*Pictured above - GOG Triathlon 'Super Vet' Alan Benn.
GOG Triathlete and Welsh ‘Super Vet’ Alan Benn crowned his 80th birthday dash in style with a new PB and cake at Conwy’s Coronation Day parkrun.
Special report by Don Hale.
Welsh Master veteran Alan Benn crowned his 80th birthday dash in style at Conwy’s Coronation Day parkrun last Saturday by winning his new MV80-84 age category with an excellent time of 27 minutes and 57 seconds.
The popular GOG Triathlon member enjoyed his first ever run as a ‘Super Vet’ and finished in 131st place amidst 325 mixed ability runners over the challenging but picturesque 5k North Wales course.
This was Alan’s 28th parkrun at Conwy, and his fastest run dates back 5-years to May 2019 when he incredibly ran a PB of just 23.41, with an age grading of 75.19%, in 64th place, and won his MV75-79 age cat.
This week’s event attracted a bumper assortment of some highly talented and mixed ability athletes for this special commemorative parkrun, which was again staged in very humid conditions and included many entrants dressed in colourful Royal tribute costumes with cake available at the finish.
Visitor Adam Jones was the 1st male runner home in just 16 minutes and 36 seconds, and he finished over a minute ahead of his nearest rival to easily win his SM25 age cat. NWRRC veteran Martin Green finished 2nd overall in 17.41, and he also won his MV45 age cat, with club colleague Steve Forsyth 3rd, and the MV40 winner, just three-seconds behind Martin.
The GOG Triathlon celebrations continued with two club runners finishing in the top-three female podium places including Hayley Turner, the 1st placed VW35 cat winner, who was 30th overall in 22.24, with colleague Michelle Farrell the 3rd female athlete, and 48th overall, in 23.20. And promising teenager Ella Grundy (Colwyn Bay AC), claimed the 2nd female spot, finishing 32nd overall, and she was also the JW15-17 cat winner, just ten-seconds behind Hayley in 22.34.
*Paul Algieri (*above left) with Gareth Jones (*below).
Fourteen GOG members entered, and the team recorded six podium places including five age cat victories. They results included: Paul Algieri, 1st MV55, 27th overall n 22.16, Hayley Turner 30th and 1st VW35 age cat in 22.24, Steven Owen 41st in 23.02, Gareth Jones 45th in 23.07, and Michelle Farrell 48th and 1st VW40 cat winner in 23.20.
*Andy Brazier (*above left) with Liz Evans (*below).
Andy Brazier had a good run finishing in 60th place overall in 24.03, with Nicola Tomlinson 99th and 2nd in her VW40 cat in 25.58, and Liz Evans recorded another excellent VW70 age cat win finishing very close behind Nicola in 100th place in 26.00.
Master vet Alan Benn was 131st, and he also won his new MV80 age cat in 27.57, with Rob Stewart 133rd in 28.13.And Wayne Roberts ran well to finish 185th in 30.31, with Alison Monks-Roberts 237th in 34.51, and Chris Kent was 261st in 36.01.
*Praise was given again to the Conwy run director, and to all the volunteers and marshals, who made the parkrun event such a success. *This is the link to the provisional results: