Welsh Castles Relay 2021
The dates have been confirmed for the 2021 race, 11th to 13th June. We await further news from the race organisers and below is some general information on the weekend.
Welsh Castles Relay is one of the highlights of the running year, and one in which The Stragglers have featured for over 20 years.
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.
More information about the event is given below. Further information can also be found on the Welsh Castles Relay site here.
You will get the best "Welsh Castles Experience" if you travel on Friday, 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 due to injury etc. No-one may run more than one stage. Teams can be single or mixed gender (with the obvious exception of the Ladies teams).
We hope to apply for two teams - an Open (anyone can run) and a Vets (women over 35 and men over 40). A final decision on the number of teams and the categories would be taken when we know how many people are interested and, of course, the entries are accepted.
Runners
Ideally runners should be able to maintain 9-minute miles for at least 6 miles. 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 during the weekend.
Next Steps
Now for the important bit….please let us know if you would like to be part of WCR 2021!
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 ([email protected]).
Happy Running!
Stragglers WCR organisers
Simon Webb & Sarah Winter
