There were successes for Cardiff AAC athletes that were representing Cardiff and the Vale schools in the Welsh Schools Cross Country Championships that were held at Penlan in Brecon on Saturday last, 27th February.
A heavy shower during the junior boys' race (winning team pictured) turned the course into a mudbath with many athletes losing shoes!
The Welsh Cross Country Championships, held in Swansea yesterday 21st February, produced a mixed bag of results for Cardiff.
Alex Hains took the senior men's individual title in emphatic style and, with Nat Lane second, led the team to regain its Welsh title.
The under 15 boys (pictured) and under 13 boys also took the team titles to keep the Cardiff flag flying.
Cardiff trio Mike Johnson, Nat Lane & Richie Gardiner represented Wales in the Barcelona Half Marathon last Sunday, 15 February.
With temperatures near to freezing, Mike Johnson led the Cardiff runners home in 8th place in a race won by Kenya's Erik Kibet. Mike's time was a solid 66:20.
Nat Lane (pictured during the race) was close behind Mike in 10th place, clocking a personal best time of 66:26.
Richie was 14th in 66:59.
Mike Jones-Pritchard was Cardiff AAC's secretary, a key position in the club, from 1987 to 1993. He was a middle distance runner and, whilst involved with the club, met his wife Janine, who was the ladies' club captain from 1983 to 1986.
By profession, Mike is an architect who runs his own business but has become more and more interested in local and national politics and was recently elected to be the chairman of the North Cardiff Conservative Association.
The Welsh indoor championships for all age groups were held at the NIA over two recent weekends, 23rd and 30th January, and Cardiff AAC athletes attended in large numbers, well supported by their coaches.
Clean sweeps of gold, silver and bronze were taken in the Under 20 men's 400m and the Under 17 boys' 60m Hurdles.
Cardiff AAC life member Tanni Grey-Thompson has been appointed to the House of Lords as a Baroness.
She will be a non-political member and has been elected as a "People's Peer".
Tanni is best known for her athletic achievements, having won an astonishing 11 Paralympic gold medal. She has also won the London Marathon wheelchair race 6 times.
Tanni was brought up in Cardiff and joined Cardiff AAC early in her athletic career where she was helped by Cardiff AAC middle distance coach Dave Williams.
Do you watch GOT TO DANCE on SKY TV?
Cardiff AAC's Francesca Falsini is a member of the ECLIPSE dance group that has won a place in the semi finals and NEEDS YOUR VOTE to help them into the final.
The programme is screened on Sunday evenings at 6 pm on SKY ONE so please watch and vote for ECLIPSE.
David Guest, who competes for Cardiff's British League team as a higher competition athlete (his first claim club is Bridgend AC) has been included in Great Britain's Under 20 team to take part in a Combined Events International in Bombas, France on 6-7 March.
Still only 18, David has started his 2010 campaign strongly, setting a new personal best time of 22.36 for 200m at last weekend's Welsh indoor championships.
Cardiff AAC athletes won 13 medals including 4 gold at the 2010 Welsh indoor championships held yesterday, 23 January, at the NIAC.
Event winners were Liam Duff (Senior men 60m), Megan Tatnell (Under 13 girls 800m), Alex Coomber (Under 17 boys 800m) and Gareth Hopkins (Senior men 200m A).
Notable was 14 year old Ffion Bodilly's third place in the SENIOR women's high jump with a personal best equalling 1.67m.
Cardiff's Richie Gardiner has topped the 2009 UK Marathon rankings in the 35-40 age category with his time of 2:19:48 achieved in the Flora London Marathon last April.
Demonstrating his versatility, 36 year old police sergeant Richie also topped the 5k rankings, was 3rd in the half marathon, and 5th over both 10k and 10 miles.