Using the start list from November ,with suitable modifications, this is intended to be a 3 day rolling event like the Johnson’s Monument event but is on the latest 5.5K Handicap course starting in the Goblin Farm field (beyond the bridge) and is 2 laps of the loop from the stone steps to Ystrad Road, and back to the field. Notional finishing times achieved from dawn on 31st December will be listed as being after 6pm on January 3rd (after dusk).

6.00 pm Mari J, Ron.

6.14.00 Bob, Menai, Jon, Chris B, Anwen, Mark J, Carys

6.14.30 Ian J

With the enclosure of the Leisure Centre fields and the new cycle path the course is back to pre 2017 length – pretty much exactly 6 miles. The original 1992 course started at the front of the LC where the present pedestrian traffic lights are – making that 10K. In 2009 and 2010 we had to go back onto the road over the hump-back bridge to finish due to the LC field being fenced in (before it was gated). So those two years were a bit over 10K.

I have included all people who have done sub 50 minutes, and very old people get recognised for suitably adjusted thresholds.

Senior Ladies: Rhian 46m44 (2010); Pauline 47m27 (2012); Ceri B 49m17 (2016); Tracey 49m19 (2002); Katy B 52m39 (2020); Elen B 56m58 (2018); Rachael E 57m32 (2020); Mari 57m35 (2020); Lee 57m37 (2020)

Senior Men: Fred 39m07 (1992); Shaun 40m09 (2018); Andy B 40m40 (2011); Tony W 41m15 (2020); Phil 47m39 (2018); Huw 48m17 (2018)

F40: Tracey 50m00 (2004); Victoria 50m12 (2014); Claire 53m15 (2010); Brenda 55m31 (2004); Sarah 55m32 (2007); Anwen 58m37 (2016); Abigail 63m45 (2020)

M40: Brett 42m57 (2011); Alun (2005) and Arwel (2002) 43m55; Glen 44m20 (2017b); Ed R 45m03 (2007); Duncan 45m40 (2002); Geraint 47m26 (2007); Keith 49m57 (2007); Dan S.50m10 (2015)

F45: Emma 46m37 (2011); Tracey 49m26 (2013); Mel 51m04 (2020); Budge 56m50 (2007); Bethan 57m54 (2016); Carys 58m08 (2019); Anwen 62m09 (2020)

M45: Peter A 43m35 (2009); Glen 43m58 (2018); Alun 45m13 (2011); Paul B 45m24 (2005); Chris 45m34 (2003); Owen 46m41 (2016); David Bk 47m42 (2012); Duncan 48m34 (2007); Martyn F 48m48 (2013); Steve G 49m26 (2018)

F50: Tracey 48m58 (2016); Emma  49m43 (2016); Ceri D 49m53 (2015); Budge 51m43 (2009); Mary 60m 57 (2013); Menai 62m20 (2013)

M50: Vic 43m43 (2013); Martin C 45m22 (2007); Owen 45m35 (2019); Ken 46m51 (2003); Chris 46m55 (2004); Duncan 47m06 (2010); Mat 47m47 (2018); Peter A 48m17 (2014); Bob 48m38 (2003); Alun 48m54 (2014); Dally 49m00 (2002); Tony B 49m11 (2014); Martyn F 49m40 (2016)

F55: Emma 50m10 (2019); Menai 58m11 (2016); Vicky 79m31 (2012)

M55: Vic 44m13 (2015); Martin C 44m28 (2011); David B 45m34 (2016); Tony B 49m07 (2016); Chris 49m53 (2011); Peter E 50m51 (2009); Fred 51m 42 (2013); Bob 52m48 (2007); Mike H 53m19 (2015); Ian J 56m23 (2018); Peter L 57m08 (2019)

F60: Menai 60m51 (2018); Rachel 78m21 (2013); Vicky C 80m00 (2016)

M60: Martin C 46m06 (2013); Vic 47m13 (2020); Fred 49m00 (2016); David B 50m19 (2019); Chris 52m14 (2014); Duncan 52m32 (2019); Peter E 53m06 (2014); Arwel 55m56 (2019); Ron 58m24 (2002); Bob 58m35 (2014); Peter L 59m07.

M65: Dave S 53m23 (2014); Ron 54m53 (2003); Bob 55m39 (2016); Fred 58m24 (2020); Gerry 61m00 (2002)

M70: Ron 61m53 (2010)

Fairly atrocious weather on both days and a paucity of people competing, but some confirmation that the handicaps are in the right ball-park. Anwen and Chris are clearly not as used to imbibing the weekend falling-down water as some we know, but plenty of time to get that aspect up to speed before the real thing on 20th December. That is the annual opportunity to gain everlasting fame with your name on the perpetual trophy (or the ‘battered cup’), or perhaps go for a listing under the ‘age group best’ heading. This year there are new M60s in particular, and possibly the chance to see Shaun or Tony W get at Fred’s overall record. The times below are gathered together as though one race.

………………………….Finishing time…..Actual time

1st Emma………………11.20.43…………….50:43

2nd Bob………………..11.20.54……………..60:54

3rd David………………11.20.57……………..48:57

4th Arwel……………….11.21.00…………….57:00

5th =Mel……………….11.21.??……………..50:33 (late start)

5th = Vic………………..11.21.06 …………..48:06

7th Elen ……………….11.21.56……………..56:56

8th Anwen…………….11.21.58……………..61:58

9th Menai……………..11.22.09…………….62:09

10th Peter……………..11.22.19……………..58:19

11th Tony B…………..11.23.05…………….55:05

12th Katy………………11.23.10……………..53:10

13th = Julie……………11.25.41……………..72:41

13th = Ian………………11.25.41……………..72:41

dnf – Chris – drifting off Bob’s pace when fortuitously fell over. But solo effort on 26/11/20 was done in 60:47, giving a notional finish time of 11.21.47am.

A morass, with intermittent rain and gusty westerly winds. Approx 12C.  This is a rolling table of results, to be updated on Monday 2nd November.

Final results below. The comparison with the drier conditions at the beginning of the month is striking. Remarkable strength shown by Peter who got closest to his previous time and had completed a similarly muddy marathon (4 Johnson’s plus a bit) only 48 hours before.  We tend to see these conditions in March rather than autumn but the long range forecast suggests November will be drier.

……………………….Actual time..Oct 6th time…Virtual finishing time…..Points

1st Vic…………………27:36…………—……………………6.47.06………………….1/1

2nd Emma…………..29:53………..—……………………6.47.53………………….2/1

3rd Mel……………….29:54……….27:48………………..6.47.54………………….3/1

4th Peter………………32:28………32:12………………..6.47.58………………….4/1

5th David B………….28:51……….27:08………………..6.48.21…………………5/1

6th Chris……………..34:44……….33:56……………….6.48.44………………….6/1

7th Anwen…………..35:08………..33:41………………..6.49.08…………………7/1

8th Tony B……………31:38………..29:30……………….6.49.38…………………8/1

9th Menai……………..35:51………..34:17………………..6.49.51…………………9/1

10th Elen………………33:28……….30:26……………….6.50.28………………..10/1

Notional start times based on the last of the summer Tuesday evening list. Hopefully people can do this in twos and threes so that it feels a bit better than the solo efforts of April to June. Particularly important in the mud, rain, and cold, I think.

6.00 pm Mari J, Ron.

6.14.00 Bob, Menai, Jon, Chris B, Anwen, Mark J

6.14.30 Ian J, Abigail