Good turnout at Conwy Parkrun for last event of year

Report by Don Hale

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

There was a good turnout of over 300 mixed ability entrants for the final Conwy Parkrun of 2024 with many club and social athletes travelling from far afield.

Thankfully, the weather was near perfect, in stark contrast to the previous week, and it remained a good festive atmosphere as runners looked forward to the New Year celebrations.

North Wales Road Runners entered 13 members and recorded four age category victories and two new course PBs.

Gold medal winning track athlete Steve Gardner, fresh from success in the Welsh Masters indoor 3000m championships, made a rare parkrun appearance and led the team home in 8th place overall with a new PB of 19 minutes and 11 seconds, to win his VM60 cat.

Will Williams was 11th overall and 1st VM50 in 19.24, while Adam Lemalle took 20th place and 2nd VM40 in a new PB of 21.16.

Carla Green was 4th female finisher, and won her VW50 age cat in 58th place overall in 23.56, whilst Daniel Owens ran with guide Richard Scamans, and was 81st in 25.20, with Richard one position and one second behind.

Hannah Griffith had an impressive run finishing in 108th place in 26.19, and 3rd VW50, while master vets Rob Fryer and Don Hale, both ran well. Rob was 109th and 1st VM70 in 26.21, and Don 115th and 2nd VM70 in 26.36.

Veterans Alan Davies and John O’Shea placed 168th in 30.00 and 200th in 31.51 respectively.

It was good to see fellow veteran Sue Smith back in action at Conwy after a long break, and she was 234th in 34.50, and 4th VW60. Steve Mason continued tail-sweeping duties with his dog Coco, and they finished 287th in 50.50.

First finisher at Conwy Parkrun was SM20 athlete Morgan Kendall (Meirionnydd RC) – this time without his famous banana man costume – in a fast time of 17.12, with VM35 Dave Hughes in close pursuit, and 2nd in a new PB 17.25, with Hamish Morton (Cambridge & Coleridge AC) 3rd in 17.58.

The first female finisher was SW25 athlete Anna Drinkwater (Eryri Harriers), who celebrated her 300th parkrun, including 54 at Conwy, and was 6th overall in 18.56; with SW20 Mia Williams 2nd female, (and 43rd overall), with a PB of 23.01. Gemma Moore (Eryri Harriers), ran with her child buggy and still claimed 3rd place in 23.18. There were 303 finishers.
*Praise was given to the Conwy run director Gwyn Williams and to all the volunteers and marshalls. This is a link to the provisional results:
https://www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults/

Other results:

Fountains Abbey: NWRRC chairman and master veteran Kevin Slattery won his VM70 age cat with an impressive time of 22.42, at a rather cool Fountains Abbey parkrun in Yorkshire along with 589 other entrants After the event, he said: “It was a beautiful and undulating route, and is said to be the UK’s number one parkrun.”

Penrhyn: Master vet Sandy Johnston won his VM75 age cat at the Penrhyn Castle Parkrun after finishing in 46th place overall in 24.30.

Prestatyn: Three NWRRC members took part in the Nova Prestatyn Parkrun. with Mark Jessett 3rd overall, and 2nd VM35 age cat in 18.25, with father and son Stuart and Joe Culverhouse involved. Stuart won his VM50 cat in 10th place in 20.33, and young Joe was 1st JM11-14 in 27th overall in 22.54.