Inter-Area Match: Telford 10km Sunday 10th December 2023

INTER AREA MATCH: TELFORD 10km, SUNDAY 10.12.2023

For several years the final representative match on the calendar has been the Telford 10km, which justifiably advertises itself as “statistically the UK’s fastest” race of the distance. Held in a park on a fast and flat tarmac path around a scenic lake, over two laps, it also includes an Inter-Area match, and as Wales’ only representatives, we face opposition from the North, South and Midlands of England and Northern Ireland. The format for teams changed in 2022, to 4 to run and 3 to score, with a 5th runner as a travelling reserve. As the event is also recognised by NWRAC as an “elite” event, our athletes are selected based on the fastest times recorded between the 1st of November each year to the 31st of October the following year – a policy which means that we field our strongest team, taking into account our athletes’ availability. This year, the weather was a mild 8 degrees, but the rain from the day before and a long shower during the race, made for a muddy surface and similar legs and shoes.

Men’s team

Tom Wood (Eryri) won the Welsh Inter Region cross country championships in November, and he came into this event -making his debut in the road running team- with the fastest time on paper, 30.12, recorded in Telford last year. This time he ran 30.15, leading the team home and finishing 12th in the Inter-Area (I.A.) match and 70th overall. A fine debut indeed. Tomos Roberts (Meirionnydd), who had won the Inter County match at Farndon in September, came into the race with a 30:21 p.b. set at Partington last March. Here he finished at 31:05 in 16th (I.A.) and 122nd overall. Ryan Davis (Wrexham), who was a fine second in last month’s Conwy half marathon (74:28), finished in 31:25 for 19th (I.A.) and 146 overall. The non-scorers were Adam Jones (Eryri) who finished in 31:41 for 21st (I.A.) and 170th overall and Ricky Challinor (Buckley) who finished in 33:03. Match result: 1. Midlands 9; 2. N. Ireland 17; 3. North of England 24 (which included Daniel Bebbington, who older readers will remember is the son of the late Arthur, former Chair of Colwyn Bay A.C.); 4. UKAF 43; 5. N. Wales 53.

Women’s team

Tracy Rogers (Buckley) has been in fine form this year, having amongst her performances a new NWRAC record for 20 miles of 2:14:47 at the Knighton race in March. Here she led the team home in 36:56 for 11th (I.A.) and 77th overall. Rachel Shipley (Abergele) is another athlete in a good run of form. In November’s Wilmslow 10km, she set a new p.b. of 37:31 and she came close to that here with 37:38 for 13th (I.A.) and 89th overall. Gemma Moore (Eryri) was delighted with a new p.b. of 38:03, taking 36 seconds off her previous best. She finished 14th (I.A.) and 98th overall. Our non-scorer – and making her debut in the road running team – was Olivia-May Ashton (Deeside). Olivia has missed much of the year with illness and made a fine return to action when she made her Regional debut in the inter-regional cross-country championships last month. This was her debut for the road running team, and she hadn’t raced a 10km for many months, but she returned a steady 39:00 for 109th overall. Sadly, Amie Smith (Cheshire Dragons), who had been nursing a cold, had to stop at the 5km mark as her breathing grew difficult. Match result: 1. Midlands 15; 2=. UKAF 17; 2= North of England 17; 4. N. Wales 38; 5. N. Ireland incomplete team.