Don Hale Blog

*Pictured at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn are (l-r) Rachel Morris, Helen Hannam and Nicola Wylie. Road Runners battled for club points and podium places at Prestatyn's Nova parkrun... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffrey.   Eleven members of NWRRC travelled to Prestatyn last Saturday to compete in the Nova parkrun as part of their revised 5k club championship events, with the run organisers recording their best attendance since lockdown. With numerous open races either being cancelled or rescheduled this year due to the recent pandemic, the club opted to include this parkrun as an important middle-distance alternative, and members later celebrated with seven podium places, including four age category wins. And, for all but one of the Road Runners, it meant a course debut at this parkrun venue, which was also boosted in the sunshine by supporters of the cancer charity – ‘Your Way, Move Against Cancer.’ * Martin  Green (*above) was in fine form with two superb 5k times. Marti

*Martin Green (*pictured above) recorded a great time at 5k race. Fast times for club trio at Mid-Cheshire 5k race. Report by Don Hale.   Three Road Runners competed in the Mid-Cheshire 5k road race last Friday night which proved to be another ultra-fast event for a host of top club and elite athletes. Run over a course known for its speedy times and personal best results, the race attracted 848 finishers for this popular summer challenge. Just thirty-seconds eventually separated the first ten finishers, and incredibly, some twenty-eight athletes all dipped under fifteen-minutes! *Will Williams (*above left) with Harry Driscoll. Martin Green  was the first NWRRC man home in 124th place in a superb time of 16 minutes and 10 seconds, and yet he was 7th in his MV45 age cat.  Will Williams  was delighted with his time of 17.39 in 289th place, with  Harry Driscoll  364th following another excellent run in 18.52. The overall race was won by Adam Craig in just 14.09, with Kurt Taylor (Bristol

*Steve Mason (*above) won his age cat at Conwy in 9th place. Josh and Steve claimed age cat wins at Conwy parkrun Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Only two North Wales Road Runners took part in the Conwy parkrun last Saturday due to the club 5k dash at Prestatyn and other fixture clashes, but both members won their respective age categories and finished within the top-ten finishers. Josh Keogh  was the first club man home in 2nd place overall with a fast time of 17 minutes and 13 seconds to win his SM30-34 age cat, and  Steve Mason  also had a fast finish in 9th place overall in 19.04, and he too won his MV45 age cat in 19.04. The event was won by first-time Conwy parkrunner and tourist  Keith Swainson  (Sheffield RC) in 17.04, who finished just 9-seconds ahead of Josh.  *Josh Keogh (*above) was the first NWRRC member back at Conwy. Another visitor,  Ian Hales  (Redhill Road Runners), claimed the 3rd spot in 18.11, and the 1st female athlete was former NWRRC member  Gemma

Billy Goat Challenge sporting logo could help boost funds for St David’s Hospice... Report by Don Hale.     www.eventclip.net    COUPON CODE: 45MBUAYZ   An innovative new Billy Goat sporting product that is both attractive and efficient is being offered for sale and could help boost funds for St David’s Hospice.  Inventor Mike Drage from EventClip has developed a special Snap-Lock device for helping to secure race and/or identification competition numbers to sports tops. This device will immediately replace the need for old fashioned safety pins, which not only leave holes, but can also damage expensive race material. Mike has not only invented this unique item, but he has also created some fascinating and colourful designs that can help to promote local clubs, organisations, charities, and sponsors.  *Pictured (*above) a couple of the many other exciting designs available. His firm offer a wide variety of other designs combining fun logos’ with animals, cities, races, and branding etc

*Train racers Kay Hatton (*above left) with Cheryl Frost. Road Runners on track at Tywyn ‘Race the Train’ races. Report by Don Hale.   Three Road Runners competed in two different but challenging races at the Tywyn Rotary Club’s ‘Race the Train’ events held last weekend which utilised the famous Talyllyn Railway. Run over farm tracks, open fields, and rich pastures, with options to take part in any one of four varied distances ranging from 3.5 miles to 14 miles, this was the 37th annual race series, and it attracted hundreds of competitors from across the UK.  Whatever distance selected, the runners were later distributed by coach or train to their agreed starting points at various stations along the line, and then given the arduous task of trying to beat the train back to the finish at Tywyn.  Kay Hatton  and  Cheryl Frost  ran in the  Quarry Challenge 10k  and both members were pleased with their performances on a warm and windy day.  Kay  ran well and finished 75th out of 256 entran

