NW athletes star for Wales against England Masters

Report by Don Hale

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

A large number of North Wales based athletes formed part of the Welsh Masters team that competed at the Shrewsbury 5k Running Festival last Saturday against England Masters.

Meirionnydd RC had two members in the top 10 finishers including Rhodri Owen, who was 3rd overall out of 331 elite runners in 14.57, with Tomos Roberts 7th in 15.11, and former NWRRC member Martin Green, a top veteran, now with his new first claim club, also enjoyed a great run in 53rd place in 16.53.

North Wales Road Runners had five members involved with the famous red vest, and they all recorded good times with Will Williams 104th in 18.12, Steve Gardner 140th in 18.56, Carla Green 220th in 21.16, Cheryl Frost 246th in 23.44 and Karen Butler 250th in 24.41.

After the race, Martin Green said: “Another great day doing what I love best, with the ones I love best for the country I love best. Welsh masters fixture v England at Shrewsbury.

“Neither Carla or I were at our best, but we showed up and put in a decent shift. That must be at least the tenth time representing Wales something I always dreamed off as a child and it is always the utmost honour.”

Superb PB for Jonathan Kettle at Chester Half Marathon

North Wales Road Runner Jonathan Kettle returned to action at the weekend with a superb performance and claimed a new course PB despite the heat at the Chester Half Marathon, finishing 23rd out of 6.539 other runners.

After his race, he said: “The Chester Half Marathon may have not been my fastest, but I was pleased with a course PB of around one minute, and I didn’t expect it at all.

“I said to someone before the race that you have to go hard enough to risk blowing up to know what you really have on the day, and today I did that, and I didn’t blow up, absolutely loved the pain of the race.”

Jonathan was one of eight NWRR members who faced the hot dash at Chester and master veteran Kevin Slattery was another podium visitor after winning his VM70 age cat with a great effort in 531st place in 1.37.16.

Other team results included: Stuart Culverhouse 308 in 1.32.19; Adam Lemalle 809 in 1.42.31; Steve Roberts 920 in 1.43.23; Daniel Hennell 1382 in 1.47.23; Nia Lister 3001 in 2.00.10, and Helen Hannam 3798 in 2.11.22.

The race was won by Corrin Leeming (Western AC/IOM) in just 1.07.25, and Ryan Davies (Wrexham AAC), finished 5th in 1.12.46.

Conwy Parkrun could soon be back on track
 

North Wales athletics official and popular event organiser John Hatton, also MC at the Conwy Parkrun, enjoyed a unique site visit to view the ongoing construction work to the riverside path from the RSPB Nature Reserve to the Bridge, and understands that it may soon re-open to the public!

The parkrun was suspended earlier this year to help accommodate essential work on a new cycle track towards Betws-y-Coed which covers a section of their course.

He has now been advised by a construction manager that it should all be tarmacked, fenced, and finished in time for the Deganwy Dash at the end of May, and currently it all seems to be slightly ahead of schedule.

John confirmed: “I had full site visit this morning of the pathway. It looks really good. It should be ready for the Dash, which is great news. Some already has tarmac, and they are also fitting fencing at the moment.

“There will be short light poles right to the bridge, at night they detect movement when you go by them which switches them on.”

John took some exclusive photos from his inspection, and it now looks like it’s just required permissions from the various landowners that’s needed before any restart of this popular event can be considered and hopefully verified.

Hot and breezy for runners in a variety of weekend events

It was another hot and breezy weekend for athletes last weekend with a wide variety of events to consider including several local parkruns, an international Shrewsbury 5k, and both Manchester and Chester Half Marathons, to name but a few.

The various local parkruns continue to thrive with many hundreds of local runners tackling courses across North Wales, with many boosted by ‘Conwy on Tour,’ members each week.

Penrhyn Castle Parkrun

Good turn out of some 359 entrants, with visitor Mark Hobbs (Micky Morris Racing Team), celebrating as the first man home in a very close finish on his course debut in 17 minutes and 55 seconds, and bizarrely, he shared the exact same time over the line as Malachy Bromham, with teenager Aidan Thomas, narrowly 3rd, despite a new PB of 17.58.

The first female, (10th overall), was JW11-15 junior Tamsin Seguin (Menai T&F), with a PB of 19.30, and she was followed by debutant visitor Laura Brown (Didsbury Runners), in 20.39, (15th), with another first-timer, Sarah Blunt (Warrington Tri Club), 3rd (32nd overall) in 22.12.

Some Conwy tour runners at Penrhyn included: Josh Mottram 33rd in 22.14, Ian Taylor (Colwyn Bay), with a new PB in 53rd place in 23.17, Mike Pemberton 71st with a PB in 24.55, Liz Evans (GOG Triathlon), 113th in 26.26, and she also won her VW70 age cat, and John O’Shea (NWRC) 223rd in 31.19.

Prestatyn Parkrun

Mark Jessett (NWRRC) was first finisher at the Nova Prestatyn Parkrun following a fine run in 18.33, with Callan Coughlan (Serpentine RC), 2nd on debut in 18.52, and Tom Fortune was 3rd with a new PB in 19.04.

Lizzie Slater (South Cheshire) was 1st female finisher (10th overall), in 21.55, with JW11-14 junior Daisy Jones 2nd (30th) in 23.50, and Mary Ann O’Neill (Wrekin RR), was 3rd (32nd), in 24.01.

Some past and present Conwy tour members included: Daniel Huws 21st in 23.28, Don Hale (NWRRC) 76th and 2nd VM70 in 27.02, Mike Davies 118th in 29.20, Chris Spillane (Colwyn Bay), 155th in 31.26, Andrew and Nan Roberts, who ran together in 31.24, and Steve Mason and his dog Coco finished in 279th place in 59.24.

Newborough Parkrun

A generous number of tour members visited the Newborough Forest Parkrun including promising youngster Joe Culverhouse, 9th overall with a new course PB of 21.28, and he won his JM11-14 age cat, just ahead of his father Stuart, 10 seconds adrift and one place behind, but he also won his VM50 cat.

Conwy run director Gwyn Williams (Colwyn Bay), also enjoyed another good result in 11th place in 21.40, with Darren Dentith hot on his heels in 13th spot in 22.03. Merf Jones (GOG Triathlon), was 46th in 25.33, Claire Parsley 72nd and 1st VW50 in 26.48, with Alison Shepherd 165th and 2nd VW65 in 34.10. There were 224 entrants.

The first overall finisher at Newborough was Daniel Fay with a PB in 19.59, with visitor Ben Mellor 2nd on his course debut in 20.16, and Medwyn Roberts 3rd in 20.18.

JW15-17 junior Evie Bayman (15th overall), was1st female finisher with a new PB in 22.11, with fellow JW11-14 junior Chloe Cattroll 2nd (24th), in 23.18, and Mared Ynyz finished 3rd in 24.28.

Around the World

Many other Conwy members travelled far and wide, and well done to Duncan Lightfoot (Porth Eirias Runners), now in Queensland, Australia, who completed his 100th event at the Bargara Parkrun at Neilson Park, including 39 down under, finishing 95th in 30.43, and he was 3rd VM70.

Another Porth Eirias runner took part in an overseas race in Spain at the weekend with Philippa Pearce competing well in a 5k race in Majorca.