Seaside Stories: Life at Min y Don, Llandudno and Beyond

My First Race at the RNLI Fun Run Llandudno: A 5K Personal Best

Teresa running along Llandudno Promenade during the RNLI Fun Run, smiling for the camera while competing in her first-ever timed 5K race.

Today, I took part in my very first timed race at the RNLI Fun Run in Llandudno.

As a complete novice runner with less than six months’ experience, I arrived armed with enthusiasm, determination, and enough running injuries to qualify for my own NHS waiting list. Somehow, despite missing a month of training with a calf tear, I still made it to the start line.

Now, the words “Fun Run” paint a picture of a gentle jog and a few smiles. The reality was somewhat different. With 355 runners on the start line (174 men and 181 women), there were some seriously fast athletes in attendance and more than a few reputations at stake.

The event was brilliantly organised by the RNLI and veteran race director John Hatton. To make things even more official, I was issued with a chip. Fortunately, this wasn’t the type normally stolen by Llandudno’s seagulls, but an electronic one used to record my time. Suddenly, this running lark got very serious indeed.

The course was familiar territory: a flat 5K along Llandudno Promenade. Starting near the paddling pool, we headed towards the Pier before turning opposite Min y Don, then down towards the RNLI station and back to the finish.

Early on, I found myself running alongside Peter Greno from Osborne House. Naturally, we did what any sensible runners would do during a race and started chatting about the Conwy Marathon and the Bangor 10K in a couple of weeks’ time.

After about a kilometre, Rhein gently pointed out that this was, in fact, a race and not a mobile coffee morning. Taking the hint, I finally got on with the job.

The wind was firmly against us on the outward leg, so reaching the turn at Min y Don felt like a major victory. With the wind behind me on the return, I started picking off a few runners and even found time to pose for a photograph taken by Peter, who clearly wasn’t taking things too seriously himself.

Teresa running along Llandudno Promenade near the turning point opposite Min y Don during the RNLI Fun Run, smiling for the camera despite racing conditions.
Evidence that I was still smiling halfway round. This situation became considerably less likely closer to the finish line.
Teresa running along Llandudno Promenade during the RNLI Fun Run, smiling for the camera while competing in her first-ever timed 5K race.
Less than six months into my running journey and somehow smiling during my first-ever timed race at the RNLI Fun Run in Llandudno. Photo courtesy of Kiara, shared by Caitlin Faye Photography.

Then came the surprise.

Approaching the finish line, I glanced up at the clock and noticed it started with a 24. Having never broken 25 minutes for 5K before, there was only one option: sprint.

What followed was a highly technical athletic manoeuvre known as “running as fast as possible while trying not to die”.

It worked.

I crossed the line in 24 minutes and 40 seconds — a new personal best.

Teresa crosses the finish line at the RNLI Fun Run in Llandudno, completing her first-ever timed 5K race and setting a new personal best of 24 minutes and 40 seconds.
A first timed race, a first sub-25-minute 5K, and a new personal best of 24:40. Photograph by Caitlin Faye Photography.

After cheering home the final finishers and enjoying a coffee at the RNLI station, the results revealed just how competitive this “fun run” had been. The winner finished in a remarkable 16:35, with all three male podium finishers under 17 minutes. The first woman home clocked 18:19, while third place missed breaking 20 minutes by just four seconds.

As for me?

  • Personal Best: 24:40
  • 2nd in my age category from an entry list of ten
  • 26th female finisher out of 181 women

Not bad for a novice runner with less than six months’ experience and a calf that’s still a work in progress? Personally, I’m delighted with it.

Teresa and Peter Greno pose together after completing the RNLI Fun Run in Llandudno, celebrating a successful morning of running and fundraising.
The race may have ended, but the discussion about future races was only just getting started.

Of course, while the RNLI Fun Run turned out to be much more serious business than I’d anticipated, it was never the main event. This race was always part of the training plan for the real challenge ahead: the Conwy Half Marathon in eight weeks’ time.

Over the last few months, I’ve learned a great deal about running — and even more about recovery. Torn calf muscles, painfully tight hamstrings and dodgy knees have all resulted from one simple mistake: trying to do too much, too soon. The engine has always been willing; unfortunately, the running gear (no pun intended) has needed a little more time to catch up.

The really encouraging news is that, three weeks ago, I was wondering whether I’d even make it to the start line in Conwy. Today, I’m thinking about the finish line again.

Better still, thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our guests, family and friends, we’re now over 80% of the way towards my admittedly ambitious fundraising target of £1,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance — roughly the cost of a single lifesaving sortie.

If you’d like to help me reach the finish line in more ways than one, you can support my Wales Air Ambulance fundraiser here: JustGiving Link

Every donation, no matter how large or small, is hugely appreciated.

Now, that Bangor 10K Peter was telling me about in two weeks’ time—

I wonder how that fits into my training schedule…

Or perhaps more importantly, check with my calf first.

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