John Hatton celebrated his 350th volunteer role at Penrhyn parkrun...plus other results...

*Pictured above - super veteran John Hatton at Penrhyn Castle.

John Hatton celebrated his 350th volunteer role at Penrhyn parkrun...plus other results...

Report by Don Hale.

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

 

Super veteran John Hatton, a well-known local race director and a prolific charity organiser/fundraiser, celebrated his 350th role as a volunteer at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun event last Saturday morning.

VM80 athlete John, who also represents North Wales Road Runners (NWRRC), said he was delighted to have been given the opportunity to reach this parkrun milestone at Penrhyn, and he confirmed: “It was my 350th volunteering opportunity, and I was so thrilled to achieve this number at this particular venue, as they are always so welcoming.”

He later helped out with barcode scanning and was also able to witness an exciting fast paced finish by the top three male athletes, which included the first two sharing the exact same times. 

Visitor Daniel Kashi (Salford Harriers) was narrowly adjudged to be the first person over the line on this four-lap challenging course during his debut in just 16 minutes and 15 seconds, with Adam Jones second in 16.19, and Geraint Pugh (Meirionnydd RC) was third, with Geraint only 4 seconds adrift, and all three elite runners were more than two minutes ahead of the next fourth place finisher. The first female finisher at Penrhyn was Tilly Edwards (12th overall), with a new course PB of 19.41, ahead of Sophie Hunt (14th) in 20.03, and Elin Jones (34th) 21.53. *There were 285 finishers.

*(Above left) ready for the start at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun, and (*above right), NWRRC master veteran Rob Fryer at the Newborough Forest parkrun.

*Newborough: Young JM15-17 visiting athlete Kieran Halsey (Leamington C & AC) was the first finisher at the Newborough Forest parkrun making a fine debut run in just 18.34, followed by Iwan Morton (Pont y PWL & District Runners) in 18.41. Third place was unknown.

Several other visitors took the first three female places at Newborough with Natasha Barker (Sheffield University Bankers HC) taking the top place (13th overall) with a new PB in 20.57, and Laura Jarman (Chorlton Runners) finished second, with another PB in 22.03, whilst Isabelle Perry (Trawden AC), was third on her debut in 22.47. *Rob Fryer from NWRRC was 146th and 2nd VM70 in 29.25. *There were 314 finishers altogether.

 

*Prestatyn: Matthew Baker was the first finisher at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn with a good time of 17.29, and he was just 4 seconds ahead of Andrew Bromley (Prestatyn RC) in 17.33, with visitor Jack Valentine (Skelmersdale Boundary Harriers) third on his debut in 18.55.

Michelle Farrell (GOG Triathlon), fresh from her medal winning exploits in the recent European Triathlon Cross Championships in the Czech Republic, was the first female finisher (21st overall) at Nova with a new PB of 23.05, with visitor Mia Ager (Skelmersdale Boundary Harriers), second on her debut (27th) in 24.13, and Lisa Lines (Prestatyn RC), came a close third in 24.18, and (28th) overall.

Host club Prestatyn RC entered thirty-four members and had three men in the top ten finishing places including Andrew Bromley second overall in 17.33, Alex Ryder fourth in 19.18, and teenager Oliver Birch-Jones seventh in 19.48. And at the other end of the age range, it was good to see super veteran Roger Harrison Jones back in action, and he was 206th in 42.39 and won his VM85-89 age cat in style. *There were 226 finishers at Nova.