Don Hale Blog

*Ben and Sarah (*pictured above) at the start of their  amazing  78-mile Ultra endurance run for the British Heart Foundation Appeal. Report by Don Hale.   Popular ultra-endurance running couple Ben and Sarah Hudson completed a tremendous 78-miles challenge last weekend as part of their special fundraising effort to help raise both awareness and funds for the British Heart Foundation’s Focus Appeal. Their incredible effort was prompted by the loss of Sarah’s father last year and inspired the two North Wales Road Runners and guest house owners from Betws-y-Coed to do something rather amazing to boost the profile of the BHF’s Focus Appeal to fund cardio-vascular research. They eventually decided to run two massive ultra-events during 2022, and Sarah confirmed: “ We opted to run both the Chester 50 and 100-mile Ultras, which cover routes through the county of Cheshire, including the area where Dad – James Ian Ferguson - once lived, and where we still have extended family. “Dad used to do

Close victory for Martin Green (pictured above) at Conwy parkrun . Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   Road Runner Martin Green celebrated an impressive victory at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday, but he had to fight hard all the way over this challenging 5k course, with club colleague Mark Jessett in close pursuit and just 11-seconds adrift, and Colwyn Bay youngster Alfie Shirland only three-seconds behind him! NWRRC entered 17 athletes including two juniors and collected five age category wins in a very fast event with the first fourteen runners all dipping under the 20-minute mark.  Martin Green  eventually claimed the top-spot in 17.37, and he also won his M45 age cat, with  Mark Jessett  2nd and the winner of his 35-39 cat in 17.48, with  Alfie Shirland  3rd and 1st in his JM11-14 age cat in 17.53. The club had four runners in the top ten. *Mark Jessett (*above left) and Gethin Wyn Jones with Harry Driscoll. Harry Driscoll  won his SM20 cat with a determined displa

*Simon Cole (*pictured above) with his wife and family at the Conwy Parkrun following his 100th race and amazing record of outstanding victories. Simon completed his 100th parkrun at Conwy and celebrated an amazing record. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   GOG Triathlon star Simon Cole enjoyed a great record-breaking performance at the Conwy parkun last Saturday morning to celebrate his 100th parkrun and yet another memorable victory on his favourite course.  The highly talented local athlete romped home to easily win the event amongst 218 finishers in just 16 minutes 38 seconds and he was more than a minute ahead of his nearest rival, youngster  Alfie Shirland  (Colwyn Bay) in 17.55, and NWRRC member  Steve Forsyth  in 18.40. Simon has now competed at 39 different parkruns across the country, including visits to Guernsey, and incredibly, he has also won over 50% of his runs, even recording a previous PB of just 16.23 on the Monsall Trail in Derbyshire, but he says Co

*Carla Green is pictured with John and Kay Hatton at the Hospice presentation. Nick Beer 10k and fun-run raised over £2,000 for St David’s Hospice. Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runners received generous plaudits this week from officials at St David’s Hospice in Llandudno after raising more than £2,000 during the popular Nick Beer 10k race earlier this year. A Hospice official confirmed: “Many thanks to NWRRC, who organised the Nick Beer event in February this year, with the proceeds being donated to St David’s Hospice.  “Over 600 runners took part in the 10k following a route around the Great Orme, and 40 fun runners, along with 30 family members, ran the 1k fun run prior to the main event on the promenade. “In total, the event raised £2,306, which included a donation of £1,500 from NWRRC, from the race, and St David’s Hospice would like to thank Kay and John Hatton, Carla Green, and all at North Wales Road Runners, who helped to run and support the day. Also, to all the fun

*Josh Keogh pictured (*above) at a previous Great Orme Fell Race. Report by Don Hale.   The annual Great Orme fell race was held last Tuesday night and attracted a variety of experienced club runners from across the UK.  On an evening of mixed weather conditions and following a wet, slippery, and at times a challenging course that started from the Ski Centre in Happy Valley,  some 106 hardy athletes eventually finished to ensure that it proved another highly successful race for event organisers Eryri Harriers. Math Roberts  and  Gavin Roberts  from Calder Valley claimed a unique club double in the 1st and 2nd placings, with Math winning his V40 age cat in 30 minutes 29 seconds, and Gavin just 19-seconds adrift in 30.48, to win his M-Open age cat, with local athlete  Michael Corrales,  now representing Dark Peak, claiming the 3rd spot, and second place in the same cat as the overall winner. NWRRC  had three members competing with  Josh Keogh  taking 8th place in 32.53, with  Jonathan Ke

*Some of the North Wales Road Running team at the Chester half-marathon (pictured l-r) Stuart Culverhouse, Steve Bozier, Rachel Morris, Cheryl Frost, Kay Hatton and Jon Evans. Hot and humid at Chester half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. Chester photos by John Hatton.   Fourteen Road Runners competed in the hot and humid Essar Chester half-marathon race on Sunday to commemorate its 40th anniversary, with Martin Green the first NWRRC runner home following an excellent run in this popular event, which recorded nearly 4,000 finishers. Martin  finished 26th overall, and he was 4th in his MV45 age cat in 1 hour 15 minutes and 2 seconds.  Jonathan Kettle  also ran very well in 58th place in 1.19.08, with  Iwan Evans  157th in 1.27.21, and  Steve Bozier  finished in 211th place in 1.28.58. *Martin Green (*above left) with Jonathan Kettle at the Chester half-marathon. Carla Green  seems to have recovered from her recent injury and she was the 22nd female finisher, whilst claiming 3rd spot in her

*Charlotte-Rose Wilton Jones at the Snowdonia half-marathon. Tough challenge for runners in Snowdonia half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   Several NWRRC members tackled the tough Snowdonia half-marathon race last Sunday, which attracted 425 finishers over a hot and hilly course. Gethin Wyn Jones  celebrated a good performance in 41st place overall in 1 hour 47 minutes and 40 seconds, with Steve Poupart 107th in 1.57.20, and  Charlotte-Rose Wilton-Jones  enjoyed another positive run finishing 111th overall, as the 12th female runner, and 5th in her F21-34 age cat, in 1.58.31.  *Gethin Wyn Jones (*above left) with Steve Poupart at the Snowdonia race. And club colleague  Jamie Tharme  still seems   determined to continue with his weekly endurance punishment, finishing in 157th place in 2.08.18, and  Nicola Wylie  was a tail runner with her dog Beau in 3.22. *The race was won by  Nic Brook  (Eryri Harriers) in 1.31.05, with 2nd  Andrew Wilson  (St Helens in 1

Six of the best for the Road Runners at Conwy parkrun - plus other great race results... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffrey. North Wales Road Runners collected six age category awards on a very warm morning last Saturday during the well-attended 300th parkrun celebrations at Conwy. And it later added extra icing to the many cakes offered to participants after the event, to confirm that promising NWRRC athlete  Josh Keogh  was the runaway winner of the event in just 17 minutes and 25 seconds, and he also won his SM30-34 age category ahead of  Chris Yorke  2nd in 18.07, and GOG Triathlete  Alun Brown,  despite his PB in 3rd place in 18.18. *Josh Keogh was the runaway winner of the Conwy Parkrun. It was a depleted club turnout however this week of just ten members, including two juniors, due to numerous fixture clashes, and several other members taking it steady in readiness for half marathons or other races the following day.  *Martin Green (*above) took it steady last Saturday