‘The Welsh have found a new use for sheep…………… ‘Wool and Meat’!! The 25^th Welsh Castles Relay 9/10 June 2007

Scenery: 10 Stunning

Atmosphere: 10 Great support from all clubs taking part

Organisation: 10 I can’t begin to imagine all the hard work that must go in to organise such a massive event

Value: 10 You will remember the event for the rest of your life

Beginner Friendly: I’ll have to give it another 10. The mountain stages aren’t for the faint hearted, but there are one or two flat stages. All the legs have cut off times (10 minute mile-ing) and one or two fell by the wayside this weekend, (due to the heat).

Do it again: It’s a must do event. I’d go to support even if I was injured. The whole weekend is a great craic.

Leg 1 (9.1 miles) Caernarfon to Penygroes

1^st Clevedon 56:05

27^th (1^st Lady) Chepstow 71:15

28^th Mark Midgley 71:41

39^th BW&FAC 75:07 (Tony Airnes)

54^th LSARR 85:59 (Rae Willoughby)

Leg 2 (10.7) Penygroes to Criccieth Castle

1^st Thames Hare & Hounds 61:08

10^th Alan Glasgow 69:28

17^th Andrea Smith – BW&FAC 1^st Lady 70:58

31^st LSARR 76:28 – Willie Richmond

Leg 3 (12.1) Criccieth to Maentwrog

1^st Bitton RR 70.11

5^th Steve Littler 72:28

19^th 1^st Lady Winchester 80:47

32^nd BW&FAC 86:21 (Ian Close)

40^th LSARR 89:01 Terry Hellings

Leg 4 – Maentwrog to Harlech Castle – 9.4miles

1^st Serpentine 55:04

15^th – 1^st Lady (Team Bath) 64:29

20^th Chris Whitlock 65:47

41^st Bob Massey BW&F AC 75:27

44^th Lytham 76:49 – Trevor Willoughby

Leg 5 – Harlech Castle to Barmouth – 9.6 miles

1^st Clevedon 58:53

15^th 1^st Lady Serpentine 69:01

29^th John Bradley BW&F AC 74:03

34^th Reg Chapman 78:13

45^th Lytham 82:57 Roy Stevens

Leg 6 – Barmouth to Dolgellau – 10.7 miles

1^st Serpentine 62:36

23^rd Trevor Uttley BW&F AC 77:37

36^th 1^st Lady Winchester 83:03

55^th Derek Goodenough 99:52

58^th= Lytham 207:00 Rosemary Reid

Leg 7 – Dolgellau to Dinas Mawddwy 9.75miles

1^st Thames Hare & Hounds 54:54

17^th Stephen Hargreaves (Lytham) 65:15

22^nd John Bertenshaw 67:10

25^th Johny Houghton 68:47 (BW&F AC)

26^th – 1^st Lady Serpentine 69:52

Leg 8 – Dinas Mawddwy to Foel – 11.2 miles

1^st Serpentine 62:53

12^th – 1^st Lady Winchester 70:36

31^st Joanna Goorney 80:16

34^th Tony Codling BW&F AC 80:48

48^th Lytham 88:42 Dave Wood

Stage 9 – Foel to Llanfair Caereinion – 8.6 miles

1^st South Wales Police 45:01

22^nd – 1^st Lady TeamBath AC 63:25

28^th Tony Croft BW&F AC 65:02

31^st Sarah Sherratt 65:20 (3^rd Lady)

