With cool temperatures and blustering winds, the Llandudno seafront proved difficult for the 1200 runners who toed the line for the Welsh 10 Mile Championships on Sunday.

A very popular race back in the 80s and 90s, the first running of the Llandudno 10 race since 2005 has moved from its original November date to May, and so participants were expecting reasonable weather conditions. The race also incorporated the British Inter Counties Championships. Disappointingly, the race was not well supported by the South, East and West Wales; the North, however, were out in force on the day.

The 12 noon start time was delayed by 25 minutes while runners stood in the drizzle as the race organiser had to check for health and safety on the course - the strong wind having blown most of the markings away.

Once the race got underway, runners ran into a strong headwind for 3 miles and it was no surprise that the African Elisha Tarus, a 61:01 1/2 marathon runner went straight to the front, closely followed by Simon Jones and Afan Humphries who sat in and sheltered. By 3 miles, Afan dropped off the pace leaving Simon to shelter for the next 7 miles.

With 400m to go Simon sprinted into the wind and held on to win by 2 seconds from a very tired Elisha. Afan, who had dropped back to have company in the wind, broke clear at 9 miles to finish 3rd and 2nd in the Welsh Championships. Maldwyn's Andrew Davies, who ran the London Marathon with an injury last month, finished 3rd in the Championships.

Meanwhile, further back, Gina Paletta was having an excellent race in her first 10 miler. Gina, who is more of a mountain runner, won the Welsh Championships in a respectable 61 minutes ahead of in-form Erika Robinson who ran strong to the finish. Marilyn Kitching, who won the Cheshire 1/2 Marathon last weekend, finished 3rd and probably found she had not recovered sufficiently to compete in such conditions this week.

North Wales did well to win the men's and women's Inter Counties Championships.