Brian Lovett
Brian joined San Domenico in October 2002 and has really enjoyed the experience making some good friends. His main motivation for joining a running club was to try and improve by running with others and to have a more structured approach to his hobby. Previously, Brian played football for several years, but wasn't especially fit. For instance, prior to joining the club he ran a couple of 10k races in around 54 minutes. In 2005 he ran a PB of 38.15 for 10K, which is probably his best achievement to date in running.
Another attraction for Brian in joining San Domenico was to get to know a network of people and to make new friends. Originally from Ireland he adds that he has enjoyed travelling to a range of races in South Wales and the West of England and seeing some fabulous scenery. Brian served as Club Chairman for 2006, working with the rest of the committee to steer the club to a successful future.
His ambitions for the future?
Firstly, to get close to the 3 hour mark for the marathon, and secondly, and perhaps more importantly, to continue to stay healthy and happy to enjoy what is a great sport.
Clare Green
Clare always enjoyed running at school – was the only one who actually enjoyed the 1500m in her class reaching the dizzying heights of second place in the school sports day in 1982 and not being lapped by the 5th best runner in England at the time.
She always had the idea running clubs were for really fast people but found that San Domenico wasn’t like that when she joined in 2002. Over the last 6 years she has run two Great North runs, three Castles Relays and completed the London Marathon in a time of 4:14 in 2005.
She will admit that she could probably do better if she didn’t go off sitting around in fields at music festivals in the summer and then wandering round South East Asia and India in the winter - then coming back and running a cross country race with a Diet Coke and chocolate pre-race meal and a post-race ciggie.
Doesn’t really have a favourite distance as she just likes to run (not too keen on hills though!) and would one day love to get under 50 minutes for a 10K and run all the way up the last hill on the Bath Hilly 10.
Clare is always there to give encouragement for the slower ones among us and if you want to read some more she has a blog about travels, running and epic struggles to find Diet Coke and hair conditioner in far flung places: http://aliceinwtravels.blogspot.com/
Dominic Shields
After a lifetime of being afraid of running other than during football matches Dominic decided to have a go on the treadmills in his work gym in March 2005. He stuck at this until venturing outside with colleagues six months later, totally by accident ended up doing the 2006 London Marathon.
Realising in early 2007 that he was in a comfort zone he thought he'd better join a club, so did the 2007 London Marathon then joined San Domenico because if they go to the trouble of naming a club after you, then you should do the decent thing.
Favourite distance - a smooth, flat 10K.
Favourite race - paradoxically a toss-up between the Merthyr Mawr Christmas Pudding Race and the Scenic 7 - No, obviously the San Domenico 20.
Favourite excuse - "The wind slows down tall people a lot more than fast people"
Ambition - To go on a "gentle" training run with Rocket Ron and not be knackered halfway around.
Ambition 2 - Break 40 minutes for 10K, 20 minutes for 5K (achieved at least 18 times in 2008!), keep running the London Marathon for Tenovus, maybe get near 3:15, dates with Supermodels, a modest statue on The Mall - the usual stuff.
Why do I Run ? It keeps me off street corners . . . . oh.
Ian McDonald
Joined San Domenico in 1994, after having run with them on an occassional basis in the 1980's, having previously run with two other South Wales clubs - Pontypridd Roadents and Newport Harriers.
Proudest running achievements include running 17:29 for 5K (1999), 36:29 for 10K (1999), 1:22:28 for Half marathon (2008). Completing day 1 of the 2008 OMM (Original Mountain Marathon) before being told it was cancelled!
Has run 4 marathons in the past 3 years in 3:18:21 (Amsterdam - flat and windy), 3:15:39 (Berlin - flat and fast), 3:09:38 (London - crowded) and 3:06:37 (Edinburgh - very windy from 3.5 miles to 18 miles!), pretty good considering I hate marathons!
Aims for the future include more mountain marathons, more fell races and 2010 London or Big Sur marathon - yes, I know I hate marathons!
Jim Delaney
Since joining the club in 2000 Jim has competed in a range of races from cross country to marathon and he says that one of his main highlights was the completion of his first marathon. Believe it or not, Jim joined the club after taking part in the club’s 20 mile road race (pretty adventurous for a novice runner!) which was part of his training for the marathon.
After being approached by a member, he joined up and the rest is history! It really was the best thing he did; the club helped him to get fit and plan his training properly with a team of runners. The club also acted as an introduction to like minded people who have become friends as well as training partners. One of his favourite parts of the club set up is the club handicaps (i.e. races within the club where runners are handicapped by time, with the slowest runners starting off first)
Would he recommend a club?
Yep, it’s a good place to meet other people who enjoy training and running and want to get started in achieving personal aims no matter how big or small.
Liz Morgan
Liz took up running in May 2005 in a bid to get fit and lose a bit of weight. She ran the Cardiff half-marathon in October 2006 which was a major challenge for her and was very pleased to finish it in one piece! This inspired her to continue running but she found it very difficult to improve her running times.
She decided to join San Domenico after being highly recommended. "Being part of a running club has boosted my confidence in running and my times have improved considerably. The other members are a great motivation and there's always someone to run with at your level. I found it very difficult to break the 10 minute-mile pace, but after just 4 months at San Domenico I've finally achieved my goal of 9.30 minutes per mile. The next goal is to break 9 minutes!"
Liz prefers 10k runs at the moment but would love to get a marathon under her belt, hopefully in 2008. She's not a fan of hilly courses, unless they're just down-hill that is!
2008 has seen Liz run her first Gwent League cross-country race which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Lloyd Morgan
Lloyd joined the club in late 2006, he is the son of Howard Morgan the founder member of the running club. Despite running in a handful of junior Gwent League races in the mid 80's he didn't took up running till the age of 32. His favorite type of races are hilly and off road but he also competes in multisport Duathlon events regularly.
Susannah Stonehouse
After running with San Domenico as a teenager, Susannah returned to the club once she hit the big ‘30’ and was much surprised to see many of the same people still running 16 years on! Main distance favourites include anything over 8 miles (although quite happy to plod on 4’s and 5’s on training nights!) and did her first marathon in October 2004 (3.10) in Cardiff.
Coached by Clive James and a mixed group of club athletes from across Cardiff and beyond at Leckwith Track on a Wednesday and is normally up Eastern Leisure Centre on Friday nights (quick post run pint optional).
Her ambitions include doing an overseas marathon as well as staving off any colds and coughs over the coming months.
more member profiles to follow...