49^th Lytham 76:00 – Marie Wilcock

Stage 10 – Llanfair Caereinion to Newtown – 13.3 miles

1^st South Wales Police 70:00

14^th – 1^st Lady 83.45 Winchester

18^th Steve Myerscough 86:29

20^th Les Endean BW &F AC 86:56

45^th Lytham 97:15 – Dave Dunn

Saturday Leaderboard

1^st Thames 10:44:35

23^rd Wesham 12:31:44

25^th BW&F AC 12:41:06

47^th Lytham 14:05:26

Leg 11 – Newtown to Llanbadarn Fynydd – 12.3 miles

1^st Thames 67:22

3^rd Alex Rowe 71:03

10^th – 1^st Lady Winchester 76:30

15^th John Wright BW& F AC 77:14

58^th Lytham 106:20 – Melanie Koth

Leg 12 – Llanbadarn Fynydd to Crossgates – 11.2 miles

1^st Serpentine 64:22

10^th – 1^st Lady Serpentine 69:58

27^th – Bev Wright BW&F AC 76:30

37^th Graham Vickers 79:16

57^th Lytham 95:20 – Sarah Tatton

Leg 13 – Crossgates to Builth Wells – 10.6 miles

1^st Clevedon 60:10

16^th Graham Davies BW& F AC 77:03

22^nd 1^st Lady Serpentine 71:05

43^rd Finlay McCalman 81:16

55^th Lytham 88:06 – Chris Holland

Leg 14 – Builth Wells to Drovers Arms – 11 miles

1^st South Wales Police 63:47

13^th Julian Mawson 70:45 – Julian’s 3^rd “appearance” for WRR

21^st Stuart Williams 74:22

31^st Lytham 77:33 – Tony Croft

34^th – 1^st Lady Winchester 78:09

Leg 15 – Drovers Arms to Brecon – 12.4 miles

1^st South Wales Police 66:54

4^th & 1^st Lady Winchester 75:43

13^th Lee Barlow 80:55

17^th Mick Cronshaw 82:00

27^th Lytham 84:20 – Graham Webster

Leg 16 (9 miles) Brecon to Beacons Reservoir,

John and Elaine Bertenshaw kindly offered to take us to the Start from our Hotel (The Dragon) in Montgomery, so we had time to have breakfast. See http://www.dragonhotel.com/news.cfm

It was a scorching hot weekend and I’d taken plenty of water on board, but somehow it never completely prepares me for the task ahead. I lined up alongside Emily from Lytham and Gary Johnson from Blackpool. I hadn’t run since my accident on Tuesday and Emily hadn’t run since our Handicap on Monday.

The profile for our course looked horrendous, but in reality it didn’t seem too bad to me, though I was disappointed with my run. (Maybe the heat played its part?)

I was leading Gary and Emily for two miles until Gary came past and dropped me almost immediately. There wasn’t really room to run two abreast, but I couldn’t stay with him anyway. I started to daydream slightly and all of a sudden Emily came alongside and said, “Hi”, and I jumped out of my skin. (I was in a world of my own). Emily went ahead, but never got too far in front. We were getting great support from the cars and minibuses going past. Graham was blowing his Pot Noodle Horn and another minibus had a lady hanging out of the window making a racket with a cowbell. Lytham were decked out in green wigs! One guy looked at my number and said, “You’re never a Vet”. He put a smile on my face and a renewed spring in my step…………until he said exactly the same thing to the next Vet in front!!

A Dulwich runner in front of Emily offered to stand aside to let Emily past. Emily said she was alright and stayed where she was. However, I was feeling frisky and decided to take off and see if I could find Gary. The Dulwich runner overtook me again, but he didn’t have the legs to sustain his effort and I overtook him again. I over took a few more and started to motor. I vaguely recognised the scenery, looked at my watch and realised there can’t be far to go. I had been looking out for the ‘2 miles to go’ and ‘1 mile to go’ balloons, but there weren’t any on this leg or, if they were there, they were well hidden. I asked a marshal, “How far to go?” and he said 400 metres!!! Christ!!!! It was too late to catch Gary, but I think I narrowed the gap considerably. I had desperately wanted to give Michaela and the team a chance on Leg 20 because she was against Brian Hall and Nigel Thompson, Tony Croft, (BWFAC). Graham, Joanna and Steve Myerscough were all taking photos and I can’t wait to see them.

1^st Stroud 46:27

22^nd & 1^st Lady Winchester 60:57

30^th Gary Johnston 62:58

34^th M.E. Bates 63:32

35^th Emily Dennis 63:44

Leg 17 – Beacons Reservoir to Cyfartha Castle – 9.2 miles

1^st Stroud 52:38

14^th & 1^st Lady 59:57

16^th Paul Dunkerley 61:01

36^th Karen Dunford BW&F AC 67:26

47^th Lytham 70:55 – Laura Harris

Leg 18 – Rhyd-y-Car Centre to Abercynon (Navigation Park) – 9.1 miles

1^st San Domenico/Club 69 51:24

19^th & 1^st Lady Serpentine 66:18

25^th Dave Dyson (BW&F AC) 69:06

45^th Lytham 77:28 – Janet O’Doherty

50^th Dette Dickinson 80:47

Leg 19 – Navigation Park to Caerphilly Castle – 10.4 miles

1^st T.R.O.T.S. 62:40

4^th Barry Norman 67:43

20^th & 1^st Lady 78:30

40^th Lytham 86:07 – Nigel Simpkin

41^st Tanya Ashworth BW& F AC 87:00

Leg 20 Caerphilly Castle to Cardiff Castle 10.1 miles (written by Michaela Dempsey)

The temperature was soaring up to the late twenties and all the runners were huddling under a tree in the shade before the final leg of this inspiring two-day event.

It had been a gruelling couple of days for all the athletes, marshals, organisers and supporters as we had all religiously caravanned our way through this inspiringly beautiful country up hill and down through the valleys.

Whilst under the tree I was eyeing up the opposition as I had chosen to do this leg - ‘the glory leg’. Unbeknown to me however, the organisers requested that you put your fastest runner in! Brian Hall from ‘Blackpool Wild and Fried’ cheerily told me the day before, as he was on this leg too!

