Kelly and Cai defy the weather to finish Brynkinalt 20k trail race

By Don Hale


*Kelly-Marie Alford performed well despite the horrendous weather

Kelly and Cai defy the weather to finish Brynkinalt 20k trail race

Report by Don Hale.


Kelly-Marie Alford and her partner Cai Roberts braved a variety of horrific and very challenging weather conditions last Sunday to take part in the tough Brynkinalt 20k trail race as part of the Adrenaline Sporting Events, Running Festival.

The pair ran very well together and finished jointly in 28th place in 2 hours 16 minutes 47 seconds. Kelly was also 8th Lady, but she said how horrendous the conditions suddenly became with mixed and then severe weather throughout.

She explained: ‘We ran together. The first lap was so hot, and because it was a trail race we were running through trees, the air was humid and so hard to breathe. Just before finishing the first lap, I said to Cai that I was quitting and doing no more, I was so fed up.

‘The second lap though was like a monsoon with thunder and lightning. We were running through thick, sloppy mud. It was definitely an experience - that's for sure. I won't be rushing out to get trail shoes any time soon.’



*Cai Roberts and his partner Kelly-Marie Alford

*The overall event recorded that 34 endurance athletes finally finished, and the race was won by Andrew Davies 1st in 1.17.09, with 2nd Andrew Birch 1.29.43, and 3rd was Sally Ellis in 1.30.28

 

*Final results link:

https://results.sporthive.com/events/6817519082066149376/races/2654

 

Don Hale is a former award winning investigative journalist and now a best-selling author who has created a very popular blog post linked to numerous social media sites. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025.

Comments

Post a Comment

Most recent posts

Troy Kettle wins North Wales “Best Young Athlete of the Year" award.

By Don Hale
Image
*Troy Kettle ( above) and pictured  crossing  the line at the Meerbrook 15k race won the North Wales “Best Young Athlete of the Year" award. Report by Don Hale.   NWRRC runner Troy Kettle has won the “Best Young Athlete” of the year award following a superb performance for the North Wales County team in the Inter-Counties match at Meerbrook. Student Troy made his debut in the 15km race and excelled in the famous orange and green strip and knocked five minutes off his previous time at the open race in Staffordshire in 2019, this time finishing 27th overall in 69 minutes 49 seconds, and helping his team secure the runners-up spot. *The overall competition winners for the Men were Shropshire with 20 pts, with  North Wales  2nd with 29 points, Staffordshire 3rd with 36 pts, Cheshire 4th with 74 pts, and Derbyshire 5th with 84 pts. This included:  2. Ryan Davis 52:44; 3. Scott Nixon 52:47; 8. Joel Gomes 54:27; 16. Phil Pumford 57:35; 24. Jez Brown 62:04; and 27....
Read more

Kevin and Gethin struck gold at Mold in North Wales championships - plus other results round-up.

By Don Hale
Image
* Kevin Slattery (*above) and Gethin Wyn Jones (*below) struck gold at Mold during last weekend's Welsh championships at the Flintshire 10k race. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   NWRRC club chairman and veteran athlete Kevin Slattery together with fast improving Gethin Wyn Jones both struck gold at Mold last Sunday as the North Wales champions, with Kevin also winning his MV65-69 age category during the Flintshire 10k race. Kevin put in a tremendous performance to tackle the hard and hilly course, which included two tough laps along a twisty route and around the windy streets of Mold.  He quickly showed his rivals a clean pair of heels and was 35th overall out of 235 finishers and claimed his double success in a fast time of 44 minutes 49 seconds. Four club runners including Kevin entered the race and additionally ran in the North Wales 10k championships. *Another great gold-gong for Gethin Wyn Jones at Mold. Gethin Wyn Jones  was another runner in good...
Read more

English for Daily Conversation in Japan: Author Paul Stroud's being book promoted by Coast and Country online magazine

By Don Hale
Image
Special Coast and Country online magazine feature. coastandcountry.blog English for Daily Conversation:  Paul Stroud's latest books on AMAZON: Special Amazon deals:  *This is a link to all Paul Stroud's books on Amazon:   https://amzn.to/462ly6g donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 Paul Stroud is an English teacher in Japan and he has written numerous very interesting books about his life and work in Tokyo...and his passion for Japanese football... English for Daily Conversation: 50 topics and over 700 questions for conversation practice in the EFL classroom. About the author: Paul Stroud: My name is Paul Stroud, the author of the recently released EFL conversation text 'English for Daily Conversation', and the preceeding 'English Forum' series of materials for oral communication practice.  Additionally, I authored a couple of books on my experiences living and teaching for the past 20 years in the land of the rising sun titled 'Living in Japan: The Good, Bad, and ...
Read more

What a tremendous season for Juliet Sidney - the Pocket Rocket - A top Welsh Masters Athletics and Team GB sprinter.

