North Wales Road Runners success dates back to the early 1980s.

By Don Hale

North Wales Road Runners success dates back to the early 1980s.

Archive report for the North Wales Pioneer by Don Hale.

 

NWRRC was formed in the 1980s by John Chambers and other athletes including Mike Hayton, Kevin Higgins, and Steve Roberts, who are still members!

Based at the Penelope Hotel, they once welcomed London Marathon winner Hugh Jones, before moving to the old John Bright school, now the Asda site, and currently meet at the new school.


*(Pictured above) A nostalgic photographic of some NWRRC club members at the Penelope Hotel, including Wallace Black, Steve Roberts, Peter Cleave, Norman Connor, Ed Garner and Mike Hayton, with London Marathon winner Hugh Jones shown holding a magazine. And (Below) a group photo before a race in the 1980s.


*(Pictured below) Another NWRRC social gathering including Kevin Higgins, Dave Nolan, and Mike Hayton. 



NWRRC are a very successful club with over 100 members, including some who have achieved national recognition and won elite honours, and they also stage the annual Nick Beer 10k race, previously the ‘Speakeasy 10k,’ renamed in memory of Nick, 27, a popular runner who passed away at the Lake Vyrnwy half-marathon in September 1992. Next year’s race marks the 30th anniversary.

 

*(Pictured left) A painting of the late Nick Beer, and (below left) a team celebration at the Great North Run

 

 

 




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

Some personal stories by North Wales athletes in the London and Manchester Marathons.

By Don Hale
Image
*NWRRC athlete Gwen Charlton (*above right), heads towards the finish line at the London Marathon. Some personal stories by North Wales athletes in the London and Manchester Marathons... Special Marathon’s sporting feature: Introduction by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   This is a brief sporting spotlight featuring a number of the many North Wales based athletes who took part in last weekend’s London or Manchester Marathons, with a few even overcoming personal tragedies in order to compete, and most also raising some much-needed funds for local charities. It would be impossible of course, to mention everyone who took part, but this article will at least give a voice to some key individuals who have made a determined effort with hard training throughout the winter to ensure they were ready to start and finish one of the most gruelling races ever, over 26.2 miles.  This is a summary of their personal challenges: Fast time at London for Martin Green. Martin Green, ...
Read more

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Prolific poet and author Vernon Keith Fowler - Special Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature.

By Don Hale
Image
Special Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature Welcome to another new author feature in conjunction with Amazon.   ABOUT THE AUTHOR : Prolific poet and author Vernon Keith Fowler, who has written three volumes of varied and fascinating poems compiled throughout his colourful life.   Published by North Wales based firm:   www.bookpublishing4u.co.uk   *All three volumes of his interesting poems are now available on the Amazon links below: - MI Poems - Volume 1.: An eclectic mix of poems written over many years. Paperback – 25 May 2024 https://amzn.to/3AWDrYI   MI Poems - Volume 2: An eclectic mix of poems written over many years Paperback – 6 Aug. 2024. https://amzn.to/3AHZUbW   MI Poems - Volume 3: An eclectic mix of poems written over many years. Paperback – 10 Nov. 2024. https://amzn.to/3AHZYsc
Read more

A close finish at the blustery Felinheli 10k race in midweek

By Don Hale
A close finish at the blustery Felinheli 10k race in midweek   donhaleblog.blog.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It was very warm and windy for the challenging Felinheli 10k race in midweek, with three members of Meirionnydd RC finishing within the top four places overall. Tomos Roberts  and team-mate  Daniel Kashi  actually shared the exact same finishing chip times of 32 minutes and 21 seconds in a very close-run contest, with  Ifan Dafydd  claiming fourth place in 33.41; whilst in between the club rivals, was the promising youngster  Noa Vaughan,  who finished third in 32.53. In addition, there some excellent performances by many of the top ten finishers including  Steffan Sayer  (Menai T&F) in sixth place in 34.57, and from  Ian Edwards  (Eryri Harriers) eighth in 36.05, and fell runner  Michael Corralles  (Dark Peak FR) tenth in 36.44. Elliw Roberts  (Eryri Harriers) was the first female finisher in ...
Read more

Repeat performance by one man and his child buggy at Rhos parkrun - plus NW results round-up

