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PHONE:           0035 244 58 265

E-MAIL:           info@example.com

ADDRESS:      Rohr PL 989, NY

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Meet The Committee

The Committee

Bernie Jones

Chairman

Bernie has been a member of Wrexham AC since 1972 (made a life member in 2009 and President in 2023), and started running at the age of 14. Within 18 months he represented Welsh Schools at the Schools Cross Country International in Arrowe Park, Birkenhead.

A reasonable club athlete throughout his senior career, he represented Wales at a few minor events, but turning 40 saw him win numerous masters titles from 1500m through to 10 miles. Despite a variety of injuries he continues to run for Welsh Masters at cross country and on the track.

As well as running, Bernie has been involved in coaching, officiating and team management and is currently Chair of Welsh Athletics Masters Advisory Group as well as Secretary and Referee of the North Wales Cross Country League.

He is Chair of Cheshire Dragons and prior to that was the leader of BJ Training, a forerunner to Cheshire Dragons.

Ross McNair

Member secretary/Kit officer

I joined the club back in 2019 just before covid hit as I had been running for a number of years and got talking to Helen (treasurer) in the school playground who invited me to come along and check out the club. After a couple of sessions I knew it was the right club for me (even though at that stage we weren’t an affiliated club). The people were friendly and the training instantly started to push me in ways and got me to zones I hadn’t trained in before and I saw a jump in my performance and fitness.

I enjoy everything about the club and the inclusivity of it, and am now never stuck for someone to run with as there are always options for different runs on different days, even for the gardy few who go out pre 6am throughout the year to train before the kids wake up.

During my time with the club I have broken all of my road race PB’s, some several times and been fortunate enough to complete 100 mile races 2 times, through the support of my team mates and guidance of coaches I have been able to push on and become a much better athlete than I was, something which spurred me on to become a level 1 UKA coach myself.

I am in charge of all things to do with memberships for the club, so renewals and new sign ups aswell as holding all the club kit and organizing the ordering and sourcing of this and distribution and fulfillment of orders.

Phil Negus

Committee member
My running journey began in 2017, sparked by a friend battling cancer who inspired me to take on a half marathon in his honor. What started as a tribute quickly transformed into a full-blown passion for the sport. I was instantly hooked on running, the sense of accomplishment, and the incredible community that comes with it.

Since those early days, I’ve pushed myself to achieve some exciting milestones. Crossing the finish line of the Loch Ness Marathon with a time of 2:56 was a defining moment – a lifetime goal achieved! The feeling of breaking that 3-hour barrier was pure elation. I’ve also embraced the unique challenge of the Welsh Castles Relay, twice experiencing the incredible team spirit and stunning scenery of Stage 6.

Of course, nothing beats a classic Dragons’ interval session to test my limits and share some laughs with the team. Those 400m repeats might bring the pain, but they’re over quickly, and the sense of accomplishment (and the rest of the day!) feels like a breeze afterward.

The camaraderie within the Dragons is what truly makes running special for me. The support, encouragement, and shared passion for the sport are invaluable. Every race feels like a team effort, and I’m incredibly grateful for the advice and friendships I’ve gained since joining. Whether it’s offering a word of encouragement, sharing training tips, or simply being there for a post-run chat, I’m always happy to contribute to the club in any way I can.

Lynda Searby

Welfare officer

I joined Cheshire Dragons at the end of 2023 because I wanted more focus and structure in my running and to train alongside other people. I was spending too much time plodding round the park with my dogs and not doing anything to improve my speed.

I am self-employed so I am able to attend Wednesday morning training, which generally takes place at Moss Farm or Mill Lane. These sessions have become sacrosanct for me – I do everything possible to keep my work diary clear. I love the camaraderie and Helen is an incredibly inspiring coach.

I’m not the fastest of runners – I’m nearly 50 years old and built more for comfort than speed. Even though there are a lot of insanely fast runners in the club, I have found it to be very welcoming and inclusive. Everyone has their own personal running goals and supports each another. Mine is to be the best version of my running self and to improve my hill fitness so I can take part in more trail and mountain events.

I stepped up to the role of Welfare Officer because I wanted to give something back to the club – the coaches and administrators put in so much of their time and their passion is infectious.

Mark Bebbington

Committee member

My interest in sports comes from training and competing in boxing from 11 years old which took me across the UK and Europe as well as representing UK armed forces and the British Army. Once I retired from boxing aged 35 and some 72 competitive bouts I remember reading about the Lochness Marathon and decided to sign up on the very same day as finishing boxing.

Fast forward to the 2018 Lochness Marathon, with a (none breathable) Cotton T shirt, watchless and clueless, I finished my first Marathon in a respectable 3:17 and remember immediately feeling disappointed and wanting to go faster.

With limited experience and knowledge I began to sign up to more races and really wanted to tick some boxes in terms of fun, adventure and challenges along the way but with one eye on breaking the elusive golden sub 3 hour marathon mark.

I finally achieved that at the 2022 Lochness Marathon with a 2:58 and somehow got round Manchester a week later in 3:01

Joining the Dragons in October 2023, I really started to enjoy training alongside a great group of people, especially after running alone for so long. This gave me the confidence, accountability and motivation to then look at improving my times further.

To date, I am at 2:42 for the Marathon and now chasing a sub 2:40 which would have been a dream when I first started.

I have achieved PBs in every distance so far with the dragons but also had a great time as well as entering some fantastic races. The Welsh Castles that I have entered with the team is among my favourite sporting moments across all my experiences.

Helen Harrington

Treasurer

I have been running for many years and was a part of the BJ training group that used to meet up prior to Cheshire Dragons being formed. I have raced all distances from 800m on the track all the way through to 100 miles on trails over the years, my only competitive marathon was back in 2006 in Chicago but am looking to go again at this distance in 2025. I was 3rd Female at the Chester Ultra 50 in 2024 in a time of 9h 16min 42 sec.

Being a part of the formation of Cheshire Dragons means a lot to me. I am a level 2 UKA coach and I am the lead on Wednesday morning sessions on Moss Farm. I enjoy motivating others to succeed and achieve their goals through hard work/dedication and commitment and this helps me to push myself to achieve my goals alongside a busy life outside of running.

I am the treasurer for the club so I handle all the accounts and membership fees along with payments to events that the club want to attend. I also play a role in training and the implementation of sessions throughout the year and help club members with training plans and coaching to reach their targets using my knowledge gained over the years.