By Don Hale
Image
What a tremendous season for Juliet Sidney, the Pocket Rocket, and a  medal winning sprinter with Welsh Masters Athletics and Team GB. *Juliet Sidney (*above) has enjoyed a remarkably successful season.   I have added Juliet Sidney's Facebook remarks to show her remarkable consistency at several major international and home championships in recent times, together with her diary notes:   This week, the talented athlete - know as the Pocket Rocket, concluded: “That's a wrap. Two weeks off before I start to train for 2024. It's been a much better year than 2022.”  Juliet’s personal roll of honour: - Madeira 60m Masters Ladies champion.  British 60m w55 champion. British 200m w55 champion.  Welsh 100m w55 champion.  Welsh 200m w55 champion.  British 100m w55 champion.  British 200m w55 champion.  European w55 100m 7th place finalist. European w55 200m 7th place finalist.  European w55 4 x 100m team bronze medal.  Juliet’s plans for...
Read more

MUCKERS by Eamon Kavanagh: Special book review:

By Don Hale
Image
 Sp ecial book review:  MUCKERS by Eamon Kavanagh: Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   *Now available on Amazon as a paperback print version, an ebook, and also as an audio book.  These are the links:    This is a very interesting book about a real local character and a former Man City player who has survived some tough times throughout his challenging career. *Paperback :  https://amzn.to/44qjVA9 *Ebook:  https://amzn.to/4d8ztup *Audio book on Amazon and Audible:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXTZJ9T7#   MUCKERS by Eamon Kavanagh:   This is the true and often dramatic life story about a very popular northern lad, Eamon Kavanagh, from the busy market town of Bury, and it follows his numerous ups and downs over many decades, including his early career as promising young footballer with Manchester City, which unfortunately became marred following abuse from a trusted football coach. MUCKERS highlights how he so...
Read more

Valentine’s Day entrants beat the frost at Rhos and shared their love of running.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday. Valentine’s Day entrants beat the frost at Rhos and shared their love of running. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael Finnie and Bill Scriven. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026   Heavy overnight frost morning forced the cancellation of five parkruns throughout North Wales last Saturday morning, but the surviving  Valentine’s Day events proved a love of running, and especially at Llandrillo yn Rhos, where yet another bumper attendance created a tremendous atmosphere. Despite a rather sandy and challenging 5k promenade course, this event is proving to be a magnet each week for visiting runners – and particularly for elite club athletes - with debutants again accounting for seven out of the first ten finishers. Talented visiting athlete  Paul Jones  (Shrewsbury AC) was the first finisher at Rhos on his course debut in just 16 minutes and 50 seconds, but local footballer  Aaron Dodwell  ...
Read more

Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race...plus other race results.

By Don Hale
Image
*North Wales Road Runners are pictured (*above) just before the start of the festive handicap race on the promenade at Rhos on Sea. Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Twenty-four members of NWRRC took part in the annual Christmas club handicap race, which this year was staged from the Rhos on Sea clock tower to the renovated far end of the promenade and back over a 4.5-mile course. Well organised with times recorded and verified by  Carla Green  and  Elizabeth Driscoll , with support from other members, the handicap rules this time included each runner having to hand in their watches and mobile phones, and the need to predict their finishing times, so that no one knew their exact pace, or whether their estimated times were likely to be accurate, until they actually reached the finish line. The top three female winners , who were the closest to their times included the winner –  Kay Hatto...
Read more

North Wales ‘Cowfest’ event at Erddig proved a major success.

By Don Hale
North Wales ‘Cowfest’ event at Erddig proved a major success. Report by Don Hale. Photos by David Airey and other. donhaleblog.blogspot.com coastandcountry.blog   The popular North Wales version of Cowfest staged at Erddig Hall, near Wrexham, proved a huge success last Saturday and attracted over four-hundred parkrun entrants from across the UK. This particular run with similar Cowfest functions at Crathes Castle in Scotland, and at Dinton Pastures in England, was a multi-gathering for all keen UK parkrun tourists, alongside individual regional events. All three venues welcomed many hundreds of parkrunners in fancy dress and with particular emphasis on the cow theme, welcoming many ‘Cowell’ chasers and tourists. Dave Munday,  who organises the parkrun  North Wales Facebook site,  and helps to promote the tourism angle, and encourages many parkrunners to try different NW venues said: “I really enjoyed the Cowfest, and many of the dedicated parkrunners at this event, w...
Read more

Proud moment for athletics coach John Hatton and a popular former midwife Sharon Buckley.

By Don Hale
Image
*John Hatton (*above left), with Sharon Buckley at the Conwy half-marathon. Proud moment for athletics coach John Hatton and a popular former community midwife Sharon Buckley. It was a proud moment this weekend for athletics coach, MC and promoter, John Hatton as he saw his new running protegee  Sharon Buckley – a well-known former North Wales midwife - cross the finish line at the challenging Conwy half-marathon with a remarkable time. John, who is heavily involved with North Wales Road Runners , Conwy parkrun , and is also a keen supporter and promoter of a host of charity events, confirmed: “Over the last 6 months I have been training Sharon, who is 60, to run her first half-marathon which she did today in 2.34.17, which is a fantastic achievement. “Sharon was a highly respected midwife in North Wales, and at one time she received an award as the top midwife in the Betsi Cadwalader Health Board for her dedicated service to the community.” *John Hatton was on hand last ...
Read more

Welsh Masters Athletics - Results and photos from the EMAA Inter-area indoor event Lee Valley.

By Don Hale
Image
*The Welsh Masters Athletics relay team -  Ian Broadhurst, Andy Weetman, Michael David Smith and Brett Davis. *Andy Rushbrook and Peter Hawney after their shot put comp etition. Welsh Masters Athletics - Results and photos from the EMAA Inter-area indoor event Lee Valley... https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Thanks to some members of Welsh Masters Athletics, I have included some photos and reports from last weekend's English Masters Athletic Association (EMAA) competition at the Lee Valley indoor stadium. This event included the Inter-area challenge championships. My thanks to Brett Davis and members of Newport Harriers for the contents. The results can be viewed on the following links.  https://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=673430 https://bmaf.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2025/GBR/emaa-inter-area-indoors/event/ Brett Davis, a top international competitor, and a director of Welsh Masters Athletics said: "The results are still provi...
Read more