By Don Hale
Repeat performance by one man and his child buggy at Rhos parkrun - plus NW results round-up. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie, and others. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It was very warm and very breezy for hundreds of runners and walkers at all North Wales parkruns last weekend, and the Llandrillo yn Rhos 5k event attracted another bumper attendance, where James Yarwood once again finished first in 17.47, accompanied by his young twins in a child buggy! The Wrexham AAC runner was chased all the way though by young  Joe Culverhouse  (NWRRC), a talented soccer player and junior referee, who won his JM15-17 age cat with a determined effort in 18.19, with  Gemma Moore  (Eryri Harriers) the first female, and in third place overall in 18.30.  Abbie Robinson  was the second female in 21.30, with  Bethan Parry  third with a new course PB in 22.23.  *There were 468 finishers at Rhos. * North Wales Road Ru...
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

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

Medal and PB success at the Welsh track & field championships at Yate

By Don Hale
Medal and PB success at the Welsh track & field championships at Yate Report by Don Hale, with input from Brett Davis and Steve Gardner. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   There was a good turn-out and plenty of medal success and PBs at the recent Welsh Masters Athletics track and field championships staged at Yate on 28th June. This prestigious event attracted nearly 500 Masters in total from a variety of clubs across the UK for a highly competitive national encounter, which again included the Welsh finals. And we are fortunate to have some excusive reports from a unique race in which a father and son both won gold medals, and some extraordinary news of an unfortunate mistake where a controversial lap counter failed, yet the athlete in question still won a silver medal; and in in contrast, a report from an international track champion who struck gold in two track events. Welsh Masters Athletics director Brett Davis confirmed:   “ Sean McCormack  and...
Read more

Triathlon sprint success for veteran Kevin and GOG members

By Don Hale
Triathlon sprint success for veteran Kevin and GOG members Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   Master veteran Kevin Slattery, the chairman of North Wales Road Runners, won his VM70 age category at the prestigious Llandudno Open Sprint Triathlon championships staged recently from the town’s promenade. Despite very warm and blustery conditions, which included a tough swim, bike, and a 5k run, with the swim slightly reduced due to the challenging conditions - and a cycle race twice around the Great Orme - Kevin eventually triumphed to huge acclaim after finishing his two-lap run in a very good time! Following his event, he modestly confirmed:  “It was a well-managed event in good conditions, although windy in places, and great support from spectators.  “It included a 500m swim (reduced from 750 because of the wind) 14.06; twice around the Great Orme on the bike 46.38; and a 5K run in 24.06. My overall time with transitions was 1 hour 30 m...
Read more

Spectacular 5k fundraising race on the prom for the RNLI.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above and below - the fast start of the spectacular 5k fundraising race on the prom at Llandudno for the RNLI. Spectacular 5k fundraising race on the prom for the RNLI. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Caitlin Faye and others. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 It was a spectacular morning on Llandudno promenade last Sunday as bright warm sunshine greeted over 300 athletes and their supporters to an amazing 5k fundraising race for the town’s essential RNLI group Well organised by race director  John Hatton  and backed by a large and enthusiastic team of hard-working volunteers and marshals, this event attracted a wealth of elite, club and social runners, who recorded some very fast times in near perfect conditions; and this event also included some very popular junior races for children and their parents. John later confirmed:  “I have been working with  Catherine Tudor-Jones , who is the Community Manager. She was so thrilled the event went so well. Originally, th...
Read more

Welsh Master Ifan Lloyd tells of his drama in the Comrades Marathon..and WMAL duo faced England.

By Don Hale
Image
*Swansea Harrier and Welsh  Master Ifan Lloyd ran the Comrades Marathon. Welsh Master endurance athlete  Ifan Lloyd tackled the famous Comrades Marathon in South Africa, and success for WMAL duo at the Masters Match half-marathon at Swansea. Introduction by Don Hale. Story forwarded courtesy of David Gibson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Swansea Harrier and Welsh Master Athletics veteran Ifan Lloyd tells of his recent gruelling and dramatic experiences of running the famous Comrades Marathon on 8th June 2025. This year was the down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, some 56.32 miles distance, with an overall drop of over 800metres, on a hot and stifling day. Just about managed to finish in one piece to earn a back-to-back medal for completing the race on two consecutive years.  To be honest I had no right to start the race given the hamstring tendinopathy, and even less of a right to finish.  I had done no decent training ses...
Read more