Road Running couple Carla and Martin beat the heat to win their races at Lancaster…plus Don’s new all-time Welsh sprint record.

Road Running couple Carla and Martin beat the heat to win their races at Lancaster..plus Don’s new all-time Welsh sprint record.

Report by Don Hale.

North Wales Road Runners Carla and Martin Green beat the heat last Sunday to record a unique double with Carla winning the Lancaster marathon and Martin winning the half-marathon race.

Just a week after celebrating two great performances for Wales at the Home Nation’s events in Tenby, this incredible couple hit top-form yet again to each win their own prestigious races at the Lancaster Celebration of Running events.

And despite the course being described as flat, fast, with a scenic route along the riverside including pedestrian and cycle paths around Lancaster, the pair still faced blistering heat throughout their races, but Carla made an extraordinary effort, and even broke the course record, by completing her marathon in just 3 hours 11 minutes and 40 seconds.

Martin also had a tremendous run and beat his international time from last week’s half-marathon by about one and a half minutes to win his race in a superb time of 1 hour 17 minutes.

After the race, Carla confirmed: “It was a great little race with plenty of support en-route and a fast course, but it was really warm and I struggled on the second lap. I think Martin won by over two minutes, and he said that a few dropped out at halfway, but I’m too stubborn!”

Don’s 600m dash now in All-time Welsh records.

NWRRC master veteran runner Don Hale finally received verification from race officials this week that his 600m dash at Sportcity, Manchester, from last March, has officially made it to the All-time Welsh Masters record books.

His time of 2 minutes 11.38 secs also earned him a gold medal in the North Wales indoor track championships at the age of 69 in his MV65 age category.

Chris Pruski, a director of Welsh Athletics confirmed: “On behalf of WM Athletics, may I congratulate you on setting a new 600m M65 record. Very well done and please find a certificate recognising your achievement.”