LATEST UPDATE: Welsh 5k and junior parkruns expected to return on August 21st.

By Don Hale


PARKRUN UK LATEST NEWS:

Welsh 5k and junior parkruns expected to return on August 21st


UPDATE: Parkruns could finally be returning to Wales on Saturday August 21st. 


*SEE NEW/REVISED STATEMENT FROM Parkrun UK ON AUG 6TH:


Parkrun UK’s head of event delivery, Helen Hood, published a statement today about the expected return to parkrun in Wales and Scotland early next month. 

Over five-hundred events returned last weekend in England and organisers in Wales and Scotland are now preparing for the 1k junior parkrun to recommence on the same date as the full 5k distance runs.

 

Scotland and Wales updates

 

Ms Hood admitted today: ‘Following recent announcements from the Scottish and Welsh governments, we are working towards returning 5k events in both Scotland and Wales from Saturday August 14th.

‘We are in contact with landowners to confirm permission for events restarting on this date and will continue to work closely with ambassadors and event teams in order to do our very best to make it happen.’

 

Junior parkrun

 

The Parkrun official also added: ‘Junior parkrun is now open across all of the UK, and we remain committed to welcoming 11-14 year-olds back to all of our junior events at the same time as 5k events return in each country.

‘From this Sunday, following the return of 5k events in England 11-14 year-olds will be able to walk, jog and run at junior events again. Likewise, should the 5k events restart in Scotland and Wales on Saturday 14 August, as we anticipate, this younger age group will be able to walk, jog and run at junior events from Sunday 15 August.

‘It was fantastic to see over 10,000 children participate at 250 junior parkrun events across the UK last Sunday, supported by nearly 5,000 volunteers.’

 

As we move through the reopening process for parkrun and junior parkrun, we’re publishing a UK-specific update every Friday to keep ambassadors, event teams, parkrun communities, and landowners informed on our progress. 

 

*To check the status of your local parkrun event and/or to get involved, please visit local event pages on the website and associated social media.

 

Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

 

Helen Hood, Head of Event Delivery, Parkrun UK

 

 

 

 

Don Hale is a former award winning investigative journalist and now a best-selling author who has created a very popular blog post linked to numerous social media sites. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025.

Comments

Post a Comment

Most recent posts

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Scottish mountain rescue author – George Bruce. Special Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature

By Don Hale
Image
Special Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature Welcome to another new author feature in conjunction with Amazon (4).   ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Scottish mountain rescue author – George Bruce. This book to be featured on BBC TV.   *This book is now available on Amazon:   https://amzn.to/3CJ6uzu   Published by North Wales based firm :  www.bookpublishing4u.co.uk   Exclusive report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   My Love Affair with the Hills...: And 37-years of Mountain Rescue. *(*Above): Scottish mountain rescue member and author George Bruce. ABOUT THE AUTHOR - George Bruce:  George's book combined  with a unique television  interview about his exciting life and work is to be featured shortly on BBC TV, as George explains: I was interviewed by BBC recently for Simon Barnards programme Uncanny Interviews relating to my story of the Vanishing Cottage to be broadcast later this year so that should cause some interest in t...
Read more

COWFEST 2026 comes to North Wales in June 2026.

By Don Hale
Image
donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Dave Munday from parkrun North Wales has provided details of a unique series of events including one that's available in North Wales in June! Cowfest 2026 We are delighted to announce the four locations for Cowfest 2026 on 20th June. What is a Cowfest?! It's an annual gathering for UK tourists.  Curious to learn more? Search this page for highlights and details from previous years!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2193251831088739 Scotland - Crathes Castle South - Dinton Pastures Wales - Erddig North - Ushaw Historic House You will find each event listed in the events section, where we will be sharing the latest updates and information for every location. We look forward to seeing you at Cowfest on 20th June 2026. Dave Munday:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2193251831088739/user/1239379759
Read more

An exciting start and finish at Rhos parkrun plus a NW results round-up.

By Don Hale
Image
*The busy start at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday with some dramatic actions till to come on the dash to the finish. An exciting story and finish at Rhos parkrun plus a NW results round-up... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It proved to be yet another exciting and very close start and finish at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun - with the top three athletes all battling it out over the final kilometre - before Conor Davies and Michael Corrales, eventually held on to keep James Yarwood and his famous double twin buggy in third place! Connor had an outstanding 5k run in just 16 minutes and 53 seconds, with Michael second with a new course PB in 16.59, and James (Wrexham AAC) a close third in 17.00.  *The first female finisher was  Elin Jones  in 20.13 (18th overall) in 20.13, with JW11-14 athlete  Savannah Williams  a close second with a new course PB in 20.22, and visitor...
Read more

Some personal stories by North Wales athletes in the London and Manchester Marathons.

By Don Hale
Image
*NWRRC athlete Gwen Charlton (*above right), heads towards the finish line at the London Marathon. Some personal stories by North Wales athletes in the London and Manchester Marathons... Special Marathon’s sporting feature: Introduction by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   This is a brief sporting spotlight featuring a number of the many North Wales based athletes who took part in last weekend’s London or Manchester Marathons, with a few even overcoming personal tragedies in order to compete, and most also raising some much-needed funds for local charities. It would be impossible of course, to mention everyone who took part, but this article will at least give a voice to some key individuals who have made a determined effort with hard training throughout the winter to ensure they were ready to start and finish one of the most gruelling races ever, over 26.2 miles.  This is a summary of their personal challenges: Fast time at London for Martin Green. Martin Green, ...
Read more

NWRRC athletes record top age gradings at Rhos parkrun - plus Kevin runs the first 10k at Stockport County.

