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The Snowdon Challenge is a run from Abergele Leisure Centre to the top of the Llanberis Pass, via Rhyd Y Foel, Llanwrst, Betws y Coed, and Capel Curig a distance of 35 miles.
You can run the whole of the 35 miles or just meet up on route and run as many miles as you wish, some even run half and cycle the other half. If that not enough exertion for you, we then walk to the summit of Snowdon, either by the pig track or over crib goch.
This was the 11th year of running this challenge, and 12 Mysteruns of Abergele took part, with three completing the whole 35 miles, and John Humphries also completing his 11th Crib Goch walk too.
Julie Yale, Judith Jones, and John Humphries battled the very strong head wind to compete the distance in fantastic time of 6 hours 15 minutes. Garry Tann, Jeremy Bright and new member John Ford all battled the wind also to compete their 21 mile stints, with Andy Roberts, Melanie Williams, Pam Grant, Eleri Bacon and Kristy Stephenson all adding around 15 miles each, with Steve Salt cycling the first half and running the second half.
The Mountain stage this year was very tough with very strong gusts of wind, this meant a lot deciding not to walk to the summit, but all the ones that did, including 3 very young teenagers Joe Roberts and his friend, and Amy Bird all coping with the conditions really well, the others to complete the Mountain was Eleanor Bird, Jeremy Bright, Melanie Williams, Steve Salt and Andy Roberts who both accompanied John over Crib Goch.
The Mysteruns of Abergele Raised £65 for Abergele Scout Group.
On Sunday 26th May, 9 Mysteruns travelled to Edinburgh to take part in the marathon in a field of 14338 and in very windy conditions.
Many of the Mysteruns was looking for personal best times on this fairly flat course, but things did not go to plan.
First of all, the course was not as flat as they made it out to be. Secondly, a very strong wind blew in our faces for 18 miles.
John Humphries and Garry Tann found the wind factor very tough. Both were trying to push for a 3.15 marathon time but ended up with a very good time of 3.27.51 for Garry and.3.29.24 for John. Austin Bell pushed all the way proving a pb was possible in a fantastic time of 3.41.50, next home was Julie Yale who is improving with every marathon she does also finished in pb time o 3.42.20, and the final pb came to Melanie Williams who finished in a superb time of 3.57.18. Judith Jones was next home in exhalent time of 4.01.15; Judith has struggled with injury over the last few months, which meant she did not do much training for the race. Mike and Catharine Hobday was next home, mike ran the course with his as this was her first attempt at the distance finishing in incredible time of 4.02.20. Andy Roberts followed next crossing the line in a time of 4.16.01, and saying he will not run another marathon again, we will see.
On Sunday 10th May 2 Mysteruns travelled to South Cheshire to take part in the AD Pre Pots 20 miler starting in Shavingto Leisure Centre.
In very hot conditions and on a very hilly course, John Humphries, and Melanie Williams were using this race for a warm up for the Edinburgh Marathon in two weeks time, but they did not know it was going to be that warm.
John was first home in a very fast time of 2 hours 44 minutes, and Melanie came home in a brilliant time of 3.hours 37. 30. They both said after the race it was one of the hardest 20 mile races they have done.
On the same day Pam Grant travelled to Liverpool for the ladies 10k race, again in very hot conditions and in a field of over 4000 runners Pam ran a slower time than normal due to the conditions, but still managed a very good time of 47.30.
On Wednesday, Peter Lester Owen from the Mysteruns Running Club took part in an endurance stair climb on the stairwell of Glan Clwyd Hospital.
Peter Climbed 39,340 steps (that were a 393 set of a 100 steps) to the top floor to reach a height that totalled 19,340ft, the equivalent of a run up and down Kilimanjaro, or over 5 Snowdon summits.
Peter did most of this on his own in a fantastic time of 13 hours 40 minutes.
John Humphries came to give him a bit of support in the afternoon, chipping in with a height of 2 Snowdons that took him 5 hours. Jeremy Bright also put in 1 hour of support.
