Bryn just missed beating the course record at Conwy parkrun by six seconds.

Fast times for top three athletes at Conwy parkrun. 

Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery.

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk

 

Teenage athlete Bryn Woodall was the first man home again at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday with another outstanding performance over this challenging 5k course and he finished more than two minutes ahead of his nearest senior rival - but missed setting a new course record by just six seconds!

Bryn, who was representing Colwyn Bay AC, and is currently on home leave from his studies in America, dashed home in 15 minutes and 21 seconds, and won his SM20 age cat, but he narrowly missed beating his own course record of 15.16 set in August 2021. 

Top club veteran Simon Cole (GOG Triathlon) finished 2nd in 17.46, and he was the winner of his MV40 cat, whilst Josh Keogh (NWRRC) ran hard for 3rd place and won his SM30 cat in 17.51.

 

*Bryn Woodall (*above left) with Simon Cole at Conwy parkrun.

The first female athlete was visiting debutante Nicole Firth (Ordnance Survey Runners), who also won her SW25 age cat in 20.29, with Ella Grundy (Colwyn Bay AC) 2nd in 21.17, and the winner of her JW15-17 cat, whilst another visiting runner Hannah Pinkney (Tynedale Harriers) claimed the 3rd spot on her debut in 21.44, and she also won her SW20 cat. *There were 212 finishers.

North Wales Road Runners entered ten members and collected seven podium places including three age cat wins and four third place finishes. Josh led the team back, and he was followed by Stuart Culverhouse in 13th place overall, who was 3rd in his MV45 cat in 20.15.

*Josh Keogh (*above left) with Stuart Culverhouse.

Karl Morris swapped the fells for the relative flat terrain of the parkrun again and he finished 34th and 3rd MV40 cat in 21.48, with Richard Scamans 44th in 22.43, and veteran Barrie Wells was 56th and the winner of his MV65 cat in 24.01.

Fellow veteran Rob Fryer enjoyed another good run in 88th place, and he was 3rd in his MV65 cat in 26.52, whilst several other veteran club athletes also performed well in the dry and humid conditions, including Len Jackson, who completed a good run in 95th place in 27.29.

 

*Pictured (*above) Karl Morris, then Richard Scamans, with veterans Rob Fryer and Len Jackson.

*Master veteran male runners Don Hale (*above left) with Mike Hayton, and Rachel Morris all enjoyed good runs on a very humid morning at Conwy.

Master vet Don Hale won his MV70 cat with his fastest 5k run this year, finishing just one place and four seconds behind Len in 27.33, and fellow master vet Mike Hayton claimed 3rd place in the same age cat as Don in 130th place in 29.45. 

Rachel Morris, meanwhile, finished well in 160th place in 31.48, and later she confirmed: “My second fastest parkrun time this year. My PB is getting close.” 

And generous plaudits were given to Len Jackson’s wife Janice Jackson, who took part in her first-ever parkrun, and she even completed her journey with a smile finishing 204th in 39.39 and finished 7th in her VW60 age cat. Later, Len Jackson, a very proud husband said: “Well done to Janice Jackson for taking part in her first ever park run in Conwy just six weeks after starting her training.”

*Parkrunners compare notes (*above) after last Saturday's Conwy parkrun (l-r) debutante Janice Jackson, with Pam Grant, Don Hale and Len Jackson.

*Praise was given again to the Conwy run director, and to all the volunteers and marshals, who made the parkrun event such a success. *This is the link to the provisional results:

https://www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults/