Nick Beer 10k

Race report courtesy of Ceri Cook

Eight Buckley runners braved the blustery, wintry conditions on Sunday 12^th February to take part in the Nick Beer 10k in Llandudno, which also doubled up as a Welsh Inter-Regional Championship. This challenging road race was first held in 1993, in memory of a local North Wales Road Runners’ member Nick Beer, and the race was a sell-out before race day with over 700 entries.

The 10 km route starts at the promenade in Llandudno and follows Marine Drive around the Great Orme before returning for a faster (predominantly downhill) second half, with the finish this year at the same place as the start on the promenade. Prior to race day, it was anticipated that the course record of 30:34 would be under threat with Andrew Davies (Stockport Harriers AC and a member of the 2018 Welsh Athletics Commonwealth Games Team) on the start line, but with a strong gusting wind against the runners on the climb, conditions were far from ideal for course records or personal bests and Andrew’s winning time was 32:36.

Elliott Cox (representing the North Wales Team) was the first Buckley runner home, finishing an outstanding 5^th overall in a time of 35:02, followed by Rob Mahoney (43:42), and Ceri Cook (representing the North Wales Masters Team) who was 9^th female overall and 1^st Female V50 (44:02). Stephen Bellis was next to cross the finish line as 2^nd MV60 (44:53), followed by Ian Hogg (45:16), Rob Ashcroft (54:51), Holly Savage (1:00.20), and Jack Thomas with a win in the V75 age group (1:00.51).

Elliott Cox and Ceri Cook were also part of the winning North Wales male senior and female masters’ teams, respectively (and Elliott rounded off a very successful day with a win in the raffle!).