Gareth's Press Report - 18th October 2026

Perfect weather conditions – in stark contrast to seven days earlier – saw Prestatyn Running Club members combine quality and quantity at the weekend.

The quantity was in Saturday’s Parkruns, in which a total of 54 members turned out, almost certainly a club record.

There was quality in those runs as well, with eleven members claiming pbs. They included Gordon Jones, who, as expected, has been selected for the M65 team for next month’s British and Irish Masters’ cross-country international in Dublin.

The successes continued on Sunday when the club collected a haul of awards in the Abergele 5k and 10k.

Canyon Wilson was the only club member to claim a double medal by competing in both races.

Fourth overall in the 5k was Ryan Bateman, who clocked an excellent 16.49, sliicing 2m 21s off last year’s time when he was placed ninth.

Among others to come away with something to show for their efforts was new recruit Katie Colley, who was 3rd senior lady.

The placings were:- 10k: 30 Kieran Williams 41.58, 40 Jack Lally 43.11, 44 Chrus Williams 43.44 (3rd M50), 94 Canyon Wilson 49.28, 99 Martin Cortvriend 49.40 (2nd M70).

5k: 4 Ryan Bateman 16.49, 9 Dan Williams 17.41 (3rd M40), 19 David Hudd 19.36 (1st M50), 24 Paul Sanders 20.14, 46 Judah Eastwell (pacing his son Ben to a sub-23 performance) 22.54, 49 Canyon Wilson 23.05, 19th lady Katie Colley 27.31, 79th lady Michelle Meredith-Roberts 89.54.

Another newcomer to the club, Rachel Platt, made her first appearance in a red vest in the Wirral Way 5-miler, finishing in 59.03 and fourth in her age-group.

Without doubt the toughest challenge of the weekend fell to Nick Chadwick, who took on the Delamere Forest Ultra Loop race, involving as many laps as possible of the 6k circuit in eight hours.

It was Nick’s first ultra, and he put up a remarkable performance, chalking up nine laps – 54k – before a knee problem forced him to withdraw after seven hours. That placed him 97th overall out of 279 entrants.

Twenty-four members travelled to the Flint Parkrun in support of the Feel, Find, Mind breast cancer awareness campaign. It was a special occasion as it marked the eighth anniversary of campaign founder Emma Birchall ringing the “all clear” bell.

The Parkrun results were:- Nova: 1 Alexd Ryder 18.26, 2 Sancho Edwards 19.22, 3 Dafydd Montgomery 19.35, 4 Jack Richards 20.03, 6 Thomas Watkiss 20.13, 8 Adam Jeffers 20.42, 15 Jack Hughes 21.46, 19 Dav Williams 22.19, 21 Lewis Pierce 22.31, 22 Robert Grima 22.33, 23 Ben Lewis 22.36, 28 Eva Manifold 23.23, 29 Erin Thomas 23.23, 43 Millie Robinson 24.28, 51 Tilly Jones 25.20, 57 Andy Thomas 25.43, 66 Jack Lally 26.30, 102 Cathy Wood 28.47 126 Grahame Shone 30.36, 135 Owen Gibson 31.46, 155 Claire Manifold 34.31, 174 Julia Evans 36.43.

Flint: 7 Owen Jones 22.23, 8 Ben Thomas 22.26 (pb), 9 Marc Jones 22.28, 13 Jenna Bagnall 23.11 (pb), 29 Ann Claire Jones 25.26 (pb), 31 Nem James 25.34, 34 Reg Jonas 26.01 (pb), 42 Phil Howarth 26.37, 63 Sue Hughes 28.11, 64 Rhian Jones 28.12, 75 Cara Jones 29.13, 76 Karl Martin 29.19, 77 Liz Martin 29.19, 84 Katie Colley 29.56, 85 Debbie Jones 30.14, 87 Nicki Triggs 30.16 (pb), 88 Andy Scott 30.17, 102 Mike Davis 31.38, 112 Claudia Smith 32.52 (pb), 117 Emma Birchall 34.16 (pb), 120 Clare Manley 34.56 (ob), 130 Linda Friar 37.04 (pb), 144 Karen Roberts 41.20, 145 Julie Evans 41.21 (pb).  

Llandrillo-yn-Rhos: 19 Gordon Jones 19.53 (pb), 35 Darrell Jones 21.09, 82 Beth English 22.50, 125 Chris Bennett 23.33,179 Judah Eastwell 28.09 (pb).

Greenfield Valley: 20 Stephen Langley 26.41, 28 Geraint Blackwell 28.42.

Conwy: 32 Paul Robson 23.10, 69 Martin Cortvriend 25.15, 317 Simon Bonfield 43.37.

Llanerchaeron (Aberaeron): 28 Michelle Meredith-Roberts 23.31.

Baysgarth (Lincs): 2 Jamie Betts 19.55.

The Wammy (Newcastle-under-Lyme): 127 Andy Carter 26.57.