Gardiner returns to 'Britain's toughest'...
Richie Gardiner
We realise that the Snowdonia Marathon isn’t exactly off road. But it does have two long sections of mountain path on it’s route, is renowned at Britain’s toughest and this year has a host of top fell runners in the elite field…
The 2010 start
Event release
Top UK marathon assembles top class field, as Gardiner returns to defend title
2000 runners will take to the start line this Saturday for the 29th running of the Snowdonia Marathon Eryri, one of the UK’s most iconic and toughest marathons. The record number of competitors will this year include perhaps the strongest line-up of elite distance runners to have graced this classic event, as last year’s champion and course record holder Richie Gardiner returns at defend his crown he so brilliantly won in 2010.
Gardiner’s 2010 time of 2:36:24 proved to be the fastest for 15 years. As runners aim to beat the Aberdare man’s time, the new course finish in the High St, will ensure that the battle for the finish has a suitably dramatic arena in which to be fought.
After his stunning victory for Wales at the Commonwealth Ultra Trail Championships on Anglesey in September, the South Wales policeman has recovered sufficiently to take to the line in Llanberis.
Richies Gardiner takes the title
Richie comments:
“I was proud to win the race in 2010. As a Welshman it’s a real honour to win such a classic event even once. Last year’s race left a lasting mark on me and I just had to return this year to defend my title! Winning the gold at the Commonwealth’s took a fair bit out of me, but I ran the Cardiff Half Marathon last week to see where I was at and came through that pretty well, so I am raring to go in Snowdonia again.”
He concludes
“There are some great names on the Snowdonia Marathon trophy with many who have won it multiple times, and after my victory last year I’d like to add my name to that list of multiple winners”.
One man looking to upset Gardiner’s plans with be 2011 Snowdon Race runner-up Murray Strain. The Scot is in fine form in 2011 and has been targeting the event since the turn of the year. A GB international orienteer, Strain should relish the route and his strength on the mountains coupled with his redoubtable road speed should mean that he will be a big threat to Gardiner.
Murray Strain leads Jones into the last mile
Another Welsh international looking to do well will be Andy Davies, from Newtown. The mid-Wales man was recent silver medalist in the Commonwealth trail event, which Gardiner won, and with his ability on the mountains and huge reserves of strength in longer events, Davies is an exciting addition to the elite line-up.
Local runners to watch are led by Welsh international Rob Samuel, the runner-up in 2008. The Bangor-based Eryri Harrier recently represented Great Britain at the World Mountain Running Championships and was a superb 5th at the recent Commonwealth Mountain championships in Llanberis. After a year of injury issues Rob is now running strongly and will be looking to update his Snowdonia marathon PB and mix it with the lead runners.
Rob Samuel
Other strong local interest come in the shape of Eryri’s Math Roberts (5th in 2009 and 2010), Iain Ridgway and Dylan Wyn Jones, all Welsh international representatives themselves.
After two years of runner-up positions local Welsh international mountain and trail runner Andrea Rowlands will be hoping that she can go one better in 2011 by landing the Snowdonia Marathon women’s crown. Rowlands has been in excellent form in 2011, running to 5th place at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships and was also a recent competitor at the Commonwealth trail event.
Andrea Rowlands
Others to watch in the women’s event are former runner-up Ruth Johnstone and Lisa Grantham, who ran to third in the recent Chester Marathon setting a personal best of 3:08 in the process.
The 2010 saw the unpredictable Snowdonia weather take hold with torrential rain, thunder and hail storms all adding to the spice of the event, which is regarded as the toughest and most scenic in the UK. After three years of high winds and heavy rain the organisers will be hopeful of some respite for the runners – who come from 14 countries – this year.
