Over 2,000 runners took part in the third annual Caerphilly 10k on Sunday June 21, with winner Owain Jones breaking the course record.
Mr Jones, of Bristol and West Athletics Club, retained his title, finishing the course in 31 minutes and 17 seconds.
The elite and competitive runners were preceded by a children’s 2k, while food stalls, ice cream vans and hundreds of residents and spectators added to the fun family atmosphere.
The first woman to finish the 10k course was Millie Barnes, of Worcester Athletics Club, who ran in on 35 minutes and 47 seconds.
Alan Rockliffe, 56, of Risca said he runs the race every year.
Mr Rockcliffe said: “It gets better every year, the organisation and the amount of people that run.
“We run all over the country and this one is on par with the bigger ones we run in the cities.”
Gwent Police traffic officer Tanya Williams only came off night shift a few hours before the race but managed to finish in good time.
She said: “I loved every minute of it and I did it. My aim was just to not stop.”
Laura Fisher, 23, from nelson ran to raise money for Jamie Macdonald, a Welsh Commonwealth Games Athlete who has an inoperable malignant brain tumour.
Ms Fisher said: ” I’m running for Jamie because we are raising money for him to go to Australia before he passes away.
“He was competing in the Commonwealth Games last summer and in January he was diagnosed. But we have raised £5,000 so far.”
Ms Fisher and her friends were running with Team Rees, a running group formed by personal trainer Richard Rees.
The team caters for all abilities and has 100 members, with 88 running the Caerphilly 10k.
Mr Rees said: “The aim of the club is for members to exceed their own ability and the motive of the team is healthy and happy. It’s about people being responsible for their own fitness.
“But we raise for charity as well, and next month we’ve got 60 runners doing the Race For Life in Cardiff.”
The warm-up for the race was run by Christina Rees, Secretary of Caerphilly Runners.
The club fielded 75 runners and after only officially forming in January this year the club has raised around £7,000 for charity.
Ms Rees said: “It’s a club for everyone no matter your ability just come along.
“We have people who never ran before, who took part in our sofa to 5k scheme and we are hoping to get a lot of them to do the Cardiff half marathon in the autumn.”
Club Chairman Steve Sullivan said: “It’s a community club, it’s all about fun and giving youngsters a friendly environment to keep fit.”
Councillor Nigel George, Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services, said: “It was great to see such an amazing turn out for the third annual Caerphilly 10k race, it’s continuing to grow and attract runners from not only Caerphilly and the surrounding boroughs but from across the bridge too.
“It’s exciting to see that a new course record has been set and this shows how the race is becoming ever more competitive every single year. This event gives us a great platform to showcase what we have to offer here in Caerphilly and I hope the success continues year after year. Congratulations to everyone involved and we hope to see you again next year.”
Might give it a go myself next year, probably not though.
No complaints about Caerphilly being shut this week i see
Scroll down to the other article about this and you will see plenty.
Those complaints are `generic` sunshine, in that they are generally critical of `two` events, on two weekends, there are significant differences, come on mate surely you understand that?.
You back again me ole mucca? Who rattled your box this time, was it me again bruv?
Never been away me ole china, Rattle your cage if you want, but this mans not for rattling.
The difference is the duration of road closure. People were rightly angry that they were unable to work, go out for the day, open their business, etc for 12 hours for the bike event. The fun run has taken place for several years and people are usually prepared to adjust to a short duration road closure.
The Velethon road closures were a bit excessive as I said at the time (check my comments Jeff before you berserk). But having said that it doesn’t mean that a bit of forward planning could limit the intrusion into residents lives. A little bit of a change in the route here perhaps some organised crossings there, a touch of contra flow. Who knows it could work out and keep people a bit happier and we could still have the event.
Well, Well, no vacuous comment from you this time ay?.
I am glad you have moderated your view on road closures and inconvenience caused by the bike ride, glad to see you read, and, are prepared to take on and run with the points I made in my previous comments to lessen the inconvenience to residents. Conversion or what?.
Oh Jeff you are a card. Selective reading or what?
Much less inconvenienced caused, shorter duration of main road closures and more ` compact` route, what`s there to complain about.
A complete and total shutdown like the bike ride is a totally different thing.