Parkrun finally returned to North Wales and Bryn smashed course record.
Parkrun finally returned to North Wales and Bryn smashed course record.
Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery.
Parkrun finally returned to Wales, and to the Conwy RSPB site on Saturday for the first time in about seventeen months due to Covid-19 restrictions, and despite light rain and a puddle-ridden course, the event was welcomed by 310 muddy finishers, including many tourists, and several athletes from top clubs across the UK.
Colwyn Bay AC’s teenage athlete Bryn Woodall (*pictured top of page) stole the show however, and recorded a tremendous new course record of just 15 minutes 16 seconds over this picturesque 5k route, which was voted ‘runner-up’ last year in the Parkrun “World Cup” contest.
The SM18-19 runner knocked more than two minutes off his own previous personal best time at Conwy, set in January last year, and he also smashed the previous course record set more than six years ago by Andi Jones of 15.52 in August 2015.
Bryn, who is about to leave Wales shortly to study in America, set a fast pace from the start and the first sixteen runners all dipped under the twenty-minute barrier, with six athletes from this elite group also recording personal best times.
North Wales Road Runner Jonathan Kettle (*pictured above) was one of those few star athletes who managed to keep Bryn in sight, finishing 3rd overall in 17.24. He too set a new PB at Conwy, and was the 1st M45 age cat winner, and was just ten-seconds behind the 2nd placed man Daniel Quinlan (Aldershot, Farnham & District AC) in 17.14. And Eryri Harriers duo Gavin Roberts and Nic Brook also ran hard with Gavin claiming 6th place in 18.01, with Nic just 5-seconds behind in 7th spot with a PB in 18.06.
*Harry Driscoll claimed a SM20-24 age cat win at Conwy.
NWRRC had seventeen club members involved at Conwy Parkrun and successfully claimed four age category wins, two second placings, and one third. Jonathan Kettle, Harry Driscoll, Peter Armstrong and Mia Morris were the cat winners, with some members also celebrating excellent PB times.
Harry Driscoll finished 16th overall and won his SM20-24 age cat in 19.49, and fellow youngster Troy Kettle was 2nd SM18-19 cat in 22.07. Sean Butler was 40th and 2nd MV60-64 in 22.13, with Tony Price-Jones 53rd in 23.02.
Peter Armstrong (*Pictured above) continued his fine form as a master veteran winning his M70 age cat in 82nd place in 24.13, with fellow master Don Hale claiming 2nd spot in the M65-69 cat in 24.33. Stuart Culverhouse ran with his young son Joe in 95th and 96th places respectively, jointly finishing in 24.57, with Joe finishing winning his JM10 age cat, and his mum Lucy also enjoyed a rare run out in 267th place in 39.01.
Partially sighted club runner Daniel Owens also returned to this live event, and ably assisted by Gethin Wyn Jones, the pair claimed 99th and 100th placings in 25.03.
It was good to see Liz Driscoll back too after a long-term injury, and she finished 3rd in her VW50-54 age cat in 25.57, and Liz was just a couple of seconds ahead of colleague Helen Hannam in 25.59. And Mia Morris won her JW15-17 age cat with a great performance in 26.34.
Another master veteran Rob Fryer returned to competitive action in 27.32, and fellow vet Ian Turner ran a PB in 29.03, whilst Rachel Morris confirmed her own recovery from injury, recording 33.16.
Praise was given to the race director, and to all officials and marshalls’ for their determination to ensure this first event since March last year went ahead safely as planned.
*This is the link to the results from Conwy parkrun:
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