Don Hale Blog

*Carla and Martin Green both won their age categories at Conwy Records smashed despite cool and blustery conditions at Conwy half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. Photo’s courtesy of Mick Hall and NWRRC members. Records were smashed and many North Wales athletes celebrated prestigious age category wins at the re-scheduled Conwy half-marathon last Sunday despite cool and very blustery conditions. And it was a particularly close-run contest amongst the elite athletes with many of the top six positions constantly changing places as they battled their way from Conwy Castle and back via the Great Orme, with 17-runners dipping under 80 minutes over a very challenging course. Gary Priestley  (Salford Harriers) eventually claimed an overall victory with a tremendous display to win the race in 1 hour 10 minutes 28 seconds, and he was more than a minute clear of second-placed  Michael Young  (West Cheshire AC) in 1.12.12, with  Tom Roberts  (Meirionnydd RC) just 20-seconds adrift in third spot in 1

Troy Kettle performed well on his debut for North Wales team. Report by Don Hale.   Promising young Road Runner Troy Kettle (*pictured above top) made his debut for North Wales last Saturday in the tough Inter-Counties challenge race staged within the Meerbrook 15k in Staffordshire. Student Troy made a very impressive start to his representative career and helped the county team to claim the runners-up spot against some quality opposition. The NWRRC athlete finished 27th overall in 69 minutes 49 seconds. Troy’s talented father, and a highly respected top athletics coach, Jonathan Kettle remarked: ‘ Well Done to Troy  o n his debut race for the North Wales team in the toughest race I know. Fantastic running!’ *Road Runner Troy Kettle made his debut for  the  North Wales County team in the Meerbrook 15k last weekend. He is shown (*back row - top right). Photo Paul Brooks. *The overall competition winners for the Men were Shropshire with 20 pts, with North Wales 2nd with 29 points, Staffo

*Karl Morris (*above) performed well in the Pen Llyn Ultra run over 37.5 miles. Tough running at Pen Llyn Winter Ultra event. Report by Don Hale.   Three NWRRC endurance athletes competed in the gruelling Pen Llyn Winter Ultra trail race last Saturday.  Run over a challenging and undulating 37.5-mile course out and back from Pwllheli golf club, with over 5,000 ft of elevation, the event attracted 218 intrepid starters and 129 hardy finishers. Local runners included  Marc Davies  finished 14th overall and he was the 12th U50 cat in 6 hours 35 minutes 37 seconds, and  Karl Morris  was 33rd and the 26th U50 runner in 7.08.56, with  Jon Dalzell  67th overall and the 40th U50 cat in 7.55.18. After the race, Karl Morris confirmed ‘A great route with a fair-few climbs. I ran a strong race – all 37-miles of it! Thanks to Huw Williams and all the team for putting on a great race.’ And his colleague Jon Dalzell described the event as ‘brutal.’ *The race winner was Jon Shield in 5.25.19, with 2nd

Three age category wins at Conwy parkrun, plus two other event wins as tourists. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery.   North Wales Road Runners claimed a hat-trick of impressive age category wins at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday despite a depleted team due to other commitments and preparation for a major race the following day, with two additional event wins at other parkruns. Despite this shortfall at Conwy, eleven members still competed in dry, but cool and breezy conditions at the event, which included about fifty visitors using the parkrun as a warm-up for the Conwy half-marathon, with numerous UK clubs again represented. The event attracted 295 runners, and it was won quite easily by the remarkable Steve Forsyth (Prestatyn), who was also 1st MV40-44 cat winner in 17.22, with James Yarwood 2nd, and 1st in his SM30-34 cat in 17.53, and Alex Bedingham (York Knavesmire Harriers) finished in 3rd place, and was 1st M35-39. *Another impressive run from Richard Eccles at t

*Some of the triumphant NWRRC team at the Abergele 5k championships. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery. North Wales Road Runners dominated the Abergele 5k and North Wales championships last weekend by recording a host of PBs, age category wins, and other podium placings, in addition to claiming both the male and female team prizes. It was soon raining gold on the windswept promenade at Pensarn on Sunday as NWRRC members smashed numerous records and collected seven age category gold medals and trophies, in addition to two runners-up awards and silver medals, plus a further two bronze medals, and two prestigious team prizes.  In a very fast and highly competitive race,  Scott Nixon  (Cardiff AC) was the first runner home in 15 minutes 47 seconds, with  Jon Bowie  (Shrewsbury AC) 2nd in 15.52, and  Steve Forsyth  (Prestatyn) in 15.57.  Martin Green  (*pictured above) from NWRRC led a strong team of twenty club members back along the cycle track to finish 4th overall and 1st

Bronze medal for Jonathan Kettle at tough Anglesey Trail half-marathon. Report by Don Hale.   Three NWRRC athletes took part in the Anglesey trail races last Sunday with Jonathan Kettle winning a deserved bronze medal in the tough half-marathon race after finishing 3rd in this prestigious and challenging event. *A bronze medal for Jonathan Kettle at the Anglesey half-marathon. Jonathan  fought a keen battle throughout with the eventual winner  Russell Bentley  (Eryri Harriers) and  James Logue  to claim a welcome place on the podium. The winning time was 1 hour 18 minutes and 18 seconds, with James recording 1.24.29, and Jonathan 1.28.30, and 2nd place in his MV40 age category. After the race Jonathan commented: ' What a stunning route and even though it makes racing tough when  there  is no one close to race, but good for the head even if the body is suffering.' *Jonathan Kettle at Newborough in the Anglesey half-marathon. (*Photo by Steve Michael Lyall). *Steve Bozier (*pictu

*A sprint finish from  Mark Jessett in 2nd place at the Conwy Parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Three members of North Wales Road Runners won their respective age categories at the Conwy Parkrun last Saturday, and one junior even celebrated a massive new personal best time, whilst three  other athletes claimed podium placings elsewhere as tourists. With several club members opting to rest prior to the Welsh 5k championships on the Sunday, or trying to take it easy within the Conwy parkrun, many times and performances were therefore restricted. Simon Cole  (GOG Triathlon) was the first athlete home again in this 5k challenge in 16 minutes 41 seconds, with  Mark Jessett  from NWRRC 2nd overall in 18.09, and  Alun Brown  3rd with a new PB, and just four seconds adrift of Mark in 18.13. The event attracted 255-runners with clubs and individuals from across the UK again represented. *Another good performance from Gethin Wyn Jones (*pictured above) and also from Steve M