Introducing Shaun Tobin, Race Director of the Richard Burton 10k.
He’s been involved with this historic race for several years, and you can sense just how important the continuation of this event is to him.
In his own words, find out more about how Shaun came to be the Race Director, and why it’s such an important race for the local community.
“I’m a Port Talbot boy, born and bred, and when 1980 came around, off I went to join the Navy. This is where my passion for sport was born, and I think this decision changed the course of my life. As soon as I joined, I got really into sport, and this passion has just stayed with me ever since.
“In 1989 I ended up working in the steelworks in Port Talbot, and at that time, my running was going from strength to strength. I was picked to race for Wales and started winning local races – I suppose you could say my career was really taking off!
“I knew of the Richard Burton 10k and I’d been running it for years, so when I heard the news that it was about to fold, I knew I needed to do something. I was asked if I would take the race on and become the Race Director, and I did so on the condition that any money goes back to the local community.
“One of the first things I did was make a change to the route. I thought, it’s called the Richard Burton 10k, so why not go past the birthplace of Richard Burton and bring Pontrhydyfen into it? That’s exactly what we did, and the route is still the same to this day.
“I love how the race brings the community together, and how it honours the legacy of Richard Burton, highlighting how important Welsh culture and heritage is. It brings the area to life, and it’s something for residents to look forward to at the end of the year. Every year, we have a massive post-race party at the rugby club, and one year we even ran out of beer!
“For me, the Valleys is a very special place to live. The people that live here are absolutely fantastic, and the support they’ve shown the race over the years is unbelievable.
“I’m very proud to be Race Director of one of the oldest road races in Britain, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the race grows and evolves over the years to come.”