Peter said after completing it, that it was the hardest thing he has ever done, and hope when goes and walks Kilimanjaro in June it won't be as hard, but he is pretty sure it will be.
Peter raised over £850 for CLIC SARGENT, Children with Cancer.
Seven of the Mysteruns travelled to the capital to take part in the biggest marathon of the year, the London Marathon.
With many of the usual marathon runners missing due to resting from the Rome Marathon, the fantastic seven put in some brilliant times.
The Mysteruns joined 40000 runners on the start line, the weather outlook was not to good with very heavy rain forecast they set to their task of finishing.
Leading the Mysteruns home was John Humphries, with his fastest London marathon to date so far, in a brilliant time of 3.hours 29.10. Not far behind John was Ian Roberts, a little slower than normal in a brilliant time of 3.38.10. Breaking her personal best time for the distance again was Pam Grant in a superb time of 3.39.36. Next was Melanie Williams also breaking her personal best time in a fantastic time of 4.07.15. New members Sandra Meyer doing her first London marathon recorded a great time of 4.43.31 while Sue Garnett running her first marathon ever with not a lot training did a fantastic time of 5 hours.30 minutes. Last but not least was Captain Coco the Clown who ran and walked around the course raising over £2000 finished in a time of 6.28.00. Mike Hobday also ran with the Mysteruns, showing he has not lost any of his speed finished in brilliant time of 3.hours 25.36 minutes. Also running her 1st marathon was Susan Lord who ran a super time of 4 hours 33 minutes, well done to them all.
Guest times:
On Sunday 5 Mysteruns travelled to three different places to take part in the Rome marathon, the Edinburgh Half Marathon, and the Bath half marathon.
Garry Tann, Judith Jones, and Julie Yale travelled to Rome for a long weekend and while they was there they took part in the Rome Marathon, starting and finishing at the Coliseum, on this fairly flat course and in excellent conditions. Garry Tann led the 3 Mysteruns home in a fantastic time of 3 hours 27 minutes. Next home and knocking a large chunk off her previous 2 marathons was Julie Yale in a superb personal best time of 3 hours 50 minutes. Mext home was Judith Jones who did remarkable well considering she has done only a couple of short runs to prepare after a serious foot injury that has stopped her running since the end of October. She battled her way to the finish line in a remarkable time of 4 hours 53 minutes.
On the Same day Austin Bell travelled to Bath to take part in the Bath half marathon in wet and windy conditions. In a field of 1500, Austin finished in the first quarter in a brilliant time of 1.36.58.
Jeremy Bright travelled to Edinburgh for their annual half marathon, in a large field and in very windy conditions Jeremy clocked a fantastic time of 1 hour 36 minutes.
7 Mysteruns travelled to Wrexham to take part in the village bakery half marathon and North Wales championships. In a field of over 500 and in Spring-like conditions, John Humphries led the Mysteruns home and knocked over 3 minutes off his last half marathon in Helsby to finish in superb time of 1.29.12, 149th overall. Next home was Austin Bell in a brilliant time of 1.40.12, 289th overall. Austin who was helping Pam Grant to achieve a fabulous personal best time of 1.40.31,and 3rd female vet over 45 and also 1st O/45 in the Welsh championships. Next home, not being outdone, was Melanie Williams, also running a brilliant pb time of 1.48.18 385th overall. New member Sue Garnet who also ran a excellent pb time of 2.18.09 knocking 2 minutes of her last half marathon last month. Members-to-be Paul and Sandra Mayer also ran very good times to finish in 2.03.10 and 2.13.29 respectably.
John Humphries was the only Mysterun in action. He travelled to Dolgarrog to take part in the annual 5 mile pipe dream fell race, in a very strong field of 80 plus, and climbing some 1700 feet in just 2 and a half miles. It was quite perfect conditions weather wise, but very muddy under foot. John ran 4 minutes faster than last year to get a personal best time of 45.31 finishing 32nd overall.