Don Hale Blog

*Flashback to a previous start at Penrhyn Castle parkrun Plenty of newcomers and good times despite wet and windy parkruns...round up of NW results. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Despite a sudden change in the weather including some blustery winds and intermittent showers, it still failed to deter plenty of newcomers to various North Wales parkruns, where once again many excellent times and PBs were recorded. The ladies though took most of the plaudits around the region last Saturday morning with plenty of fast finishers, and at both  Nant y Pandy , and at  Llangollen , visiting female athletes dominated the top three positions.  Visitor  Sarah Evans  was the first female finisher at Penrhyn Castle, and there was an interesting battle for second and third places at Nova, Prestatyn, where partners and Eryri Harriers clubmates,  Nic Brook  and  Gemma Moore  raced nip and tuck, with Nick eventually finishing second ove...

*Pictured above - Elizabeth Driscoll and her dog Winston at Penrhyn Castle parkrun. Parkrun round-up plus news of Carla and Kevin on the road Report by Don Hale. Penrhyn photos by Michael Finnie. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com    *Carla Green (*above left), with Kevin Higgins. Carla Green  from NWRRC ran well in the Swansea half marathon on Sunday and she was 521st out of 5,729 entrants. She was the 94th female finisher in a chip time of 1.31.42, and her club colleague  Kevin Higgins  travelled to  Port Sunlight  on the same day to compete in two races and explained: “ Double header this morning in  Port Sunlight races . First a 5k and then a 10k straight after it. Two great races. Great course and an extra medal for completing in both races. My times were: 5k in 28 minutes 50 seconds, and 59 minutes 33 seconds   in the 10k.” *Action (*above and below) from the Penryhn Castle parkrun. Parkrun round-up *Penrhyn:   Chris Turner  (Er...

  *Penrhyn course marshall Dougie Graham (*above) at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun. Hot and breezy for runners in a variety of weekend events. Report by Don Hale. Penrhyn photos by Michael Finnie. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   It was another hot and breezy weekend for athletes last weekend with a wide variety of events to consider including several local parkruns, an international Shrewsbury 5k, and both Manchester and Chester half marathons, to name but a few. The various local parkruns continue to thrive with many hundreds of local runners tackling courses across North Wales, with many boosted by ‘Conwy on Tour,’ members each week. *Penrhyn Castle parkrun  enjoyed a good turn out of some 359 entrants, with visitor  Mark Hobbs  (Micky Morris Racing Team),  celebrating as the first man home in a very close finish on his course debut in 17 minutes and 55 seconds, and bizarrely, he shared the exact same time over the line as  Malachy Bromham , with tee...

*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...

*NWRRC veteran Kevin Higgins is pictured (*above), in the yellow vest tackling the woodland trail on his debut at Penrhyn parkrun. Conwy tour members gave a welcome boost to several local parkruns...plus a results  round-up... *Conwy regulars John Stallard (*orange t-shirt), and Pam Grant (*long sleeved blue top), are pictured at the picturesque Penrhyn parkrun. Report by Don Hale.  Photos courtesy of Michael (Pat) Finnie, and others. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   It was another bumper turn-out at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun last Saturday on a cool and breezy morning with 276 mixed ability athletes tackling the rather undulating but picturesque course, which again included numerous ‘Conwy on Tour’ members. Promising local teenager  Noa Vaughan  was the 1st finisher overall with a fast time of just 15 minutes and 47 seconds, and he easily won his SM18 age cat, but at the time of writing the second and third finishers remained unknown.  The 1st female ath...