St David's Day race report

The St David’s Day 5k and 10k Road Races took place in a wet and soggy Bute Park in Cardiff on Sunday 4 March.

The races, first organised in 2003, were the idea of Mr Huw Lewis MBE who wanted to organise an event highlighting the Welsh national holiday and raise money for a local charity. Over the years it has gone from strength to strength and is now a favourite with club runners as well as those who take the fancy dress option...in fact, the event attracts such fantastic costumes that there’s a now a prize for the best dressed runner!

The 2012 St David's Day races, organised by British Military Fitness, incorporated the Welsh 5km Road Race Championships and formed the fourth fixture in the 2012 Run Wales Series.

In the 5km, local Man Ieuan Thomas (Cardiff AAC) took the Welsh title with overall victory in 14:52 after Swansea Harrier and Welsh National Cross Country Champion Dewi Griffiths – the pre-race favourite – took a wrong turn and lost time after leading in the early stages.  

Thomas, a track specialist with a 1500m best of 3:47.14, passed Swansea Harrier Marc Hobbs in the closing stages to clinch the title. Cardiff AAC’s James Thie, the newly crowned British Universities 1500m champion, was third.

Thomas was also crowned U23 champion ahead of his club mate and training partner Adam Bitchell and admitted he was “pleased with the victory” and was in good shape. 

Newport’s  Chris Carpanini, third in the Welsh under-20 Cross Country Championships, was a convincing winner of the national junior title slicing 30 seconds off his previous best to post 15:13 in the capital showpiece.

Helen Jenkins (Bridgend AC) took victory in the women’s race with relative ease in a 15:51 PB ahead of the Welsh Cross Country Champion Caryl Jones (Swansea Harriers). Andrea Whitcombe (Swansea Harriers) and Alaw Beynon-Thomas (Swansea Harriers)  - who also took the under-23 title - were the third and fourth respectively while Sarah Livett (Menai T & F) made the long trip from North Wales count, by taking the under-20 women’s title.

Gwynant Jones (Maldwyn H) and Rebecca Evans (Cardiff AAC) were the under-17 champions.  

In the 10k event, Stroud AC’s Joe Dalgleish ran a lifetime best of 32:27 to win the 10km race ahead of Ross MacDonald (Swansea Harriers) and Luke Mogghadas-Davies (unattached).

Holly Lawrence (Taunton/Swansea Harriers) won the women’s 10k in a PB of 36:54 with Sharon Leech (Carmarthen Harriers) and Sarah Herbert (unattached) taking the minor podium positions.