NORTH Wales Road Runners Club (NWRRC)’s Jonathan Kettle flew the flag for Wales with pride yesterday (October 22) as he finished in second place at the Niagara Falls.

The veteran runner, who has been working away in Canada, celebrated a great effort in challenging weather conditions.

He was pleased to secure second place, and won his MV45 age cat in one hour, 16 minutes and 55 seconds, in a top-quality event that attracted 1,154 entrants.

After the race, he said: “It was a very cold, rainy, and a windy race on a flat course, with simply amazing views over the falls and the Niagara River.”

Gold medals and podium places for a quartet of Road Runners at Abergele

More than 200 club and social runners competed in the Abergele 5k and 10k races on the town’s promenade last Sunday morning.

A quartet of NWRRC members celebrated podium places and won two gold medals.

NWRRC entered two athletes in both the 5k and 10l events, and they all recorded unexpected podium places.

There were two welcome age category victories and impressive gold medals for Richard Eccles and Don Hale in the 5k, and two third-placed finishes in their respective age cats for Steve Roberts and Mike Hayton in the latter 10k event.

The races were run concurrently over a relatively flat and fast course, with all participants welcoming bright sunshine after a week of problematic weather.

Richard Eccles enjoyed a great performance finishing in ninth place overall out of 88 entrants in the 5k with an excellent chip time of just 18 minutes and 36 seconds to win his MV55 age cat.

Master veteran Don Hale recorded another promising result after injury to finish 33rd, and he also won his MV70 cat with a course PB of 25.05, his best time for about two years!

Steve Roberts ran well and finished 25th out of 136 entrants in the 10k, and he was third in his MV55 age cat in 44.26, whilst another master vet, Mike Hayton, deservedly claimed the third spot in his MV70 age cat in 59th place in 58.40.

Cross-country fixture at Eirias Park postponed due to flooding

Last Saturday (October 21)’s cross-country fixture, planned for Eirias Park at Colwyn Bay, was postponed at short notice by Conwy County Borough Council.

This was due to extensive flooding to the course and the car parks caused by unusually heavy rain as part of Storm Babet.

Bernie Jones, the secretary of the North Wales Cross Country league, sent out an urgent message to all registered and competing runners, running clubs, and associates, as soon as he was informed, at the end of last week.

And on Friday, he said: “Conwy Council have taken the decision to cancel our fixture tomorrow.

“The car parks are already flooded, and as most of you know the park itself is one of our wettest courses, so with all the rain it’s not surprising that the course, car parks, and surrounding areas are flooded.

“I can only apologise to everyone for the cancellation, but hope you understand. We are reliant on the goodwill of landowners, and we have to work with them to ensure the safety of everyone.”

Athletes battle Storm Babet aftermath at Conwy parkrun

Following the aftermath of Storm Babet, numbers were well down at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning, as 135 hardy runners battled a challenging and waterlogged 5k riverside course that was riddled with numerous large and unavoidable puddles.

Despite the soggy conditions underfoot, most of the mixed ability and varied aged entrants still seemed relieved just to get out and run after a week of fluctuating heavy weather including torrential rain and strong blustery winds.

NWRRC had nine club runners involved and recorded two age cat wins, two second places, and one third.

Mark Jessett led the team back after finishing second overall in 18.51, and Steve Bozier enjoyed a positive run finishing 15th overall, and second in his MV45 age cat, in 22.00, with Karl Morris 19th in 22.29.

Master veteran Don Hale recorded his best time this year once again, finishing 43rd in 26.09, and he won his MV70 age cat.

Nia Lister celebrated another good run and claimed a near-two-minute PB of 27.45, and she was third in her VW35 age cat.

Ceri Jones was 62nd, and she was second in her VW40 age cat in 28.05, and Daniel Owens welcomed another parkrun outing and he finished 67th, thanks to his guide Steve Mason, with the pair finishing together in 28.56.

Rachel Morris continued her excellent marathon build-up, with a steady performance in 104th place in 33.30.