SIX former school pals from the ‘Class of ‘82’ have reunited to put on one of the UK’s toughest endurance races.
The 35-mile Pen Llyn Ultra marathon is a new race that’s already attracting some top competitors to battle for the title along a gruelling though supremely scenic course.
It starts and finishes at Pwllheli Golf Club and the runners will take in some breath-taking views on both sides of the Llyn Peninsula’s coastline.
Race director Huw Williams, the founder of the Llamwyr Llyn running club, already organises a summer version of the event and he’s enlisted the help of his old classmates from Ysgol Glan y Mor in Pwllheli to launch the new winter race on Saturday, 10 November.
The group gathered for a planning meeting at the Tyddyn Sachau Garden Centre, just down the road in Y Ffôr, which was also the venue for a pre-race reception and is a co-sponsor of the event.
Among them was Ken Grayson, chairman of Peninsula Home Improvements, in Gaerwen, on Anglesey, who are sponsoring the overall event along with Harlech Food Service and Chilli Penguin Stoves.
Peninsula are also sponsoring a race within the race, The Peninsula Mile, which is the hardest section of all.
Ken said: “Peninsula wanted to get involved because it puts our home turf of the Llyn Peninsula on the map.
“An event like this stands for endurance and resilience; traits I feel my company has demonstrated over the years.
“As we’re going into our 35th year in November the course represents a mile for every year since the company was founded.”
The other sponsors include Harlech Food Service whose joint managing director, Andrew Foskett, was also a member of the gang of six.
Andrew said: “We all started at Ysgol Glan y Mor in 1982 and we’re a bit like the Class of ’92 at Manchester United because we’re still mates now which is fantastic.
“We all still live locally and we like to invest in a local event which brings people into the area and generates income for the local economy.”
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