Don Hale Blog

Steve Forsyth (*above) led the club team at Helena Tipping 10k.  Road Runners celebrated great performances at Helena Tipping 10k and at Dolgellau 5-mile races. Report by Don Hale. Several NWRRC members braved the heat and made the journey to Wrexham last Sunday to take part in the popular  Helena Tipping 10k race. *Pictured (*above left) Steve Forsyth and (*right) Will Williams at the 10k. Many celebrated fast times including Steve Forsyth , who was the first club man home in 30th place in just 34.47, and club colleague  Will Williams finished  126th in 39.45, with  Gethin Wyn Jones  160th in 41.46, and  Jamie Tharme  264th in 46.08.   *Pictured above - some NWRRC members at the Helena Tipping 10k (l-r) Kevin Higgins, Kelly-Marie Alford, Mandy Owen and Cai Roberts. Cai Roberts  continued his good form in 302nd place in 48.45, with  Kevin Higgins  impressing again in 388th spot in 54.28. And  Kelly-Marie Alford  ran w...

*Another deserved parkrun win for Mark Jessett (*above). Mark Jessett wins narrow victory at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   Road Runner Mark Jessett celebrated a deserved victory at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday following his impressive performance on this challenging 5k course and finished just eleven seconds ahead of a very determined rival. Mark was the first NWRRC member home and he also won his M35-39 age category in 17 minutes 41 seconds to confirm his recent excellent form. And promising teenager  Morgan Kendall  finished a close 2nd in 17.52. but won his SM18-19 age cat, with  Robert Cordle  3rd, and 1st MV40-44 cat in 18.05. The event attracted two-hundred and twelve finishers, including a team of fifteen Road Runners, who claimed seven cat podium places with three members also winning their respective age cats. *Pictured (*above left) Gethin Wyn Jones and (*right) John Dalzell. Gethin Wyn Jones  ran his f...

*A passenger's view (*above) of runners as they attempted to 'Race the Train,' at Caernarfon last  Wednesday night. Fast dash to ‘Race the Train’ at Caernarfon. Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery. The popular ‘Race the Train’ event proved to be an enjoyable summer dash for two hundred and fifty-eight runners last Wednesday night with more than half the starters finally managing to beat the Highland locomotive and its entourage back to the start at Caernarfon. The unique 5k course in perfect weather conditions led to a very fast downward dash for a mixed entry of local elite club and social runners with seventeen athletes dipping under 17-minutes, and 47 people in total beating the magic 20-minute mark. The race was eventually won by  Luke Northall  (Wrexham AC) in 15 minutes and one-second, and he was just 7-seconds ahead of rival  Tom Roberts  (Meirionnydd) in 15.08, and  Math Roberts  from hosts (Eryri Harriers) in 15.24.  Nor...

Martin Green beat the heat and the hills to win Mulberry half-marathon... Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery.   Road Runner Martin Green was the runaway winner of the tough Mulberry half marathon race last Sunday, and despite the very the warm conditions and an extremely hilly course, he still finished more than three and a half minutes ahead of his nearest rival. The NWRRC athlete, who has enjoyed some equally superb performances over the same distance in recent weeks, ran home in just 1 hour 22 minutes and 16 seconds to additionally win his MV45 age category. Martin also led a team of eight club runners over this challenging route, which started and finished on the beach next to Mulberry Marina before crossing into the Snowdonia National Park and included the gruelling long gradient up the Synchant Pass before heading back towards Conwy. *A great run from Nic Brook (*above left) and the 1st lady from Alice Johnston. Nic Brook  (Eryri Harriers) finished 3rd...

