Don Hale Blog

*Pictured and below - runners at the start of a previous Conwy parkrun with the start at the RSPB Nature Trail before the new track upgrades.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com  * John Earlston captures all the live action below from a previous Conwy parkrun.

Conwy Parkrun plans to re-start next week despite row over new course, plus the start/finish areas... Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Conwy parkrun has been given the go-ahead to finally re-start next Saturday following many weeks of controversy and harsh criticism by volunteers, sponsors, runners and supporters, over plans to change the existing start and finish areas, and alterations to car parking facilities. In 2019, Conwy Parkrun received tens of thousands of public votes and was elected as runner up in the global World Cup competition of parkruns, due to their friendliness, and for its picturesque 5k riverside course. This popular parkrun though has been out of action since last March mainly due to an extensive 12-week multi-million-pound renovation and upgrading scheme, which included essential work to the latter part of the new national cycle route from the railway bridge to the RSPB nature reserve, which is part ...

*Pictured above left - Daniel Huws and Dave Munday - after completing their incredible 50k charity challenge to help fundraise for Cancer charities, and (*below), the start of their campaign. Longest Day for NW athletes who ran ten different parkruns in a day for Cancer charity... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   On the longest day of the year, last Saturday 21st June, two athletes completed a tough Cancer Charity challenge, by completing ten 5k runs on ten different parkrun courses within fourteen hours! Daniel Huws  and  Dave Munday  first began their incredible marathon fundraising event for  MOVE Against Cancer  on Yns Mon, at Newborough Forest at 6am, and they finally finished their gruelling day on home soil at the Nova Prestatyn course at about 8pm.   They were all run on genuine, varied and undulating 5k parkrun routes within North Wales, but as all the events started at 9am, obviously they could only run in one live ...

*Pictured above - some of the new SAVE CONWY PARKUN group after their meeting last Saturday morning at the RSPB site at Conwy. *Blogstory about the SAVE CONWY PARKRUN campaign on the NWNW back page. Conwy parkrun under threat due to new proposals  Report by Don Hale https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   The future of Conwy parkrun is currently under threat after Welsh Parkrun officials have decided to impose new changes to this picturesque 5k course, which include plans for a different start area on Conwy Cob, with alternative car parking arrangements. This parkrun has been out of action for about twelve weeks due to construction work on part of the course for a multi-million-pound cycle track, but just as runners were preparing to re-start their activities, they have now been hit a series of interventions, restrictions, and demands on the event organisers by parkrun officials who have continued the suspension of this popular event. Just a few years ago however, this event was vo...

Dear Conwy parkrun community, We wanted to update you on the work going on behind the scenes to get Conwy parkrun back up and running.  It has been fantastic to see, from our Facebook page, the Conwy parkrun community enjoying their Saturday mornings at other parkruns, far and wide – but it would be even better to have everyone back in Conwy. We wanted to take this opportunity to update you on the progress we are making. As you know, the work on the path between the RSPB nature reserve and the railway bridge forced us to pause our parkrun while the path was resurfaced. It’s great to see that this work has been completed on time, and it does look fantastic. Unfortunately, at the same time that this work began, we were made aware of concerns from parkrun HQ regarding the adequacy and safety of our car parking. This has meant we must address these concerns before we are allowed to restart. The RSPB car park has been identified as being too small for an event that continues to grow in ...

*Pictured above and below - some exclusive photos by John Hatton at Conwy. CONWY PARKRUN COULD SOON BE BACK ON TRACK  Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com Conwy parkrun could soon be back on track.    North Wales athletics official and popular event organiser John Hatton, who is also the MC at the Conwy parkrun, enjoyed a unique site visit to view the ongoing construction work to the riverside path from the RSPB Nature Reserve to the Bridge, and understands that it may soon re-open to the public! The parkrun was suspended earlier this year to help accommodate essential work on a new cycle track towards Betws-y-Coed which covers a section of their course. He has now been advised by a construction manager that it should all be tarmacked, fenced, and finished in time for the Deganwy Dash at the end of May, and currently it all seems to be slightly ahead of schedule. John confirmed: "I had full site visit this morning of the pathway. It looks really good...