Welsh Castles Relay 2022
Welsh Castles Relay 2022: Friday 10th to Sunday 12th June
Welsh Castles Relay has been a key part of the Stragglers calendar for many years. It presents a wonderful opportunity to test ourselves against a high standard of road running clubs, in particular from Wales and the North of England. It's also a brilliant weekend away and a great chance for Stragglers to get to know one another a bit better, and we've definitely missed it!
Entries open in January and we have until March to apply. In 2019 we took two teams, an open and vets, and had the same accepted for the 2020 event which was unable to take place. We hope to secure two teams again, however this will be for the organisers to decide, and we can only apply if we feel there is sufficient interest that we can take full, competitive teams.
Read on for more on what you can expect, and if interested (whether you've been before or not) please email simonwebb79@gmail.com.
The Welsh Castles Relay race is a 2-day, 20-stage, 211-mile relay race mostly on road but with many hills from Caernarfon to Cardiff, and can be described as the equivalent of the Tour de France for runners! It is organised by Les Croupiers Running Club Cardiff. As well as the information given here you can find more over at the Welsh Castles Relay site here.
You will get the best "Welsh Castles Experience" if you travel on Friday (June 10th 2022), run/follow the race through the weekend and return from Cardiff on Sunday after the race. However, if you can't commit that much time, it is possible to be there for a shorter time, including travelling there and back on the same day.
Teams
A team requires at least 20 runners – one per stage – and reserves in case of any last-minute withdrawals. No-one may run more than one stage. Teams can be single or mixed gender (with the obvious exception of the Women's teams).
Runners
It is an entry requirement that all runners can maintain 9-minute mile pace. Stages vary in length and hilliness and more experienced runners tend to do the more challenging ones. The joy of Welsh Castles is there is a mix of difficulty which means many Club members can benefit and the social aspects and support from Club members who take part is legendary. There is a time check point approximately half way on each stage and a reasonably generous cut off.
Roads are open, so runners would benefit from previous experience of open road races on an un-supported basis, but this is not essential.
The race includes beautiful scenery although given it is Wales we have to be prepared for potential adverse weather.
Runners must be "first claim" members, 18+ years and medically fit to take part. A few shorter stages are suitable for 16-17 years+ (in accordance with UK Athletics rules) or other runners for whom 9-minute miles on hilly terrain may prove a challenge.
Accommodation
Now we know the dates for the weekend we have booked The Dragon Hotel in Montgomery once again, and so have accommodation for everybody (teams and supporters) in the same place.
Transport
We hope to use minibuses again as they were such a success in 2019. We have a generous donation from the Paul Hutchings legacy to help support this.
Additional Points
All runners will get a branded “team” shirt (different fittings for ladies and men).
We will set up a WhatsApp group just before the weekend to facilitate communication between all participants.
Next Steps
Now for the important bit….please let us know if you would like to be part of WCR 2022!
Note that after you enter, we will add the £25 entry fee to your Stragglers account but this will be returned if you are injured or not selected. If you have any questions, please email Simon Webb (simonwebb79@gmail.com).
Happy Running!
Stragglers WCR organisers
Simon Webb & Sarah Winter