*Nicola Wylie (above) won her age cat at the Ellesmere Port parkrun Other club race results: from around  the UK and beyond.. *Birchwood:  Three NWRRC members took part in the Birchwood 10k race on Sunday.  Kelly-Marie Alford  and  Cai Roberts  ran together again with Kelly finishing in 156th place in 50.46 and the 7th F35 athlete, with Cai sharing the same time and just one place behind.  Mandy Owen  also continued her return to fitness with another determined run in 56.13 and 220th place. *Pictured (*above l-r) Mandy Owen, with Kelly Alford and Cai Roberts. *America: Jon Evans  continued his American adventure last weekend and returned to the  Theodore Roosevelt Island DC parkrun  in America where he celebrated a great new course PB of 22.55 to win his MV55 age cat, marking a 27-second improvement to his time from last week and finishing in 7th place overall. *Jon Evans (*above) celebrated a new course PB at his American parkrun. *Hemel Hempstead: Stuart   Culverhouse  completed a to

*Carla and Martin Green (*above) both won their age cats at Conwy Parkrun. Bright and breezy with close finish at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Some 267 runners of all shapes and sizes, ages, and mixed abilities, tackled the Conwy parkrun last Saturday amidst bright but very breezy conditions, which was in stark contrast to the blistering heat of the previous week. In addition to the many social runners, this popular event again attracted a generous mix of young and promising athletes, together with numerous top club runners, who all seemed determined to test their abilities over this challenging 5k course. Exciting local teenage prospect  Morgan Kendall  was the first runner home to celebrate his third parkrun victory at Conwy, and his 90th parkrun overall, but this time he also recorded a great new PB of just 17 minutes and 38 seconds to win his SM18-19 age category. Morgan was pushed all the way by  Martin Green  (NWRRC) and  Nic Brook  (Eryri Harrier

*Four dazzling NWRRC runners at the Blackpool Lights races (l-r) Cai Roberts, Kelly Alford, Mandy Owen and Charlie Owen. Lights, camera, action, for club runners at Blackpool Illuminations races... Reports by Don Hale.   Four club members celebrated a night out at Blackpool last Saturday and competed in the ‘Run the Lights’ 10k & 5k races, which also marked the start of the famous Illuminations at this popular Lancashire seaside resort.  Kelly Alford  and her partner  Cai Roberts  were both in dazzling form and ran together throughout the 10k event, with  Kelly  also celebrating a new course PB by about a minute in 50.42 and finished 4th in her F35 age cat in 111th position as the 22nd female runner, with  Cai  sharing the same time, and just one place behind.  And praise too for  Mandy Owen  who ran very well after recovering from a period of ill health and finished in 216th place. She he was the 56th female runner in 57.21, and her husband  Charlie Owen,  who is recovering from a

*Josh Keogh (*above) was the first NWRRC athlete back at Conwy Parkrun. Fast and furious despite the heat at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   More than 250 runners braved the baking heat at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning, and yet despite the challenging conditions, it still proved to be another fast and furious event with the first fifteen athletes all dipping under the twenty-minute barrier. This week’s 5k parkrun again attracted plenty of elite, club, and social runners, with the results reflecting many tourist participants from across the UK, including  Karl Welborne  (Birmingham RA and Triathlon Club), who was the 1st man home in just 16 minutes and 7 seconds. Karl also won his MV40 age cat. The first female was  Gemma Moore  (Eryri Harriers), and she was the 1st VW35 cat and celebrated a new course PB of 19.30. North Wales Road Runners  returned in force this week and their quality showed with five members finishing in the top-ten positions, and t

 * The Snap-Lock Bibclips provide unique opportunities for sponsors. A former sportsman has invented a unique alternative to safety pins for securing race numbers to clothing – No more pins, No more holes! Special feature report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk An award-winning former sportsman, who is also a creative designer and inventor, has finally   solved an age-old problem dating back more than a century, to finding a new and realistic alternative to using safety pins, whilst trying to attach a competitor’s race number to clothing. This  remarkable  invention and coupled with some new and fascinating designs could now change athletics, and all competitive sports forever, and they have already been used by top ex-star athletes Dame  Kelly  Holmes, Shannon Hylton, and Vassos. This bizarre problem of athletes still using old-fashioned safety pins in this modern age at major athletics, cycling, triathlon, or sporting events, and the poten