Don Hale Blog

*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 restart. Many parkruns in North Wales (D

*Stuart Culverhouse and his son Joe (*above) competed well at Conwy parkrun. Two-hundred parkrunners tackled the challenging  and waterlogged 5k course at Conwy. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmasters.co.uk Over two-hundred entrants, including two-dozen North Wales Road Runners, tackled the waterlogged conditions at Conwy parkrun last Saturday, before discussing a controversial decision taken by the organisation’s HQ this week to remove all male, female, and age category records. The dreadful puddle-filled, muddy, and challenging 5k course took quite a beating during the previous few days, with strong winds, and torrential rain making everyone wish they had been wearing flippers, or wellies, rather than expensive training shoes. Stuart Culverhouse  though led home a team of twelve NWRRC athletes home, who secured four age cat wins, and four second placings, and he finished 6th overall, and claimed 2nd place in his VM50 age cat in a fast time of 20 minutes

Some entertaining videos from waterlogged parkruns. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Parkrunners often face a unique challenge every Saturday morning, especially if it rains heavily, and the course becomes like a flood plain and heavily waterlogged. This often happens at Conwy, Warrington, and even at Ormskirk at their finishing funnel, and possibly at many other places too, so the following YouTube links show what some runners have to brave in their quest for fitness and fun. The conditions can be quite extreme at Warrington and the regular flooded part of the course has even been nicknamed - Lake Victoria! My thanks to the parkrun organisers for sharing. Some videos from Warrington show the before and after comparisons from September to the winter. it's a very good advert for wellies! Ormskirk parkrun, and their waterlogged  finishing  funnel.   https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cbrzeCTdwIA Splash and dash with dad and son at Ormskirk parkrun, http

*Carla Green (*pictured above) won her FV50 age cat at Conwy. Course and car park swamped by downpour at soggy Conwy parkrun... Report by Don Hale.    https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   More than 300 entrants took part in a very soggy Bank Holiday parkrun at Conwy last Saturday which attracted numerous visiting club and social runners. On a challenging 5k course that more resembled a cross between a lake and a swamp following a heavy overnight and early morning downpour, participants even had to negotiate a flooded RSPB car park (*see below) before starting their run. Despite numerous weather-related problems, the first two finishers were still able to splash their way around this picturesque route, with both recording extremely fast times, including   Adam Jones   who claimed 1st place in only 17 minutes and 17 seconds to win his SM2-29 age cat.   He was closely followed by rival  Hamish Morton  (Cambridge & Coleridge AC) in 17.30, who was 2nd in th

*GOG Triathlete Andy Brazier (*above) at Conwy parkrun. Six podium places for the GOGs at a very wet and waterlogged Conwy parkrun... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   GOG Triathlon members claimed six podium places at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning including four age category wins and two second places despite a very wet and waterlogged 5k course. Nine club members entered, and  Andy Brazier  led the team back in 22nd place and he was 2nd in his MV55 cat in 22.45. He was closely followed by  Lizzie Irvine  who was the second female finisher, and she won her VW35 cat in 26th place in 23.47, with  Paul Algieri  giving Lizzie a good chase before finishing 27th in 23.56. *Lizzie Irvine (*above left) with Paul Algieri. Andrea Cody  was 46th overall and claimed 2nd place in her VW35 cat in 26.00, with  Nicola Tomlinson  just four seconds behind in 48th place, but she won her VW40 age cat in 26.04.  Liz Evans  was another cat winner in 63rd place overall but finished 1st in

* Bryn Woodall  (*in white vest) just ahead of Steve Mason. Top marks to American student Bryn Woodall as he celebrated his 100th parkrun on a very heavy Conwy course... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Colwyn Bay athlete Bryn Woodall was the first runner back at a very heavy Conwy parkrun on Saturday, where the talented teenager celebrated another superb result and his 100th parkrun, during a break from his studies and running adventures in America. Bryn also won his SM18 age cat and incredibly, he dashed around this saturated course in just 15 minutes and 38 seconds - which is the third fastest time ever - and he finished the best part of three minutes ahead of his nearest senior rival  Jonathan Kettle  from  NWRRC , who finished 2nd overall in 18.21, with JM15-17 runner  Ciaran Keyworth , 3rd in 18.59.  *Bryn Woodall (*above left) with Jonathan Kettle, who ran very well but had to settle for second place to Bryn. The first female runner was  Kirsty Stevenson  (Stone Ma