2024 Extra Miler Volunteer Recognition Awards
Another fantastic event calendar is now over! 2024 was another great year for Run 4 Wales and the Extra Milers, with over 1300 volunteers and nearly 54,200 runners taking part in our events.
As always, being December, it’s time for the annual Extra Miler Volunteer Recognition Awards. After each event we invite you, the Extra Milers, and the wider Run 4 Wales event team to nominate a fellow volunteer for the award.
This might be someone you noticed who went above and beyond to help a runner or spectator. Or perhaps it was your first time volunteering with R4W and another volunteer was really welcoming and friendly.
In 2024 R4W delivered 6 volunteer-supported events, with the Extra Milers volunteers clocking up an incredible 5488 volunteering hours. This not only supports the runners and ensure they have an enjoyable and safe experience but also enables thousands of pounds to be donated to worthy causes. At the Cardiff Half alone more than £4million was raised by runners affiliated with a charity.
At Run 4 Wales, we recognise that volunteers make a choice about how to spend their leisure time and we are super grateful that you choose to spend it supporting runners at our events, especially as most of our events start early on a Sunday. An extra special thanks to Newport Marathon Festival volunteers who have an even earlier start time than normal! All mass participation sporting events rely heavily on the goodwill of volunteers and we know that the runners thank you too.
“Every single volunteer I saw was amazing. I have nothing but praise for these folk who give up their time for random strangers” Cardiff Half 2024 runner
Our Recognition Awards reflect the dedication and energy of all Extra Milers and we always find it so difficult to choose just a few volunteers to receive an Award. 2024 winners will receive a special social media post, telling us why they volunteer and a £30 gift voucher of their choice.
Diolch yn fawr o galon to each and every Extra Miler! This includes pacers, back markers, cyclists and course marshals who look after the runners on the course, the water station teams who hand out thousands of bottles of water per race, finish line volunteers who hand out well-deserved medals and the banter and welcoming faces of the bag drop team.
98% of volunteers who attended a 2024 R4W event said that they would volunteer with us again, which is amazing to hear. We love receiving feedback from volunteers after each event, via email or the event experience survey, and all feedback is passed on to the operations team who use it to improve next year’s events.
Ready to find out who received an Extra Miler Recognition Award this year?! Read on for the full round-up.
Extra Miler Recognition Awards 2024
Follow our Twitter and Facebook pages this December to find out more about the nominees and share your congratulations.
Llongyfarchiadau! Congratulations to…
“Helen was such a lovely lady, very helpful in keeping the crowds at bay, made the whole day go really quick, we laughed continuously. All round top woman.”
Helen McCarthy runs with Albany Road Run Club, based in Roath, a group she says is “amazing, with great support and very inclusive”. Like many Extra Milers, she chose to volunteer with R4W to give back and support others. “I have only volunteered a few times, but next year I will love to support more.” Helen adds: “R4W support you and look after you as a volunteer. It’s great fun. I enjoy volunteering as you can support others, especially when I have struggled at races and the Extra Milers pick you back up.”
“Gab was fantastic in the Bag Drop tent at CDF10K. He is usually a pacer but decided to volunteer in the Bag Drop as we were very short of volunteers on event day.
“He was really smiley and helpful with the runners and a lot of fun to have around!”
Gabrielius Stuokus has been a Run 4 Wales volunteer for more than five years. Although he volunteers in a variety of roles, he is primarily a pacer, supporting fellow runners during events like Newport Marathon, Cardiff Half and the 10K series. He says, “the most exciting event for me is definitely Cardiff Half Marathon! I always enjoy being part of large, well-organized events and helping participants have the best experience possible.” Look out for Gab at Newport Marathon 2025, where he will be pacing 3.45 hours.
“Cath has been volunteering with R4W for a long time now – she seems to be at every event! I always look forward to seeing her and she is great at welcoming the new volunteers and getting everyone organised at the start of the day.”
Cath Mudford says her mother always described her as a serial volunteer! She enjoys seeing sports events from behind the scenes and helping make events happen. “I tell people I do it because I go places I wouldn’t otherwise go, I do things I wouldn’t otherwise do and I meet people I wouldn’t otherwise meet.” Cath also dedicates time to volunteering one day a week at the RNLI visitors centre on Barry Island and is a tour guide on trips to Flat Holm, as well as helping out at Glamorgan Cricket on match days.
“I nominate Patrick for capturing the atmosphere and a free photographic narrative of both CHM days in 3 and 2 and 1, and always with a massive smile!!”
Patrick So says he enjoys volunteering at Run 4 Wales events so that he can capture and share through photography “moments of joy” as well as it being a great way to look after his physical and mental health. He volunteers at lots of different events locally, both sporting and community, and first volunteered with R4W at Cardiff Half Marathon in 2022. He now is a regular finish line Extra Miler, supporting the team to welcome runners across the finish line as well as taking photos of the volunteer team. Patrick adds that “volunteering once started is really like a bug that sticks with you”!
“Cath, part of Newport Female Runners’ Network, deserves an Award – she organised everything for our group to volunteer from coordinating before event day, to ensuring we all knew what we had to do on the day.”
