Exciting new parkrun set to start in Llandrillo-yn-Rhos following a successful trial event...plus other results...

 

*Pictured above - runners and officials receive instructions before the test event, and (*below), Steven Owen (GOG Triathlon), was the first finisher overall at the trial run.

Exciting new parkrun set to start in Llandrillo-yn-Rhos following a very successful trial event...plus other results...

Report by Don Hale

donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025

A brand-new parkrun is set begin this Saturday at Llandrillo-yn-Rhos, which will offer keen parkrunners another exciting and varied choice of events throughout North Wales. 

This venue is one of several new parkrun initiatives and additional locations planned over the coming months in this region that could help further support this popular activity and will also help to spread the number of entrants amongst many other current locations. 

A very successful test run was organised last Saturday by run director Richard Peevor, and his hard working team of volunteers and marshals, with invited runners completing a new 5k route along the prom to Porth Eirias and back, with a few extra twists and turns added. 

This challenge was supported by many Porth Eirias Runners and other invited guests to test all the essential parts of a local parkrun prior to launching their first official run set for next Saturday (29th) November at 9am. 

Despite battling with an unusual problem of some large sand piles along parts of the promenade following last week's storms, Richard was very pleased with the trial run.

*Run directors at the new Llandrillo-yn-Rhos parkrun (l-r): Dougie Graham, Sharon Hughes and Richard Peevor are pictured above.

He later confirmed: “It really was very exciting to have the test event of our new parkrun today. It was especially nice to hear the positive feedback that we got from the test participants.  

“I’m ever so grateful to Porth Eirias Runners for their support providing volunteers and runners and to my fellow run directors Sharon Hughes and Dougie Graham, and to all my friends, who we invited to join us.  

“We hope this will be another successful parkrun in Conwy County, and we look forward to welcoming runners from next week, the 29th of November. I was sorry to see the amount of sand on the course caused by the recent storms.  

“This is actually a relatively infrequent occurrence and hopefully the council will be able to move it in the very near future. 

 

*International athlete Michelle Farrell (GOG Triathlon) - shown above - was the first female finisher at the new parkrun trial run.

Richard Peevor also confirmed details of the location and said the new banner confirms - Y Promenade - Llandrillo yn Rhos. 

He explained: "The meeting point is in Combermere Gardens at Rhos on Sea, which is the area next to Happy Faces and opposite Coast / the Cayley. The start is on the multi-user path next to that meeting point.

"It’s 2.1Km straight out to Porth Eirias, then turn and back to just before Parisellas, where runners will turn back to do a loop to back under the pier, and then turn to come back to the finish in Rhos. It’s an (800m) loop in the middle of the return leg. The three turns will have a nice radius so should keep people running."

NORTH WALES PARKRUN ROUND-UP:

*Penrhyn: Aidan Thomas was the first finisher at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun with a new PB of 17.47, with Rhodri Williams (Cybi Striders) second in 17.55, and visitor Louis Shingles (Highgate Harriers) was third despite a new PB of 18.21. *The first female finisher was Jessica Bibby (12th overall) in 21.18, with Ellie Evans (Cybi Striders) second in 22.18, and Rebecca Neill hot on her heels in third place with a PB in 22.21. *Sandy Johnston and John O’Shea represented NWRRC, and Sandy won his VM75 age cat in 46th place in 24.43, with John running 128th in 34.24. *There were 156 finishers in total. 

*Prestatyn: Wrexham ACC member James Yarwood was the first man home at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn in 17.38, with Jonathan Puleston-Jones second with a new PB in 20.04, and Callum Balzaretti claimed the third spot on his debut in 20.15. *And Prestatyn RC ladies took the top two female places, with Eve Manifold first and 15th overall in 23.01, with Tilly Jones second in 25.04, and Lindsey Schofield finished third with a new PB in 25.44. *There were 162 finishers. 

*Conwy: Numbers were down at the Conwy parkrun with many entrants probably opting to keep their feet dry this week after the previous ‘swamp dash,’ but debutant Jos Poole managed to record a good time of 17.55, with Jonathan Kettle (NWRRC) second in 18.32, and Cameron Dawson celebrated a new PB in third place, with a new PB in 20.04. *Anna Drinkwater (Eryri Harriers) was the first female finisher (4th overall) in 20.05, and her club mate Kate Brocklehurst took second place on her debut in 23.42, but it was a very close finish with Abbie Robinson narrowly third, and just one second and one place behind Kate in 23.43. *There were 117 finishers in total. 

*NWRRC entered four members at Conwy with Jonathan Kettle leading the team home and winning his VM50 age cat in second place overall in 18.32; with Steve Bozier back to good form in sixth place in 20.39, and he also won his VM45 cat; whilst Karl Morris enjoyed another positive performance in 12th place in 23.07, and he was second in hisVM40 cat, with Richard Scamans 14th and he was third in his VM50 cat in 23.32. *Some other local results included: Tristan Owen 22nd in 24.11; Tony Parvin 33rd in 25.46; and John Stallard 52nd in 29.40. 

*Newborough: A couple of long-distance visitors took the first two finishing places at the Newborough Forest parkrun, with Stephen Ferroni (Brighton & Hove) first on his debut in 17.40, and fellow debutant James Hulbert (Bournemouth AC) took the second spot in 18.53, whilst Tom Bromley (Cybi Striders) finished third despite a new PB in 19.27. *Megan Bennett was the first female finisher at Newborough on her debut in 22.40, with Alison Brown second in 23.33, and Cerys Jones took third place in 24.18. *There were 128 finishers. 

Nant y Pandy: Small in numbers, but some very big hearts at the friendly Nant y Pandy, Nature Reserve parkrun, with visiting debutants taking the first three finishing positions in both the male and female results, whilst also boosting the number of entrants; including Seth Goodwin the first man home in 19.50, with Phil Turnbull the runner-up in 20.45, and Aron Rowlands third in 21.28. *Melissa Turnbull (Maldwyn Harriers) was the first female finisher, and 4th overall on her debut in 22.11, and Abi Langton was second on her debut in 22.57, with Lauren Sanger third in 29.23.