Great running from Steve Mason (*pictured above) at Conwy Parkrun but two teenagers led the way in hot conditions... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   It was another hot, dry, and dusty race at Conwy parkrun last Saturday where a considerable number of visiting athletes ensured it was a fast pace at the sharp end with two teenagers eventually claiming their share of glory over this challenging 5k course. Visiting youngsters  Harri Kendall  (Manchester Metropolitan University AC) and  Morgan Kendall  finished in 1st and 2nd positions respectively, with the two SM18-19 athletes dominating the event from start to finish.  Harri also claimed a new PB of 17 minutes 47 seconds, with Morgan recording 18.06, followed by  Osian Griffiths , the 1st SM30 in 18.35. The 1st Lady runner was  Hailey Fletcher  (Sedbergh School RC) in 20.38. The event attracted over 200 runners with many also preparing for local endurance events. North ...

Josh Mottram plans to beat the train in charity appeal. Report by Don Hale.   Josh Mottram , a young runner from Llandudno Junction, is hoping to raise more than £1,000 to help fundraise for Conwy Connect for Learning Disabilities by trying to beat the train this week during a 5k dash to Caernarfon on Wednesday (20th July). Josh explained: “Conwy Connect is a great charity that organizes lots of activities that me and my friends can do together, like disco’s, youth clubs, surfing etc, and they give me work opportunities, and help to prepare me for my future. “I started running with Ian my swimming teacher at Conwy parkrun a few months ago and really enjoyed it. I ran behind him all the way and then outsprinted him to get my PB of 22.10.  “We thought it would be fun to race the train at Caernarfon this year, and raise some money at the same time, and Ian thinks he can beat me - but we’ll see!” *You can follow Josh’s progress and help with his fundraising plan via this link: htt...

*Carla and Martin Green pictured after their success at Lancaster. Road Running couple Carla and Martin beat the heat to win their races at Lancaster - plus Don claims all-time Welsh Masters record at 600m. Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runners Carla and Martin Green beat the heat last Sunday to record a unique double with Carla winning the Lancaster marathon and Martin winning the half-marathon race. Just a week after celebrating two great performances for Wales at the Home Nation’s events in Tenby, this incredible couple hit top-form yet again to each win their own prestigious races at the Lancaster Celebration of Running events. And despite the course being described as flat, fast, with a scenic route along the riverside including pedestrian and cycle paths around Lancaster, the pair still faced blistering heat throughout their races, but Carla made an extraordinary effort, and even broke the course record, by completing her marathon in just 3 hours 11 minutes and ...

*Josh Keogh struck gold after winning his age cat at the Fell Running Championships. Fell Running gold medals for Josh and Charlotte. Report by Don Hale. *Rowen: Josh Keogh  finished 4th overall in 1 hour 17 minutes and 21 seconds but won gold in first place in the Senior Men’s age cat within the North Wales Regional Fell Running championships at the challenging Ras Tal y Fan 8-mile race at Rowen last Saturday. And  Charlotte-Rose Wilton-Jones  also won a gold medal following her Senior Women’s title success in the same competition, recording an excellent time of 1 hour 48 minutes and 44 seconds. *A great run from Charlotte-Rose Wilton Jones (*above) to win gold in her Senior Women cat in the Fell Race champs. Other race results: - Elizabeth Driscoll 2nd in her cat at Triathlon in Chester. *Chester: Elizabeth Driscoll  competed at Chester on Sunday in a major triathlon event and celebrated another remarkable performance. After the race she confirmed: “A fantasti...

*Bryn Woodall just ahead of Steve Mason at Conwy Parkrun. Win for Bryn at Conwy parkrun after returning from America. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Bryn Woodall was the first man home at last Saturday’s Conwy parkrun with another fine performance to easily outsprint his rivals with a fast time of 17 minutes 37 seconds. The Colwyn Bay athlete who is back home from his American studies for the summer also won his SM18 age cat and finished almost thirty-seconds ahead of his second-placed chaser  Matthew Baker  in 18.06, with Road Runner  Steve Mason  third in 18.45. *Steve Mason (*above) back to his best after injury. The 1st Ladies title was again claimed by the super-fast  Alice Johnston  (Les Croupiers), who finished 7th overall with a great new PB 19.14, to also claim 1st place in her SW30 age cat, and it was another family double with Alice’s father  Sandy Johnston  winning his MV70 cat in a remarkable time of just 22.42. *...