By Don Hale
Image
NWRRC athletes record top age gradings at Rhos parkrun - plus Kevin runs the first 10k at Stockport County. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog     *Pictured above left - Steve Gardner, with Kay Hatton, and (*right) Kevin Higgins who ran in the first 10k at Stockport County. *Rhos:   two members from NWRRC recorded the highest age grades at last Saturday’s Rhos parkrun. Team GM and Welsh International track star  Steve Gardner  finished 5th overall and his time and performance in 18 minutes and 12 seconds earned him a 91.30% age grade in his VM60 age cat. Meanwhile fellow veteran  Kay Hatton  also had a great run and she was 70th overall in 23.41 and her VW60 age grade was 84.31%. *Stockport: NWRRC member Kevin Higgins ran at Stockport last Sunday:  He confirmed: “The first ever Stockport County 10k race this morning in very hot and humid conditions. My time was not the best 66 minutes and 20 seconds, but probably one of the best me...
Read more

RUNNING FOR FUN (NEW) by Don Hale

By Don Hale
Image
  NEW – Running for Fun By author, sports writer, and award winning journalist, and former investigative reporter, and editor Don Hale - An amusing look back at his early running and football career – with fitness tips and advice. This short book was originally published in 1986. *The early days from a jogger to a marathon runner (drawing by the late Norman Taylor) NEW RUNNING FOR FUN by Don Hale  Without doubt it is one of the most amusing and yet fully informative books ever written about running. It explains the enthusiasm of the FUN & SERIOUS RUNNER ...    PUBLIC REACTION TO THIS MASTERPIECE: -   * I found that I couldn't put the book down - Foreman at the glue factory. * My own performers were anxious to get their teeth into it - Lion Tamer. * A very useful item, the section on leg injuries was most interesting and it has now stopped my sideboard from wobbling - DIY Enthusiast. * My wife and I both rushed for a copy at the ...
Read more

English for Daily Conversation in Japan: Author Paul Stroud's being book promoted by Coast and Country online magazine

By Don Hale
Image
Special Coast and Country online magazine feature. coastandcountry.blog English for Daily Conversation:  Paul Stroud's latest books on AMAZON: Special Amazon deals:  *This is a link to all Paul Stroud's books on Amazon:   https://amzn.to/462ly6g donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 Paul Stroud is an English teacher in Japan and he has written numerous very interesting books about his life and work in Tokyo...and his passion for Japanese football... English for Daily Conversation: 50 topics and over 700 questions for conversation practice in the EFL classroom. About the author: Paul Stroud: My name is Paul Stroud, the author of the recently released EFL conversation text 'English for Daily Conversation', and the preceeding 'English Forum' series of materials for oral communication practice.  Additionally, I authored a couple of books on my experiences living and teaching for the past 20 years in the land of the rising sun titled 'Living in Japan: The Good, Bad, and ...
Read more

Longest Day for NW athletes who ran ten different parkruns in a day for Cancer charity.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above left - Daniel Huws and Dave Munday - after completing their incredible 50k charity challenge to help fundraise for Cancer charities, and (*below), the start of their campaign. Longest Day for NW athletes who ran ten different parkruns in a day for Cancer charity... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   On the longest day of the year, last Saturday 21st June, two athletes completed a tough Cancer Charity challenge, by completing ten 5k runs on ten different parkrun courses within fourteen hours! Daniel Huws  and  Dave Munday  first began their incredible marathon fundraising event for  MOVE Against Cancer  on Yns Mon, at Newborough Forest at 6am, and they finally finished their gruelling day on home soil at the Nova Prestatyn course at about 8pm.   They were all run on genuine, varied and undulating 5k parkrun routes within North Wales, but as all the events started at 9am, obviously they could only run in one live ...
Read more

Tristan Owen's Manchester Marathon plans for the Rotary Club's Community Chest Appeal.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - Llandudno undertaker and keen runner Tristan Owen will be competing in the Manchester Marathon for the Rotary Club'a charity appeal. Tristan Owen will be running in the Manchester Marathon and he is fundraising for the Rotary Club’s Community Chest Fun Appeal.   This is another special community-based story within a new series of unique features looking at the life, careers, hopes and ambitions, of many talented and dedicated athletes, sports people, and fundraisers within North Wales. *Tristan is shown (*above), second  from the left with his team mates.   Special sporting feature: Introduction by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   This latest feature highlights the determination of a well-known local undertaker, businessman, and charity fundraiser  Tristan Owen , who first began his running journey about 18 months ago, after taking part in the  Conwy parkrun . Since then, the under-taker has fast become an over-taker, recording...
Read more

Another record smashed at Penrhyn Castle parkrun and four age cat wins at Bala...

By Don Hale
Image
*Four members of NWRRC won their respective age cats at  Port y Bala parkrun last Saturday. They are shown (*above l-r): Kay Hatton, Carla Green, Martin Green, and Elizabeth Driscoll with her dog Winston. Another record smashed at Penrhyn Castle parkrun and four age cat wins at Bala... Report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton and  Michael Finnie. *The start of the Penrhyn Castle parkrun (*above) in the rain. It seems that records at Penrhyn Castle parkrun are more like London buses, with nothing for ages then suddenly two come along at once. Only last week Sara Ismail-Sutton smashed the female course record and last Saturday, despite the rain, there was another bumper turn-out of visiting athletes, who beat the previous attendance record with 370 finishers. And it was very nearly a hat-trick of records, with Colwyn Bay athlete and US student  Bryn Woodall  (*pictured right), enjoying a tremendous run at Penrhyn on their four-lap woodland route on his return to the U...
Read more