IT WAS an emotional Conwy parkrun on August 19 as attendees paid tribute to North Wales Road Runners Club (NWRRC) member, John Dalzell, following his death.
John, a popular family man and a successful ultra-distance veteran athlete, was a regular supporter of parkrun.
He made sixty Conwy parkrun appearances, and it was only a couple of weeks since he celebrated a personal best time (PB) on this 5k course of just 19 minutes and 31 seconds.
NWRRC club official and Conwy parkrun MC, John Hatton said: “I knew John quite well. It was very difficult making the announcement at parkrun.
“I just said regular parkrun participant John Dalzell had sadly passed away this week at the age of 48. Then I asked for 30 seconds’ applause in his memory.”
NWRRC had 11 members involved and Stuart Culverhouse led the team home in eighth place, and he also won his MV50 age cat in 20.40, with Steve Bozier 13th in 21.10.
Will Evans finished in 15th place in 21.18 and he was 2nd in his MV40 cat, and Josh Keogh was also 2nd in his SM30 cat finishing 32nd in 22.40, with Richard Scamans 55th in 24.04.
Carla Green had another positive run in 57th place, and she won her VW50 cat in 24.05, whilst Rob Fryer was back to his best and he finished 113th and claimed the 2nd spot in his MV65 cat in 26.40.
Youngster Joe Culverhouse was 136th in 28.14, and Mark Mason returned to parkrun in 149th place and he was third in his MV70 cat in 29.16.
Meanwhile, newcomer Nia Lister finished in 153rd place in 29.24, and Gwennan Charlton was 203rd in 33.54.
Five gold medals for Road Runners at Caernarfon 10k Regional Championships
It was bright and breezy last Sunday (August 20) for just over 200 runners at the Caernarfon 10k race, which also included the North Wales Regional Championships, where NWRRC won five gold medals.
NWRRC entered 15 members and won eleven prestigious medals in the Regional Championships, with Jonathan Kettle being the pick of the team in fourth place overall, and the winner of his MV45-49 age cat in a chip time of 34.59.
Richard Eccles was another man in top form, and he was pleased to finish in 23rd place in 39.07, and he was second in the main race within his MV55 age cat.
Iwan Evans ran well in 27th place and claimed the second spot in his MV45 cat in 40.06, with Jamie Tharme 43rd overall in 43.15, and he recorded his second fastest 10k.
Sarah Ferguson Hudson was the 11th female finisher, and she too celebrated her second fastest time, and finished second overall in the main race FV45 cat in 44.54.
Steve Roberts finished in 64th place overall in 45.35, and Kay Hatton won her FV60 age cat as the 16th female athlete in 47.23, with colleague Cheryl Frost taking the top spot in her FV55 cat in 47.55, and she finished just one place behind Kay.
Hannah Griffith was another athlete delighted with her second fastest 10k time and she enjoyed a steady run as the 34th female in 52.03, with Kevin Higgins 99th, and third in his MV60 age cat in 53.11.
Meanwhile, Cai Roberts ran home in 114th place in 57.19, and veteran Len Jackson was back in action and finishing well in 116th place in 57.44, whilst Kelly Marie Alford admitted to struggling after a difficult week but did well to finish as the 51st female in 58.15.
Master veteran Mike Hayton enjoyed a steady run in 120th place in 1.00.03, and veteran Rob Fryer was 124th in 1.01.23.
Other results: *Ellesmere Port: Will Williams won his MV50 age cat at the Ellesmere Port RC 5k race at Capenhurst last Wednesday night with another stunning performance and he finished in 51st place out of 429 entrants in 17.32.
Will’s NWRRC colleague Richard Eccles competed in the same race and he enjoyed a good run in 18.20, and 5th in his MV55 cat.
*Bognor Regis: Steve Poupart travelled to the Bognor Regis parkrun last Saturday and claimed a new 5k PB of 22.13 finishing in 27th place overall.
*Oswestry: Steve Mason made his debut at the Henley Wood parkrun near Oswestry to celebrate an important parkrun milestone and he was also the first finisher overall, and the winner of his MV45 age cat in 20.32.
After his run Steve said: “This was my 150th parkrun and this was a muddy, twisty, and cross-country type course.”
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