Don Hale Blog

Cool and breezy, but a very busy Bank Holiday for parkrunners. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   The Nova parkrun at Prestatyn welcomed just over 300 mixed ability athletes to this popular venue last Saturday on a cool and breezy morning. The first three finishers were all debutants and visitors to the Nova course, with Lewis Morris ( West Cheshire AC ), celebrating his first trip with a fast time of just 17 minutes and 11 seconds.  He was closely followed by a couple of visiting members from Shrewsbury AC , in Paul Aston, who finished 2nd in 17.29, and JM15-17 junior, Toby Aston, who claimed the 3rd spot in 18.40, whilst another promising JM15-17 junior included Colwyn Bay youngster Iwan Roberts, who ran well in 4th place with a new course PB in 18.45. The 1st female finisher was Eve Manifold (21st overall), from Prestatyn RC in 21.53, with Jess Jaques 2nd (29th), on her debut in 22.26, and then quite surprisingly, Sarah Buckley and Alex Buckley fr...

*Pictured above - Conwy runners and volunteers at the Nova event. Prestatyn’s Nova parkrun proved popular again with Conwy tour members...plus other results round-up. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Gwyn Williams at Nova and Mike Finnie at Penrhyn. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com *Conwy parkrunners on tour at Nova (above l-r): Darren Dentith, Don Hale, Liz Evans  and John Stallard. The Nova parkrun at Prestatyn was one of the best attended local parkruns last Saturday morning with 285 entrants including local club athlete Tom Carter, who was the first finisher with a new PB in 17 minutes and 15 seconds, with the first three finishers all recording new course PBs. Tom however was pushed all the way by rival Matthew Baker, and he was just 4 seconds adrift, with JM11-14 junior Seth Williams 3rd in 19.00. *The first female was SW20 athlete Eve Manifold (23rd), with a PB in 21.23, with Abbey Young 2nd, (29th), with a new PB in 21.58, whilst teenager Erin Thinas (34th), finished in 2...

*Pictured above - some of the many hard working volunteers at the Nova parkrun. Course debutants and first timers boosted local parkruns over Easter...plus results round-up. Report by Don Hale.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com *Members of the NWRRC team at Nova (*above l-r): Gwen Charlton, Hannah Griffith, Carla Green, Cheryl Frost,  Daniel Hennell, and Nia Lister, with Adam Lemalle on the back row.   The Easter weekend series of local 5k parkruns attracted massive attendances again this year, with many recording record numbers of entrants including a large input of course debutants and first timers! Nova at Prestatyn and Penrhyn Castle parkruns, were probably the most popular events last weekend in North Wales, with bumper attendances also reported at Newborough Forest, who welcomed 297 runners, and Nant y Pandy 145, whilst most other local events also welcomed a large number of families, visitors and first-time participants. Conwy parkrun director  Gwyn Williams ...

*Pictured above - some of the NWRRC team and the Conwy regulars at Penrhyn, and (*below), the start of the Penrhyn Castle p arkrun. Half term boost by visitors at Penrhyn parkrun... plus other results... Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Michael (Pat) Finnie, and others. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   It was another bumper entry for the Penrhyn Castle parkrun last Saturday as some 329 mixed ability entrants from all parts of the country boosted this half term event. On a lovely warm and sunny morning and braving a rather challenging and undulating 5k lapped course, visitor  Matthew Sayers  (North Herts RRC), was the first finisher on his debut in just 18 minutes and 19 seconds, with fellow debutant  Matthew Jones  (Ripley RC), claiming the runner-up spot following a determined battle with his rival, and he was just three-seconds adrift in 18.22.  At the time of writing, the 3rd male place remained unknown, but the 1st female finisher was visitor...

*Pictured above and below - volunteer and photographer John Hatton captures the unique atmosphere as the  large number of runners begin their Easter dash at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning. Bumper Easter turn-out at Conwy parkrun boosted by a host of visiting UK club and social entrants. Report by Don Hale. Main photos by John Hatton. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It proved to be another bumper Easter attendance at Conwy parkrun last Saturday as some 435 entrants from all parts of the UK, tackled  the   picturesque  but soggy 5k riverside route to help celebrate the Bank Holiday weekend, and they  just missed out on setting a new attendance record! Parkrun official Mark Jessett  confirmed: " Saturday was our second highest attendance, and our highest since we restarted post-2020. Our highest attendance was at Easter in 2019.  "Overall, across the UK, parkrun saw its highest attendances since the restar...