Report by Don Hale

A SERIES of downpours over the previous 24-hours prior to last Saturday’s Conwy parkrun, quickly returned this 5k riverside course to its near usual puddle-filled state, but this popular splash and dash event failed to deter a host of top club and tourist athletes from recording some excellent results.

North Wales Road Runners entered twelve members and collected four age victories and five other top-three placings with young Harry Driscoll leading the team home in 11th place in 19.36, and he was 3rd in his SM20 cat.

Steve Mason finished 33rd overall, and he too claimed 3rd place in his VM45 cat in 21.43, with Steve Roberts improving again in 45th place, and he finished 2nd in his VM55 cat in 22.51.

And veteran athlete Cheryl Frost enjoyed a great result to win her VW55 cat, finishing 54th in 23.22, whilst master veteran Sandy Johnston recorded his best parkrun time since October last year, to win his VM70 age cat in 60th place in 23.47.

Kay Hatton was another veteran in top-form, and she won her VW60 cat finishing 68th overall in 24.13, with Hannah Griffith 109th in 25.55, and Rob Fryer was pleased with his time of 27.23, following his return to parkrun in 148th place, and he also won his VM65 cat.

Ceri Jones was 156th in 27.52, and master veteran Barrie Wells claimed 3rd place in his VM70 cat, finishing 165th overall in 28.13, with John O’Shea also claiming the 3rd spot in his VM65 cat finishing 187th in 29.27, with Elizabeth Driscoll 306th in 46.34.

*The first finisher at Conwy parkrun was visitor Robin Stacey (York Acorn), who won his SM30 age cat in just 17.41, with Lloyd Williams (Cybi Striders), 2nd in 17.47, and Helen Warburton (Gosforth Harriers), 3rd overall, and she also claimed the first female spot, and won her SW25-29 age cat on her debut in 17.51. And additional praise to Simon Cole (GOG Triathlon), in 4th place in 18.10.

*And with Helen taking the 1st female place, Lucy Brain finished 2nd (13th overall), on her debut in 19.53, and she won her VW40 cat, whilst Vicky Cole (GOG Triathlon), took the 3rd female place (29th), with a new course PB of 21.15. There were 316 finishers.

*Credit was given to the run director and to all the volunteers and marshalls. This is the link to the provisional results at Conwy: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults/.

NWRRC official and Conwy parkrun volunteer John Hatton says he is trying to attract 400 runners for the 400th Conwy parkrun on Saturday 18th May, which is free to enter on the day, and starts from the RSPB site near Conwy each week at 9am.

He confirmed: “It’s Mental Health Awareness Week that week, so I have spoken to Mind Conwy. Their colour is blue, so I am trying to encourage people to run in blue.”

Other parkrun results:

*Prestatyn: Martin and Carla Green celebrated a family double, and recorded new PBs at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn, with Martin the 1st finisher overall, with a course PB of 17.24, to win his VM45 age cat, whilst Carla won her VW50 age cat, and she also claimed a new PB, as the 1st female finisher (10th overall) in 20.31, and well done also to Karen Butler who ensured the Road Runners claimed a unique hat-trick of age cat winning results, following a very good performance to finish 51st on her Nova debut in 25.27, to claim victory in her VW65 cat.

*Penrhyn: Will Evans and his daughter Molly took part in the Penrhyn Castle parkrun with Will finishing 7th with a new PB of 19.47 and he was 3rd in his VM40 age cat, whilst Molly made both her club and course debut, and ran very well to win her SW18 cat in 66th place in 27.13.

Stuart Culverhouse and his young son Joe also enjoyed their outing at Penrhyn with Stuart finishing 12th in 20.38, and he was 2nd in his VM50 cat, with Joe winning his JM11-14 cat in 24th place, with a new PB in 22.39.

*Liverpool: Kevin Higgins took time out from a friend’s stag party celebrations to run in the Princes’ Park parkrun in Liverpool, which he completed in 30.20, finishing 426th out of 618 runners in 30.34.