The latest from this week's parkrun (W38)

This week's Newtown parkrun saw 181 participants take to the starting line, many of whom celebrated new personal milestones.

As the clock struck 9am, the runners, joggers, and walkers made their way through the familiar 5k course. Among them, 20 of the fastest recorded times delivered a mix of personal bests, first-time runners, and impressive performances.

Leading the pack was Aled Breeze, a member of the Maldwyn Harriers, who not only finished first but also set a new personal best (PB) with a remarkable time of 16:51. Breeze, in the SM18-19 category.

Hot on his heels was Andy Evans, crossing the line at 17:35 and also setting a new PB in the SM25-29 group. Evans, with 22 parkruns under his belt, showed real determination to improve on his previous best.

Joseph Cooke, competing in the JM15-17 category, earned third place with a time of 17:43. This marked Cooke’s tenth parkrun, and like the runners ahead of him, he shaved valuable seconds off his previous best. Xander Brandon-Higgs followed in fourth place with a new PB of 18:26, a noteworthy achievement for the JM11-14 age group.

Rounding out the top five was Joshua Goolden, a member of Liverpool University AC, who secured a PB of 18:30. Joshua's performance in the SM20-24 category was another highlight of the event, with each runner in the top five earning personal bests.

Among the standout performers was Simon Heard, a seasoned parkrunner with 124 runs to his name. In his first appearance at Newtown, Heard took sixth place with a time of 18:52 in the VM35-39 category. First-time runners are always a special part of the event, and Heard’s performance was one to remember.

Further down the list, a handful of experienced runners continued to push their limits. Ewan James, a member of Oswestry Olympians, secured a new PB of 19:05, placing seventh. This marked James' 54th parkrun and was another example of how regular participation can drive consistent improvement.

In the veteran categories, Tom Rowlands (VM65-69) put in an astonishing run to finish 11th overall. His time of 19:43 earned him an age grade of 87.49%, one of the highest on the day, as well as a new personal best. Haydn Jones (VM60-64) wasn’t far behind with a time of 19:41, placing 10th overall and achieving an 83.66% age grade.

First-time parkrunner Simeon Foreman, competing in the VM45-49 group, crossed the line in 19:31, taking ninth place and proving that even newcomers can make a strong impact on race day.

Newtown parkrun happens every Saturday morning at 9am and is a 5k community event which allows participants to walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate.

The full results can be found by visiting this link: https://allaboutnewtown.wales/redirect/msysqgkkwm