Snowdon Marathon
THE Snowdon Marathon is rated as one of the most scenic in the UK, and also one of the hardest. That didn’t deter two Stubbies from taking on the North Wales event in appalling conditions.
Barry Hards and Joan Oliver braved appalling wind and rain which battered runners on the tough course. One runner, Yanni Papastavrou, ran the race bare-footed!
Barry finished 37th in 3hrs 12min 45secs and third in the Vet 50 category, while Joan was 78th lady in a superb time of 4:20.08 for 612th overall and eighth in the Vet 50 age group.
The inaugural Snowdonia Marathon was held in 1982, and was conceived as a dramatic alternative to the numerous city and town races becoming so popular. The demanding and spectacular route, encircling Snowdon.
In a 2007 poll by Runners World Magazine, the Snowdonia Marathon was voted the best Marathon in the UK. This is somewhat ironic since it is also regarded as one of the most difficult!
The 2008 race was be the 26th Snowdonia Marathon and the biggest so far – with runners starting from Nant Peris (300ft) the route followed the A4086 and climbed to the top of the Llanberis Pass (Pen y Pass 1,100ft).
It then followed the A498 to Beddgelert (200ft) and continued along the A4085 to Waunfawr. From here it was a rapid climb to about 1,200ft at Bwlch y Groes and then downhill to the finish in Llanberis.
The race was won by Martin Cox in 2:44.40, and the women’s winner was Alison Sedman from Belle Vue Racers in Manchester in 3:14.55. A total of 1,133 runners finished.