) 51.22 (V55)
90 John Ayres (Port Talbot Harriers Vets.) 51.23 (V55)
91 Colin Anthony (Port Talbot Harriers Vets.) 52.24 (V65)
92 Chris Johnson (Porthcawl Runnerslife) 52.53
93 Mark Clatworthy (Porthcawl Runnerslife Vets) 53.3 (V40)
94 Ray James (Port Talbot Harriers Vets.) 53.49 (V50)
95 John Sanderson (3M's Gorseinon R.R.) 54.47 (V50)
96 Simon Carter (Brackla) 54.59 (V35)
97 Ian Stratton (Brackla) 55.27 (V40)
98 Richard Pearson (Brackla) 56.3 (V45)
99 Keith Treharne (Brackla) 56.39 (V65)
100 Ralph Allemano (Swansea Harriers Thursdays) 56.55 (V60)
101 Adrian Ross (Guest) 57.16 (V50)
102 John Davies (Port Talbot Harriers Vets) 57.19 (V60)
103 Ian Swanson (Port Talbot Harriers Vets) 57.28 (V60)
104 Mark Biscoe (Celtic Tri) 57.31 (V35)

West Glamorgan XC League Tables:

Here you may view the latest West Glamorgan XC League Tables

Photographs: (courtesy of Chis Fulcher)

Here you may view Race Photographs.

Club XC Championship:

You may view the latest Club XC Championship Table on the website under XC.