Seven age cat wins for North Wales Road Runners at blustery Conwy Parkrun

Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery

Despite cool and blustery conditions at last Saturday’s Conwy Parkrun, seven North Wales Road Runners still managed to win their respective age categories, with another three members claiming additional cat podium placings.

Simon Cole (Gog Triathlon) was the first runner home over the challenging 5k course in 17 minutes 15 seconds, finishing more than a minute ahead of his second placed rival Chris Turner (Eryri Harriers) in 18.36, with NWRRC athlete Richard Eccles third in 18.45.

The inclement weather probably helped to reduce the number of starters to just 244, but the late restart of some other local parkruns’ may have also played a part.

Yet this event still attracted a generous mixture of club and fun runners from as far afield as London, Truro, Stoke, Todmorden, Holmfirth, Ilkeston, and the West Midlands, plus many other parts of the UK.

Richard Eccles led a team of 16 club runners, and won his VM55-59 age category, but it proved a hard-fought battle with colleague Mark Jessett, who finished just three-seconds behind him in 4th place overall in 18.48, but he too claimed a deserved VM35-39 age cat win.

Harry Driscoll completed a hat-trick of cat podium club placings in the top-10 with a fine performance in 6th place overall and winning his SM20-24 cat in 19.34.

Stuart Culverhouse finished 2nd in his VM45-49 age cat but celebrated a new parkrun PB of 19.52 in eighth place, and Dave Spofforth was another in good form in 13th spot and 2nd VM35-39 in 20.51, with Sean Butler 21st overall, and topping his VM60-64 cat in 21.34.

Steve Roberts claimed 2nd VM55.59 cat in 26th position in 21.54 and crossed the line just ahead of colleagues Gethin Wyn Jones in 27th place in 21.57, with Steve Mason 28th in 22.06.

And junior athlete Joe Culverhouse celebrated his 11th birthday this week and enjoyed success at the weekend by winning his new JM11-14 age cat, finishing 38th overall in 22.46, and master veteran Don Hale claimed first M65-69 and 74th place overall in 25.12.

Mia Morris also won her JW15.17 age cat finishing 95th in 26.45, and veteran Ian Turner was 118th in 28.38. In addition, Sue Smith returned to action this week and ran well in 136th place, claiming 3rd VW55.59 in 29.34, whilst her husband Mike Smith was 157th in 31.45, and Rachel Morris 192nd in 34.10.

*Tourist on the run: Jamie Tharme ran as a tourist at the recently revived Nant y Pandy Parkrun at Llangefni last Saturday and finished 3rd VM40-44 and 8th overall in 22.52.

*This is the link to the provisional Conwy Parkrun results

https://www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults/