Fast times despite being cool and breezy at Conwy parkrun - plus news from Elizabeth in the Falkland Islands...and more

*Will Williams (*above) was the first NWRRC member home at Conwy.

Fast times despite being cool and breezy at Conwy parkrun...plus news of Elizabeth in the Falkland Islands and Nicola at breezy Blackpool.

Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk

 

It was rather cool and breezy at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday (1/7/23) but it still failed to deter another bumper attendance which also included a host of top club runners and enthusiastic visitors from many parts of the UK.

Two new names though were registered as the 1st and 2nd placed finishers at Conwy with Aled Hughes taking the plaudits with an excellent and determined run, especially given the blustery conditions, as the 1st male finisher in 18 minutes and 6 seconds, to win his MV35 age category. He was very closely followed by rival Dave Hughes, who finished 2nd in the same age cat as Aled, and he was only seven-seconds adrift despite a new PB of 18.13, with Will Williams (NWRRC) finishing 3rd overall, and the 1st MV50 cat winner in 18.37.

*Vicky Cole (GOG Triathlon Club) - above left - was the 1st female runner home at  Conwy with rival Gemma Moore (Eryri Harriers) 2nd with her child buggy.

GOG Triathlete Vicky Cole was the 1st female runner, finishing 12th overall, with a superb run of 21 minutes and 41 seconds to win her VW40 age cat, and she was almost a minute ahead of her rival Gemma Moore (Eryri Harriers), who amazingly recorded a great time of 22.37, despite pushing a child buggy around this challenging and windswept 5k course in 22nd place overall, and 2nd VW40 cat, whilst parkrun debutant Katie Wood gave Gemma a hard chase but eventually had to settle for the 3rd female spot in 22.51 but won her SW25 age cat. There were 229 finishers.

Will Williams led a team of ten Road Runners home with another very positive performance ahead of colleague Steve Forsyth, who was 4th, and won his MV40 cat in 19.45, with Jamie Tharme 14th overall in 21.47, and 2nd in his MV45 cat.

 

*Steve Forsyth (*above left) with Jamie Tharme and Kay Hatton.

Kay Hatton ran well again to win her VW60 age cat in 24.12, finishing 46th overall, and the 6th female athlete. Meanwhile master veteran Mark Mason was another cat winner in 87th place, and 1st in his MV70 cat in 26.51, and he was narrowly ahead of improving fellow master Don Hale, who was 92nd in 27.12, and 2nd in the same age cat as Mark.

*Master veterans' Mark Mason (*above left) with Don Hale and Mike Hayton, spread the board for a clean sweep of 1-2-3 in their MV70 age categories.

Veteran John O’Shea was 108th in 28.02, and he claimed the 3rd spot in his MV65 age cat, with another master veteran Mike Hayton finishing 122nd in 28.35, to clinch the 3rd cat place, and ensure it was a clean sweep of the MV70 section for the club. Veteran Rob Fryer unfortunately had an off day but bravely battled on to finish in 158th place in 30.38, with Rachel Morris 178th in 33.28.

*This is the link to the provisional results from Conwy parkrun. And praise was again given to the run director and to all the marshalls and volunteers: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults/

*Veteran Rob Fryer (*above left) with Rachel Morris.

*Elizabeth Driscoll (*above) is pictured at the Mount Pleasant parkrun on the Falkland Islands after winning her age cat last weekend.

Other race results:

*Falkland Islands: NWRRC member Elizabeth Driscoll ran in the Mount Pleasant parkrun last Saturday on the Falkland Islands and won her VW55-59 age cat finishing 10th overall and the 2nd female runner with her best parkrun time since about June last year of 25.53. 

This was her third appearance on the trot at this venue, and previously Elizabeth has taken part in the alternative Cape Pembroke Lighthouse parkrun. Last weekend also marked an improvement in her previous times, and afterwards she confirmed: “Finally got our new parkrun sign. It’s officially the most southerly in the world! A bit breezy and muddy this morning but at least all the snow has gone.” 

*Nicola Wylie (*above) enjoyed a quick dash at the breezy Blackpool parkrun.

*Blackpool: Nicola Wylie visited Blackpool last weekend and enjoyed a quick dash in the Blackpool parkrun. She finished as the 4th female athlete and won her VW55 age cat on her debut in 24.30.

*Liverpool: Kevin Higgins ran in the windy and hilly Stanley Park 10k over three laps last Sunday and finished in 115th place overall out of 257 entrants, and he was 4th in his MV60 age cat in 53.15.