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The Nos Galan Road Race runs through the streets of Mountain Ash in South Wales each New Years Eve. They commemorate the 19th century athlete Guto Nyth Bran, who was reputed to be the fastest runner in the British Isles. Guto was born in 1700 and there are many stories of his prowess. How he could catch a bird in flight and how, on one occasion, he ran to Pontypridd and back some seven miles before the kettle had boiled. Legend has it that he could outrun a hare, keep up with hounds and win races with horses over twelve miles.
Throughout his life he contested many races and took on many challengers but, owing to his continued successes, challengers became fewer and fewer. In 1737, an English soldier by the name of Prince, who was stationed at the barracks in Monmouth, heard of Guto's prowess and challenged him to a race from Newport in Gwent to Caerphilly. Guto easily won the race but the celebratory slaps on the back proved too much for him and he died in the arms of his sweetheart Sian O'Siop. A sculpture to Guto can be seen in Oxford Street, Mountain Ash and the Nos Galan races are an annual celebration of this incredible athlete.
By a strange co-incidence, there is a similar legend of the running exploits of one Simone de Bankes a saxon warrior who lived in "ye olde Fayrewood" in what is now the village of Verwood in Dorset. The Banks' family have recounted this tale through many generations, but little or nothing is documented. He too could run like there wind and there are many fabled tales of his speed and ability to out run man and beast. To resurrect the memory of this Dorset chieftain, Verwood RUFC organised an inaugural Samhain road race on the last Thursday before Halloween - Thursday 28th October. Samhain (pronounced "Sô-un" or "sow-en" -- not "Sam Hain") is the original festival that became "All Saints' Day," or "All Hallow's Evening," which was contracted into the modern "Halloween.
The Start of the race at 9.30pm was marked by the arrival of a guest runner carrying a flaming torch (the wizard Gandalf).
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