Smith and Evans triumph at record-breaking Marathon Eryri 2023

by FR Newsdesk November 1, 2023

ALL IMAGES - © SPORT PICTURES CYMRU

The Marathon Eryri is becoming a iconic UK marathon and this year didn’t disappoint. Please find below the reports in both English and Welsh.

In almost perfect autumn marathon weather conditions Ashford AC athlete Marshall Smith and Welsh international Alaw Evans created history at the 39^th running of Marathon Eryri, as they produced outstanding performances to take the men’s and women’s crowns.

Dubbed at one of the UK’s toughest marathons, the last miles of this race are notoriously hard, as they head to the highest point of the race at mile 24, almost 380 metres above sea level and an ascent of over 200 metres in just 1 mile!

With temperatures hovering around 12 degrees Celsius, mainly dry weather and a light wind, conditions were just about perfect for fast running on the tough Eryri course, as almost 2300 runners weaved their way out of the village of Llanberis and out towards the Llanberis Pass at the traditional 10.30am start time.

Evans for the win

Evans was running the race for the first time, and such was her performance that she became the first Welsh woman to go under 3 hours on this course, winning in 2:58:07 and overtaking long-time leader Caryl Edwards in the closing two miles who ultimately was to finish third as Steel City Strider Gillian Allen ran a very strong second half of the race to take the runner-up spot.

Commenting after the race Alaw said, “What a race – I had always watched the TV coverage of the race over the years and was always in awe of the winners getting their picture with the trophy at the end! It was always a dream, but the opportunity of giving myself a chance kept me going on my comeback from injury at the start of the year.

“It will definitely take a while for it all to sink in as it was just brilliant; the support, the hills, the event as a whole and of course the win.”

ALL IMAGES – © SPORT PICTURES CYMRU

A busy month for Marshall Smith

22 year-old Smith had recently won the Chester Marathon, on a flat city course, hardly the best preparation for one of the UK’s toughest marathons. However, he showed supreme control, strength and maturity beyond his years over the second half of the race, to not only win one of the most coveted crowns in marathon running, but to also smash the men’s course record by over 2 minutes, winning in 2:31:21. In doing so Marshall also becomes the youngest ever winner of the event which began back in 1982.

“I was really scared coming down the last mile”, he said, describing the technical under-foot mountain paths that greets the runners as they plummet down to the finish line in Llanberis. “I have never run on that sort of terrain. But it’s an incredible feeling to win this race and to also take the course record!”.

The Kent man was chased home by Salomon UK athlete Dan Connolly, who added the second place to his runner-up position of 2019, vowing to come back to try and take the Eryri title, stating “I am happy with today and Marshall was the better runner on the day, but I do want to come back and try and win this race for sure!”

Chorlton runner Tom Charles, running his first Marathon Eryri, ran a controlled race holding on to third-place over the closing miles, followed home closely by Jacob Tasker who had figured heavily over the first 13 miles.

ALL IMAGES – © SPORT PICTURES CYMRU

Many running for a good cause

A huge amount of runners were using the race as an opportunity to raise funds for charity, such as friends of Fast Running Jamie and Sarah-Jayne Pugh. Shelter Cymru exists to defend the right to a safe home in Wales and last year alone, they helped 17,953 people in housing need – including 5,725 dependent children.

To donate to the cause, please follow the link here.

Men’s top 5

1 Marshall Smith 2:31:21 Ashford AC

2 Dan Connolly 2:33:56 Salomon UK

3 Tom Charles 2:35:10 Chorlton Runners

4 Jacob Tasker 2:35:26 Ogmore Phoenix

5 Johnny Suttle 2:41:36 Bristol & West AC

Women’s top 5

1 Alaw Evans 2:58:07 Les Croupiers

2 Gillian Allen 3:04:46 Steele City Striders

3 Caryl Edwards 3:05:08 Swansea Harriers

4 Jess Flynn 3:10:53 Les Croupiers

5 Caroline Brock 3:11:24 Steele City Striders

Full results via the TDL Event Services here https://www.tdleventservices.co.uk/en/results-embed.php?event=3984

Photo: SPORT PICTURES CYMRU

And now the report in Welsh

Marathon Eryri 2023 – Adroddiad y Ras

Smith ac Evans yn fuddugol ym Marathon Eryri 2023 a dorrodd record

Mewn tywydd marathon hydref bron yn berffaith fe greodd yr athletwr AC Ashford Marshall Smith ac chwaraewr rhyngwladol Cymru Alaw Evans hanes yn y 39ain rhediad o Marathon Eryri, wrth iddynt gynhyrchu perfformiadau rhagorol i gipio coronau’r dynion a’r merched.

