Conwy parkrunners battled against Storm Kathleen.

*Pictured above - Jonathan Kettle at Conwy parkrun.

Conwy parkrunners battled against Storm Kathleen.

Report by Don Hale.

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk

 

It was wild and extremely windy at Conwy parkrun last Saturday as nearly 300 mixed ability athletes braved Storm Kathleen on this blustery riverside 5k course.

Once again, this popular event attracted a host of visiting runners from across the UK, but they all faced the usual swamp-like, waterlogged course, following several days of heavy and unrelenting rain, combined with 40-mph plus head and side winds!

North Wales Road Runners entered eleven members and Jonathan Kettle led the team home with an amazing performance considering the atrocious conditions under foot to finish in 3rd place overall, and he also won his VM45 age cat in just 18 minutes and 19 seconds.

Will Williams was also in good form, and he won his VM50 cat in 6th place in 19.02, with Steve Mason 10th in 19.45, and 3rd in his VM45 cat. Sion Thomas, meanwhile, had another consistent run in 39th place in 22.26, and Jamie Tharme was 42nd, and just eight-seconds adrift of Sion in 22.34.

 

*Will Williams (*above left), with Steve Mason, and Sion Thomas.

Master veteran Sandy Johnston turned in another excellent performance in 67th place, and he also won his VM70 cat in 24.36, with fellow master vet Don Hale finishing 90th in 26.17, and he was 2nd in the same age cat as Sandy. 

In addition, veteran Rob Fryer claimed the 2nd spot in his VM65 cat in 97th place in 26.41, and Barrie Wells was 138th in 28.23, and his 3rd place in the VM70 cat ensured the club secured all three top placings in this tough master vet section again.

 

*Pictured above left - Sandy Johnston, Rob Fryer, and Nia Lister.

Nia Lister was the only female club representative at Conwy this week and she enjoyed her result finishing in 149th place in 28.49, and claimed the 3rd spot in her VW35 age cat, whilst veteran John O’Shea was 193rd in 31.27.

*The first three male finishers at Conwy parkrun included course debutant Robert Parker in 17.54, with James Perry(Macclesfield Harriers & AC), 2nd with a new PB in 18.12, and Jonathan Kettle (NWRRC), finished 3rd in 18.19. *Emily Hanlon was the first female finisher on her debut in 20.58 (18th overall), with junior athlete Bethan Buckley (Keighley & Craven AC), the 2nd female, (20th), in 21.09, and Jo Buckley (Bingley Harriers) was 3rd (21st), in 21.20.

*And congratulations to Josh Mottram (*above left), who celebrated his 50th parkrun at Conwy on Saturday and the teenager also won his JM15-17 age cat in 28th place overall in 21.39, with his associate Ian Taylor finishing 68th in 24.38.

*Praise was given to the run director Anthony Howe, and to all his hardworking team of volunteers and marshals at Conwy in very trying weather conditions. This is the link to the provisional results: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults/

Other parkrun results:

*Blackpool: Martin and Carla Green took part in the breezy Blackpool parkrun at Stanley Park on Saturday, with Martin finishing well in 3rd place in 19.21, and he won his VM45 age cat, whilst Carla was the first female finisher in 15th place overall in 22.12, and she too won her VW50 cat.

 

*Martin and Carla Green (*above left), with Stuart Culverhouse, and Richard Scamans.

*Prestatyn: Stuart Culverhouse ran with his young son Joe at the Nova Prestatyn parkrun, supported by several family members. Stuart finished 7th in 20.25, and he was second in his VM50 cat, and Joe was also second in his JM11-14 age cat, and in 26th place overall in 24.17.
*Dunstable: Richard Scamans went on his travels again last weekend and ran in the Dunstable Downs parkrun, which he admitted was, ‘very hilly, muddy, and run around boggy fields.’ Despite his problems, Richard still ran very well and finished 10th overall, and he was 2nd in his VM50 age cat in 26.15.
*Bala: Adam Lemalle finished 10th overall in the Pont y Bala parkrun with a good time of 21.51 and he was 3rd in his VM40 age cat.