Cath Whitehead is one of the run leaders for Newport Female Runners’ Network, a group which offers free social runs, friendship and support for local female runners. Cath has volunteered at the Cardiff Half for the last two years at the start line, finish line and bag drop. She says, “I really enjoy the whole experience. The atmosphere is always fantastic. As a run club we’re all about supporting each other, this year a group of us decided to volunteer to do just that. I run a few races a year and am very aware these events couldn’t happen without people who are willing to give up their time. This is my opportunity to give something back. Plus it’s great fun and very rewarding. I’m looking forward to doing it all again next year!”
“I’m nominating Meurig who always supports R4W events in a variety of different roles. He often looks after a course marshal team at the 10K events but is also happy to support the R4W team doing the extra little tasks that are needed on event day. A great asset to the Extra Miler team!”
Meurig Roberts is a long-time volunteer with R4W and often supports our events as a team supervisor. He also volunteers at other events, including Snowdonia Half Marathon and the Cybi Coastal Marathon in Holyhead. Locally he is a volunteer driver with FareShare Cymru, a fantastic charity which redistributes surplus food to families in local communities.
Meurig yn dweud “yn ystod yr holl ddigwyddiadau hyn, rwy’n mwynhau cyfeillgarwch pawb sy’n ymwneud â chefnogi’r digwyddiadau sydd i’w cyflwyno gan gynnwys wrth gwrs, cefnogi’r rhedwyr yn ystod y ras neu ar y diwedd pan fyddant yn derbyn eu gwobrau haeddiannol am gwblhau’r rhediad”. He enjoys receiving the thanks of runners as they pass, “as they recognise how important all volunteers are to the successful outcomes of the races” and also says, “it is great to be asked for feedback on how the events went and ideas for improvement which is not always the case with all organisations I volunteer with!”
” I nominate Angela who is a regular back marker but has also volunteered as a race marshal and as part of the finish line team this year. She always has a smile and a “well done” for the runners regardless of the role she’s doing on the day.”
Angela Foster-Swailes says, “I love volunteering with Run 4 Wales as it gives you a real appreciation of how much hard work goes in behind the scenes of these events. I’ve volunteered at all the 10K series and done everything from back marking to marshalling to being on the finish line team. I have a fond memory of putting a medal around the neck of national treasure Derek (the weather) Brockway at Barry 10K several years ago! I also regularly volunteer at parkrun, what can I say, the running community is just the best.”
“Sean volunteers at most events and even ran one of them this year! He is always very friendly and easy to get along with. He is definitely a great asset to the Extra Milers!”
Sean Lyne enjoys volunteering with the Extra Milers saying it is a great opportunity to visit different places and meet people. “You always get very well looked after at R4W events and the structure to volunteering always works really well.” He told us that his personal highlight of volunteering this year was at the Cardiff Half weekend, where he volunteered at both the family races and the Half Marathon. He says, “I cannot imagine how much work goes into organising running events. I understand that events can only happen if people volunteer and I’ll definitely be helping out at Run 4 Wales events again next year!”
“Anna tail walked the 2km walk and also was in sector 4 for marshalling at the CB10K. It was Anna’s first time volunteering as a course marshal and her enthusiasm was infectious – she’s a natural and will be a real asset to future volunteers.”
Anna Bailey volunteers on and off with Run 4 Wales and this year was roped into being a back marker for the Family Fun Run at the Cardiff Bay 10K, before course marshalling the 10K. She says, “I’m not sure I deserve any award as it has been a genuine joy to participate as an Extra Miler on the occasions that I have done so. I wish I could commit to more events and totally recommend to anyone who wants to take part without having to run. The team is so welcoming that there’s no need to be shy if you’re nervous about coming forward!”
“It was great to see the Friends of Hong Kong group again. They are always so friendly and cheerful and great with the runners. They are regular volunteers now and I always look forward to seeing them.”
Sheilla, herself a long time R4W volunteer, also helps to co-ordinate volunteering by local group Friends of Hong Kong in Cardiff. She says, “thank you for recognizing us, we are deeply grateful for this incredible honour. Our group have a lot of fun every single time we volunteer. We are a group of Hong Kong people settled in Cardiff from 2021 and we are so happy there is a chance for us to do something for the community. We’re looking forward to volunteering at R4W next year!”
“Lindsay usually volunteers in the Bag Drop and is now one of the key volunteers as she knows the role so well. She is always so helpful and supportive to other Extra Milers and doesn’t mind helping them get their bay in order!”
Lindsay Yeung is a regular R4W volunteer, often volunteering alongside her daughter. She says, “I initially started volunteering because my daughter persuaded me to come with her. I found bag drop to be quite rewarding so continued with that role.” Lindsay supported four R4W events in 2024 and we look forward to seeing her again next year!
Want to see who won an award in 2023 or 2022?
2023 Extra Miler Recognition Awards
2022 Extra Miler Recognition Awards
Our 2025 event calendar is now nearly complete. Save the date for the Bath Half Marathon on Sunday March 16th, Newport Marathon Festival on Sunday 13th April, Porthcawl 10K on Sunday 6th July, CDF 10K on Sunday 7th September, Cardiff Half Junior on Saturday 4th October and Cardiff Half Marathon on Sunday 5th October. We’ll see you there!
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