Don Hale Blog

Fast times for top three athletes at Conwy parkrun.   Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Teenage athlete Bryn Woodall was the first man home again at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday with another outstanding performance over this challenging 5k course and he finished more than two minutes ahead of his nearest senior rival - but missed setting a new course record by just six seconds! Bryn , who was representing Colwyn Bay AC, and is currently on home leave from his studies in America, dashed home in 15 minutes and 21 seconds, and won his SM20 age cat, but he narrowly missed beating his own course record of 15.16 set in August 2021.  Top club veteran  Simon Cole  (GOG Triathlon) finished 2nd in 17.46, and he was the winner of his MV40 cat, whilst  Josh Keogh  (NWRRC) ran hard for 3rd place and won his SM30 cat in 17.51.   *Bryn Woodall (*above left) with Simon Cole at Conwy parkrun. The first female athlete

*Mark Jessett (*above) was the first NWRRC member home. Great Bank Holiday turn-out in the sun at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   There was a large turn-out of mixed ability club and social runners at the Bank Holiday weekend parkrun at Conwy last Saturday with sixteen North Wales Road Runners returning from their recent marathon exploits to claim eight podium places including four age category wins. Visiting athlete  Aaron Hoyle  (Corstorphine AC) was the first runner home on his debut in just 18 minutes and 7 seconds. And at the time of writing the 2nd placed runner’s identity remained unknown, but NWRRC member  Mark Jessett  claimed the 3rd spot in 18.30, and he also won his MV35 cat. There were 287 finishers. The 1st female athlete was  Gemma Moore , a former NWRRC member now with Eryri Harriers, who finished in 12th place overall in 20.17, but she had a real tussle with club colleague  Anna Drinkwater , who was just one place and three seconds be

*Steve Mason(*above) had another good outing at Conwy parkrun. Soggy parkrun at Conwy for Easter holiday visitors. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   It was another very soggy 5k course at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday as a variety of club and social runners opted to run this puddle-filled event, which was boosted by many Easter holiday visitors from all parts of the UK. The first runner home at Conwy parkrun was  Nic Brook  (Eryri Harriers) who had a tough battle for honours with talented junior  Oshi Adey , and debutant  Dave Hughes . Nic eventually won his MV45 age cat in 17 minutes and 50 seconds, but he was only five seconds ahead of Oshi, who won his JM15-17 cat in 17.55, with Dave third despite a course PB in 18.18. The 1st female runner was  Libbie Read  (Heaton Harriers) who was 13th overall, and she also won her SW25 age cat in 20.49, with  Gemma Moore  (Eryri Harriers) and her baby buggy 19th overall and 1st VW35 in 21.51,

*Carla and Martin Green (*above) both recorded all time PBs at Ruthin. Nine podium places and seven age category wins at Ruthin parkrun... Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runners took nine members to the Ruthin parkrun last Saturday morning to complete in another 5k club championship event as a replacement for a recently cancelled race and celebrated with unprecedented success! The team performed well again with all nine runners claiming podium places and seven also won their respective age categories, and many additionally recorded all-time PBs, as they made their debuts at this relatively new venue staged at the Memorial Playing Fields. In another very fast-paced encounter  Martin Green  was the first male runner home, and his wife  Carla Green  finished as the first female runner, with both additionally celebrating new parkrun all time PBs. Martin  ran in his 100th parkrun event and he knocked a couple of seconds off his previous best time to finish 1st overall in 16 minutes

*Gethin Wyn Jones was the first NWRRC finisher at Conwy. Close finish for athletes at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Just over 200 runners took part in last Saturday’s Conwy parkrun, with the leading pair of elite athletes battling all the way for the top-spot, and they were only separated on the line by just one second over this challenging 5k course. Rivals  Adam Jones  and  James Yarwood  (Abergele Harriers) raced nip and tuck throughout, with Adam eventually finishing 1st, with a sprint finish, in a very fast time of 16 minutes and 57 seconds, with James, despite recording a great new PB, having to be content with 2nd place in 16.58.  In another quick dash event, the first nine runners all dipped under the 20-minute barrier, and three out of the first four finishers recorded new PB times.  North Wales Road Runners  only entered four members this week due to several fixture clashes but still recorded three podium age cat places, including two excellent

*Another deserved parkrun win for Mark Jessett (*above). Mark Jessett wins narrow victory at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   Road Runner Mark Jessett celebrated a deserved victory at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday following his impressive performance on this challenging 5k course and finished just eleven seconds ahead of a very determined rival. Mark was the first NWRRC member home and he also won his M35-39 age category in 17 minutes 41 seconds to confirm his recent excellent form. And promising teenager  Morgan Kendall  finished a close 2nd in 17.52. but won his SM18-19 age cat, with  Robert Cordle  3rd, and 1st MV40-44 cat in 18.05. The event attracted two-hundred and twelve finishers, including a team of fifteen Road Runners, who claimed seven cat podium places with three members also winning their respective age cats. *Pictured (*above left) Gethin Wyn Jones and (*right) John Dalzell. Gethin Wyn Jones  ran his fastest parkrun this year to finish

*Some of the NWRRC team prior to the start of the Fairy Freckled Cow race (*pictured l-r) Stuart Culverhouse, Helen Hannam, Kevin Higgins, Hannah Griffiths, Don Hale, Mike Hayton and Nicola Wylie. Podium places and NW medals for Road Runners at Fairy Freckled Cow Trail race. Report by Don Hale.   It was a great turnout of experienced club athletes and a few social endurance runners at the very tough Fairy Freckled Cow 10.7k trail race last Sunday morning. The Road Runners entered eight members and collected four podium places and a few PBs, in addition to several North Wales Trail championship medals, at one of the most challenging trail races in the region around Alwen Reservoir. Despite spectacular views, this race followed a gruelling and very hilly course, with the event eventually won by  James Yarwood  (Abergele Harriers) in 40 minutes 21 seconds. He was followed by  Stephen Skates  (Prestatyn RC) in 41.15, and  Ian Edwards  (Eryri Harriers) 3rd in 41.24. The Ladies race was won