ABOUT 40 people took part in an unusual “Beer 2 Beer” social fun run last weekend to help promote beer production and taprooms.

Starting from the Wild Horse Brewery in Llandudno, via the Craft Beer Cave at Penrhyn Bay, to the Black Cloak taproom at Colwyn Bay, runners were able to enjoy a welcome drink at each stop to help quench their thirst in the extreme heat.

Among those taking part were two members of North Wales Road Runners Club (NWRRC), Helen Hannam and Nichola Wylie.

They and their friend Nia were among the group who ran the initial 10k route from start to finish, before later retracing their steps back to Llandudno to record a half-marathon distance.

It was not a race as such and just for fun, Nicola Wylie was the first female finisher and Steve Roberts was the first male.

After the event, Helen, from Colwyn Bay, said: “It was very hot, but this was just a social fun run promoting the taprooms.

“We started from the Wild Horse Brewery and ran 10k to the Black Cloak taproom with a drink at each.”

Steve runs the first Llangollen parkrun!

NWRRC member Steve Mason competed in the first Old Railway Trail parkrun at Llangollen last Saturday (June 17), which was attended by 249 visiting athletes from all parts of the UK.

Steve enjoyed a good run on this new course and finished 5th overall, and he also won his MV45 age cat, with an impressive time of just 18.55.

Elsewhere for NWRRC, in Liverpool, Kelly Marie Alford and her partner Cai Roberts took part in the Penny Lane Striders 10k race on Sunday and braved the heat with Cai running home in 131st place in 50.56, with Kelly finishing in 142nd place in 51.20, and she was fifth in her FV35-39 age cat.

Kelly later said: “Wow, that was hot! My legs are ruined; I had absolutely nothing left!”

Bryn misses his own parkrun course record at Conwy by just six seconds

Teenage athlete Bryn Woodall was the first man home again at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday (June 17) with another outstanding performance over this challenging 5k course.

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 second in 17.46, and he was the winner of his MV40 cat, whilst Josh Keogh (NWRRC) ran hard for third place and won his SM30 cat in 17.51.

The first female athlete was visiting debutante Nicole Firth (Ordnance Survey Runners), who also won her SW25 age cat in 20.29, with Ella Grundy (Colwyn Bay AC) second in 21.17, and the winner of her JW15-17 cat, whilst another visiting runner Hannah Pinkney (Tynedale Harriers) claimed the third spot on her debut in 21.44, and she also won her SW20 cat.

There were 212 finishers.

NWRRC entered 10 members and collected seven podium places including three age cat wins and four third place finishes.

Josh led the team back, and he was followed by Stuart Culverhouse in 13th place overall, who was third in his MV45 cat in 20.15.

Karl Morris swapped the fells for the relative flat terrain of the parkrun again and he finished 34th and third MV40 cat in 21.48, with Richard Scamans 44th in 22.43, and veteran Barrie Wells was 56th and the winner of his MV65 cat in 24.01.

Fellow veteran Rob Fryer enjoyed another good run in 88th place, and he was third in his MV65 cat in 26.52, whilst several other veteran club athletes also performed well in the hot, dry, and humid conditions, including Len Jackson, who completed a good run in 95th place in 27.29.

Master vet Don Hale won his MV70 cat with his fastest 5k run this year, finishing just one place and four seconds behind Len in 27.33, and fellow master vet Mike Hayton claimed third place in the same age cat as Don in 130th place in 29.45.

Rachel Morris, meanwhile, finished well in 160th place in 31.48, and she later confirmed: “My second fastest parkrun time this year. My PB is getting close.”

And generous plaudits were given to Len Jackson’s wife Janice Jackson, who took part in her first-ever parkrun, and she even completed her journey with a smile finishing 204th in 39.39 and she finished seventh in her VW60 age cat.

Later, Len, a very proud husband said: “Well done to Janice Jackson for taking part in her first ever park run in Conwy just six weeks after starting her training.”