Wedi’u galw yn un o farathonau caletaf y DU, mae milltiroedd olaf y ras hon yn hynod o galed, wrth iddynt anelu at bwynt uchaf y ras ar filltir 24, bron i 380 metr uwchben lefel y môr ac esgyniad o dros 200 metr mewn dim ond milltir!

Gyda’r tymheredd yn hofran tua 12 gradd Celsius, tywydd sych yn bennaf a gwynt ysgafn, roedd yr amodau bron yn berffaith ar gyfer rhedeg yn gyflym ar gwrs caled Eryri, wrth i bron i 2300 o redwyr wau eu ffordd allan o bentref Llanberis ac allan tuag at Fwlch Llanberis yn yr amser cychwyn traddodiadol o 10.30am.

Roedd Evans yn rhedeg y ras am y tro cyntaf, a chymaint oedd ei pherfformiad fel mai hi oedd y Gymraes gyntaf i fynd o dan 3 awr ar y cwrs hwn, gan ennill mewn 2:58:07, gan oddiweddyd yr arweinydd hir-amser Caryl Edwards yn y ddau olaf. milltir a oedd i orffen yn drydydd yn y pen draw wrth i Steel City Strider Gillian Allen redeg ail hanner cryf iawn o’r ras i gipio’r ail safle.

Wrth wneud sylw ar ôl y ras dywedodd Alaw

“Am ras – roeddwn i wastad wedi gwylio’r darllediadau teledu o’r ras dros y blynyddoedd ac roeddwn bob amser wedi syfrdanu’r enillwyr yn cael eu llun gyda’r tlws ar y diwedd! Roedd bob amser yn freuddwyd, ond roedd y cyfle o roi cyfle i mi fy hun yn fy nghadw i fynd yn ôl o anafiadau ar ddechrau’r flwyddyn.

“Bydd yn bendant yn cymryd amser i’r cyfan suddo i mewn gan ei fod yn wych; y gefnogaeth, y bryniau, y digwyddiad yn ei gyfanrwydd ac wrth gwrs y fuddugoliaeth.”

Roedd Smith, sy’n 22 oed, wedi ennill Marathon Caer yn ddiweddar, ar gwrs dinas fflat, go brin y paratoad gorau ar gyfer un o farathonau caletaf y DU. Fodd bynnag, dangosodd reolaeth, cryfder ac aeddfedrwydd goruchaf y tu hwnt i’w flynyddoedd yn ystod ail hanner y ras, nid yn unig i ennill un o goronau mwyaf chwenychedig rhedeg marathon, ond hefyd i dorri record cwrs y dynion o dros 2 funud, gan ennill mewn 2:31:21. Wrth wneud hynny Marshall hefyd yw enillydd ieuengaf erioed y digwyddiad a ddechreuodd yn ôl yn 1982.

“Roedd gen i ofn mawr yn dod lawr y filltir olaf”, meddai, gan ddisgrifio’r llwybrau mynydd technegol dan draed sy’n cyfarch y rhedwyr wrth iddynt blymio i lawr i’r llinell derfyn yn Llanberis. “Dydw i erioed wedi rhedeg ar y math yna o dir. Ond mae hwn yn deimlad anhygoel i ennill y ras hon ac i gymryd record y cwrs hefyd!”.

Erlidiwyd y gŵr o Gaint adref gan athletwr Salomon o’r DU, Dan Connolly, a ychwanegodd yr ail safle i’w safle yn ail yn 2019, gan addo dod yn ôl i geisio cipio teitl Eryri o’r diwedd, gan ddweud “Rwy’n hapus gyda heddiw ac roedd Marshall yn y rhedwr gorau ar y diwrnod, ond rydw i eisiau dod yn ôl i geisio ennill y ras hon yn sicr!”

Llwyddodd rhedwr Chorlton, Tom Charles, yn rhedeg ei Marathon Eryri cyntaf, i ddal y trydydd safle dros y milltiroedd olaf, wrth iddo gael ei ddilyn adref yn agos gan Jacob Tasker a oedd wedi chwarae rhan fawr yn hanner cyntaf y ras.

Llawer yn rhedeg dros achos da (Ychwanegwyd yr adran hon gan ddefnyddio Google Translate felly gobeithiwn ei bod yn iawn)

Roedd nifer enfawr o redwyr yn defnyddio’r ras fel cyfle i godi arian at elusen, megis ffrindiau Rhedeg Cyflym Jamie a Sarah-Jayne Pugh. Mae Shelter Cymru yn bodoli i amddiffyn yr hawl i gartref diogel yng Nghymru a’r llynedd yn unig, fe wnaethant helpu 17,953 o bobl ag angen tai – gan gynnwys 5,725 o blant dibynnol.

I gyfrannu at yr achos, dilynwch y ddolen yma.