Before we all set off we had to be checked in by a man with a megaphone, (he reminded me of Martin having one of his short fuse moments!) All 47 of us were required to shout, “Yes” to him calling out the names of our respective clubs. It was in alphabetical order so we were near the end and I braced myself as my voice had gone a bit wonky and I had a cold coming on. When it got to my turn, I filled my lungs, opened my mouth and shouted, “Yes!” Nothing came out. He shouted Wesham again so I ran to the front and strained, “I’ve lost my voice!” And everyone howled!

After the roll call we all moved to the start line and we were off! This is one of the easiest legs and the ‘hills’ are all at the beginning. The heat was searing and the sun was beating down sapping all the energy out of me. We ran on cycle paths for a good part of the leg, some sheltered by trees and some not! I wasn’t passed by anyone and I’d passed a couple. I felt OK actually and then suddenly, I didn’t! I stopped for a drink. There are no mile markers on this course and I thought I’d done about seven. I hadn’t a clue of the time as Martin had commandeered my watch for his leg. I managed to strain out to someone: “How far to go?” To be told: “Only 5 miles.” Five miles! I was seriously slowing by 6-ish (I think) and it became a training pace that felt like race pace.

Throughout the race I could hear people saying: “That’s the girl that’s lost her voice.” I was ‘famous’ for something but it wasn’t going to be my performance!

We ran along the River Taff into Cardiff Park for the latter stage where I ran a lonely race until I was passed by a couple of guys. One of these guys I’d passed as he was walking earlier on and I’d rallied him round by saying: “Don’t stop, and think of the team!”. He was from Cheltenham and had disembarked the Heysham ferry at 5.30 that morning after going to the TT Races!

I knew there was a Les Croupiers lady behind me and I didn’t want her coming past too, but my legs wouldn’t work. I squeaked again and was told: “About two and a half miles.” And again: “Half a mile to go.” Then I saw Lee shouting me on and Martin running towards me. I mustered up some energy, (like you do), as Martin said there were only about 400 metres to go as he was running in with me. I turned onto the cobbled pathway into the castle and it was lined with spectators cheering and clapping, not so much the runners alone, but the fact the two days had been successfully completed and this was it all drawing to a big finale.

As I approached the Finish banner arched with bobbing balloons, I punched the air for our team as it marked the end of a lot of hard work from the organisers, (Alex and Graham), and sweat and toil from the runners and I was as proud as the strutting peacocks by the castle to be part of it!!

1^st Poole 57:58

5^th Nigel Thompson (Lytham) 64:58

8^th & 1^st Lady Serpentine 66:05

17^th Brian Hall BW & F AC 69:08

50^th Michaela Dempsey 1:25:22

Leaderboard Final Positions

1^st Clevedon 21:48:38

19^th BW & F AC 24:48:53

21^st Wesham 24:53:24

46^th Lytham 27:35:17

7^th Wigan 23:03:20

11^th RAF 23:33:36

15^th Vale Royal 24:32:33

20^th Salford 24:52:17

After Michaela’s leg, we listened to the Prize-giving. Alex had won a Monarch of the Mountain Award for his leg. (A lovely Miners Lamp)

A Les Croupiers runner gave a fluent Spanish ‘thank you’ speech to the Madrid team (She was probably Spanish!)

I sent my son, Levon a postcard of Cardiff Castle and we set off back. We had managed to park a lot closer this year.

Approaching Stafford Services a car went past frantically gesticulating to Alex. Was it his driving? No! We had a flat. We pulled over and Chris Whitlock, (and Lee) took control and had it changed in a flash. We had already had a bump and I didn’t envy Alex and Reg taking it back on Monday morning. We got back to Wesham for 10:50pm. Two long days, but well worth it. The minibus, with nine of us on board, had set off from Wesham Fire Station at 6am on Saturday morning. An unprecedented nine other cars followed us down at various stages over the weekend.

Memorable Moments

1) Elaine Bertenshaw telling Alex to come to bed. (After the meal, Alex was falling asleep at the table).

2) An amazing runner on one of the Saturday legs with a prosthetic leg………and Any Yelland asking which leg it was, (meaning which Stage).

3) One club decked out as the Blues Brothers.

4) Another club had their own cheer leaders.

5) Lee navigating and Chris driving from Newtown to Montgomery…..but going in the opposite direction…..until Joanna Goorney took one glance at the map and put the men in their place!

6) The flat tyre on the way back.

7) The camaraderie on the bus!

8) Alex Rowe winning the Monarch of the Mountains award.

9) The searing heat.

10) One runner with his club’s name shaved into the back of his head, (someone more obsessed than me?!) Dempsey comment: (Apart from Micky Malloy’s secret tattoo perhaps!?)

11) Another club decked out with Hawaiian shirts!

Thanks to Alex, Graham and Alan Taylor for organising and of course the host club, Les Croupiers.

Written by: Martin Bates and Michaela Dempsey

Submitted: 13^th June 2007

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor