NWRRC veteran Martin Green with young rival Tom Vale at the Conwy Parkrun
Report by Don Hale
Two veteran North Wales Road Runners swapped their winter thermals for lightweight vests as they competed in different road races in warmer climates in Malta and Spain.
Kevin Higgins celebrated his 500th race for the club in the Sliema half-marathon on Sunday, February 22, after battling with the heat, which unfortunately slowed his finishing time, but he was still pleased to record a memorable milestone.
After the race he confirmed: “I have been road running for the club for the past 35-years, and I finally hit my milestone of 500 races in Malta. It was quite hot, but overall, I was happy with my time of 2 hours,15 minutes and 31 seconds.
Kevin Higgins recorded his 500th road race at the Sliema half marathon in Malta
“I have participated in so many running challenges over the years, and my personal success is with winning some club championships and age categories, and by collecting and achieving so many momentous moments along the way.”
Meanwhile, Kevin’s club colleague Stuart Culverhouse took part in Spain’s Alicante half-marathon during a short half-term holiday break. He too had to cope with the heat and a large field of elite and competitive athletes from all over Europe.
Stuart Culverhouse and his wife Lucy at the Alicante road races
Following his event, Stuart said: “A great way to spend the last day of a short holiday in Alicante. Really hard to get going in the early miles with so much congestion in such a large field!
“I soon accepted that I wasn’t going to get anywhere near a time I wanted, so I aimed for a sub 1 hour 40 minutes, but I think I failed with that! I loved it though, and it was made extra special with my wife Lucy running in the associated 10k race.”
Milder weather and a half-term boost at many NW parkruns
Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Michael Finnie
The milder weather last Saturday morning, February 21, and the fact that it was half-term attracted plenty of visiting athletes to the various parkruns around North Wales, with numerous personal best times recorded.
Visting athlete Ed Slaughter (Porthcawl Runners) was the first finisher at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun with a fast dash of just 16 minutes and 42 seconds, and he led home two other equally talented and fast rivals and course debutants in Martin Sutherland (Woking AC) in 17.05 and Alex Compton third in 17.46.
The first ten finishers all dipped under18-minutes, with another visitor in David Withers (Southville RC) taking fourth place in 17.46, just ahead of Simon Cole (GOG Triathlon) 5th in 17.51, and he shared the exact same finishing time as Jonathan Kettle (NWRRC) in 6th.
Teenager Tamsin Seguin (Menai T&F) was first female finisher (13th overall) in 19.21, and she won her JW15-17 age cat, followed by Abbie Robinson, second with a new course PB 21.31 and Mia Williams third in 21.51.
GOG Triathlon members and pacers at the Rhos Parkrun
GOG Triathlon club provided 17 members, with many also acting as welcome pace-setters along the sandy 5k promenade course, and they also had a large contingent of supporters at the start/finish to help promote their GOG Aquathon Tri Dewi fundraising event on Sunday 1st March at Eirias Park.
Their first finishers at Rhos included Simon Cole 5th in 17.51, Daniel Jones 30th in 20.45 and Andy Jones 35th in 21.09, with top female Paula Maguire making her course debut in 220th place in 28.18. Simon’s wife Vicky Cole ran the course together with her children, who enjoyed their first parkrun event as runners.
North Wales Road Runners utilised the new Rhos parkrun for the first time as part of their club 5k championship events with 15 members taking part. Jonathan Kettle led the team home in 6th place in 18.01 and he won his VM50 age cat, with Will Evans 15th position and 3rd VM45 in a PB 19.22. Paddy Walsh was 43rd in 21.46 and Richard Scamans 50th with a PB 22.01; whilst course debutant Adam Lemalle was 56th in 22.12 and Steve Roberts 61st on his debut in 22.23.
Cheryl Frost won her VW60 age cat in 64th place and a course PB 22.50, with Kay Hatton 81st and 2nd VW60 in a PB 23.43. Master vet Rob Fryer won his VM70 in 26.19, finishing in 153rd place, and Gwen Charlton was 172nd in 26.54. Master vet Don Hale was 2nd VM70 and 182nd overall in a course best 27.03 in 178th place, with Helen Hannam 182nd and PB 27.06.
Super-vet Mike Hayton finished 268th and 1st VM75 in 30.03, while VM65 member John O’Shea kept the new PB times rolling in 334th in 33.32, with Gethin Wyn Jones 342nd in 34.10.
There were 8 Porth Eirias Runners involved together with five from Colwyn Bay AAC, and overall, there were 452
finishers.
CONWY
Husband and wife super athletes Martin and Carla Green returned to form at the Conwy Parkrun following a spate of individual injuries.
Martin Green (Meirionnydd RC) was quickly back to form as first finisher in 19.27, but was made to run hard all the way around by impressive JM15-17 teenager Tom Vale (Mercia Fell RC) with a new course PB of 20.15, and Lee Blundell finished third with a PB 20.19.
Carla Green (NWRRC) took it steady on her return, but finished well as the 6th female, and won her VW50 age cat in 31st place in 24.54.
Elen Jones, however was top female overall in 14th place in 22.23. with JW11-14 athlete Hannah Gregson (Birchfield Harriers) second in 23.00 on her course debut, and Katie Somerville (Burnham Joggers) came very close in third place in 23.04. There were 121 finishers at Conwy.
PRESTATYN
Sam Ashton finished first at the Nova Parkrun with a new course PB of 18.07, closely followed by Alex Ryder (Prestatyn RC) in 18.10, with Simon Gwyn Roberts (Buckley AC) third in 19.04.
No 1 female was Eve Manifold (Prestatyn RC) in 20th place in 21.32, with Victoria Whitehead (Denbigh Harriers) second in 24.13, and Donna Griffiths (Dee Striders) third in 25.35. And additionally, Ceri Jones (NWRRC) was 107th with a new PB in 30.46. There were 207 finishers.
PENRHYN
Owen Roberts claimed a new course PB at the Penrhyn Castle Parkrun with an incredibly fast time of just 15.57 as the first finisher, with Russell Bentley second in in 16.15.
The first 12 athletes all dipped under 18 minutes.
Katie Reynolds (Edinburgh University) was leading female (24th overall) in 19.50, whilst Efa Baines took the second spot with a new PB in 19.56, and visitor Beca Nia Jones was third on her course debut in 21.16. There were 247 finishers.
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