Don Hale Blog

* Veteran athletes Kay Hatton and Mike Hayton (*above) both won their respective age cats with good times at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun last Saturday. North Wales Parkun results round-up: plus Kevin Higgins in a spin at the Oulton Park race circuit. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Good number of visitors, first-timers and PBs at NW parkruns. There were good numbers and numerous personal best times at most North Wales parkruns once again last weekend as hundreds of mixed ability athletes, including loads of visitors and first-timers, enjoyed the last of the summer events in the continued good weather.   *Penrhyn:   Ewan Brown  tore around the  Penrhyn Castle parkrun  last Saturday morning in an amazing new PB time of just 15 minutes and 49 seconds to additionally win his VM35 age cat. He was followed by  Nicolas Seguin  in 18.17, and  James Coleman  (Eryri Harriers) in 18.33. The first female finishers at Penrhyn included:  Mabli Bates ...

*Bright sunshine and another great attendance (*above) at the Nova parkrun start. Good weather provided a tourism boost at many NW parkruns. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Malcolm. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   The good weather and the start of the main holiday season provided bumper attendances at most of the local parkruns in North Wales last week, with many reporting multi-elite, club, and social runners attending from all parts of the UK. The firm ground and a generous selection of venues to choose from also enhanced numerous personal best times (PBs), with many visiting athletes determined to make an impact on their course debuts, with Penrhyn, Nova, Nant y Pandy, and Newborough Forest, enjoying a surge in popularity. *Prestatyn:   It was another bumper holiday crowd at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn with visiting athletes claiming the first two places including  Phil Banton , who made a successful debut in 18.57, with  Chris Morgan  (Brighton Phoenix) t...

Athletes set a hot pace in the heatwave at Penrhyn parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Michael Finney. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   There was a good turn-out of nearly 300 mixed ability entrants at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun last Saturday despite scorching temperatures during this extraordinary heatwave period, including athletes from opposite ends of the UK. A large contingent of quality club runners set a hot pace right from the start over this roller-coaster of a 5k woodland course, with the first seventeen finishers all dipping under the twenty-minute mark, and the first finisher,  Rhodri Owen ( Meirionnydd RC), celebrated a great run in just 16 minutes and 7 seconds, and he also led home a clean sweep with club colleagues, who packed well and took the first five finishing positions. Ricky Challinor  finished in 2nd place, with  Russell Bentley  3rd in 16.52,  Geraint Pugh  was 4th in 16.53, and...

*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...

*Stuart Culverhouse (*above left), with his son Joe and daughter Sophia at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn last Saturday morning where they all won their cats. Unique family hat-trick of parkrun age cat wins at Nova...plus other results... Report by Don Hale. Penrhyn photos by Michael Finnie. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com     It was a unique family hat-trick of age category victories for NWRRC veteran Stuart Culverhouse, together with his son Joe, and daughter Sophia at the Nova parkrun at sun-drenched Prestatyn last Saturday. Junior  Joe  finished 10th overall and he won his JM11-14 age cat with an impressive time of 20.38, whilst his dad  Stuart  just one place and seven-seconds behind Joe, and he won his VM50 age cat in 20.46, with  Sophia  also enjoying another good performance in 109th place in 30.05, and she won her JW15-17 age cat. After the parkrun Stuart admitted:  “My f irst run post marathon and my legs still felt heavy. Great to ...