Don Hale Blog

*Steve Gardner (*pictured above) won a bronze medal after finishing 3rd in his MV60 age cat at Brecon. Bronze medal for Steve  Gardner  at Welsh National cross-country championships at Brecon.. Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runner Steve Gardner swapped the tarmac for the mud last Saturday as he competed in the Welsh National cross-country championships at Brecon and won a prestigious bronze medal and a podium place in this high-quality race. The talented veteran athlete ran against two hundred top Welsh club runners over a challenging 10.35k course in this male master’s event and finished in 113th place in 41 minutes and 10 seconds to claim 3rd place in his MV60 age cat. After the race Steve said: “ I ran in the Welsh xc champs and managed to get 3rd place in my MV60 age group, the first 4 were all within I minute. 1st David Warren 40.25 2nd  Peter Sowerby  40.43, 3rd me 41.10, and 4th  Haydn Jones  41.14.” This latest result confirms his recent top form where he recently coll

*North Wales ladies on the town (above l-r) Elizabeth Driscoll, Hannah Griffith, Tessa Bushnell and Gwennan Charlton. Orienteering night shift for club quartet.   Four female members of NWRRC took part in a unique Urban Orienteering event around Llandudno last Thursday night as part of a new and exciting series of races organised by Eryri Harriers. Gwennan Charlton , who was a member of this talented quartet confirmed: “You are given a map and set of checkpoints, then you visit as many of these as possible within a one-hour time limit.  Hannah Griffith, Tessa Bushnell, Elizabeth Driscoll , and me, teamed up, and finished as the second team, a close 10 points off the winning team. The next instalment of the urban orienteering series will be held in Conwy on 23rd of March.”  

*Gwyn Williams (*pictured above) at Conwy parkrun. Praise for hard working Event Directors at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale.   Conwy parkrun officials announced some changes to the event director’s positions at this popular event and paid tribute to several important volunteers and their dedicated service. Parkrun official and regular run director Gwyn Williams stated: “Well done to everyone who joined us to run, jog, and walk the course this morning on a crisp and beautifully morning. We had fifty first timers taking part and an incredible thirty-four runners recorded new PBs. Thanks also to the twenty-two wonderful volunteers who made the magic happen." *Event Directors Mark Jessett (*above left) and Bethan Wyn Roberts at Conwy. Gwyn added: “I would like to offer congratulations to today’s Run Director  Mark Jessett , who completed his 100th volunteering stint. Some of you may not be aware that Mark, along with Bethan Wyn Roberts took on the baton of the Event Directorship

*Steve Bozier (*pictured above) was the 1st NWRRC finisher. Fast-paced dash to the finish at a bright and busy Conwy parkrun... Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.    It was another bright, sunny, but cold Saturday morning at Conwy parkrun last weekend as 239 entrants from all parts of the UK enjoyed the splendours of this attractive but challenging 5k course. This event included a very fast-paced dash by two young and promising athletes who dominated the parkrun from start to finish with  Tomos Land  the 1st runner home in just 17 minutes and 18 seconds, closely followed by rival  John Davies  (Eryri Harriers) in 2nd place, who was just twenty-seconds behind, despite a new PB of 17.38, with  Ian Slattery  3rd in 18.58. Ian is the son of the NWRRC chairman  Kevin Slattery , and he was on a brief home visit and celebrated his run with a deserved podium spot and 1st place in his MV35 age cat. The 1st Lady was  Tara Truman  (Stroud) in 20.38, with  Alice Johnston  (Les Croup

*GOG athlete Jose Eduardo Vega Perez (*above) was the first club runner back at Conwy parkrun. Snooker champion Ronnie O’Sullivan at Conwy parkrun as GOG’s claimed four age cat wins. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve  JEFFERY.   Nine GOG members took part in the Conwy parkrun last Saturday and recorded four excellent age category wins on a dry but windy event that also welcomed snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan. Numbers were boosted by many tourist entrants during the half-term weekend with the run attracting 233 mixed ability runners from various parts of the UK, including  Ronnie (*pictured below)  who had been performing at Venue Cymru in the Welsh Open championships. Jose Eduardo Vega Perez  was the first club man home and finished 1st in his MV35 age cat in 19.38. He was followed by  Lizzie Irvine  who also won her VW35 cat in 23.56 in 47th place overall, with  Andrea Cody  claiming the 2nd spot in the same cat as Lizzie finishing 59th in 25.05. Nicola Tomlinson  was 86th and 3rd i

*Pictured (*above and below) some of the many NWRRC club runners who competed in the Rhyl 5 mile and 10 mile races last weekend. Photos by John HATTON. Medals galore for Road Runners at the windy Rhyl 5 mile and 10 mile series of races... Report by Don Hale. Rhyl photos by John Hatton and Mike Smith.   There was a good turn-out of Road Runners amidst many other elite athletes at the Rhyl 5-mile and 10-mile races last Sunday, where several members celebrated podium places and age cat wins, during a very windy series of events that also incorporated an Inter-Counties match, and the Regional Championships. It was the latter 10-mile race that served as both a major North Wales Championship event and an Inter-Counties invitation match, where once again several NWRRC members, and other top local club runners won prestigious individual, and team medals. In the 5-mile race, Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts  finished in 4th place overall and claimed 2nd place in his MV45 age cat in 27 minutes and 45 seco

*Snooker star Ronnie O'Sullivan pictured (*above) at the Conwy parkrun. Surprise appearance by snooker champion Ronnie O’Sullivan at Conwy parkrun but Martin Green takes the plaudits... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffrey.   Road Runner Martin Green set the pace at Conwy parkrun last Saturday and he was the first man back on a windy but dry 5k course. Numbers were boosted by a many tourists during this half-term weekend with the event attracting 233 mixed ability runners from various parts of the UK, including a surprise appearance by snooker champion  Ronnie O’Sullivan  following his recent appearance at Venue Cymru.       *Martin Green (*above left) and Will Williams. At the time of writing the 2nd and 3rd place finishers remained unknown but the 1st female runner was  Anna Drinkwater  (Eryri Harriers) in 19.57, with  Alice Johnston  (Les Croupiers) 2nd in 21.41, and young  Ella Grundy (Colwyn Bay) 3rd in 22.35.  Martin Green  led home twelve senior NWRRC club members and

*Pictured above - Bryn Phillips and Steven Owen. GOG runners on form at Conwy parkrun but numbers depleted. Report by Don Hale. Nine GOG athletes entered the Conwy parkrun last Saturday (11/2/23) with many others no doubt saving their energy for the Nick Beer 10k or the Village Bakery half-marathon on the following day. Despite the fixture clashes, all the runners performed well with  Andy Brazier  taking the plaudits as the first club man back on this challenging 5k course.  Andy  recorded a good time of 24.46 in 40th place overall. He was followed by  Nicola Tomlinson  in 60th place in 26.10, and she was 2nd in her VW40 age cat.  Three GOG runners, including  Steven Owen, Bryn Phillips , and  Graeme Tunstall , all finished within a whisker of each other in a mad-dash sprint to the line, and amazingly shared the exact same time of 26.35 in 70th/71st and 72nd places. Rob Stewart  was 82nd in 27.17, with veteran  Wayne Roberts  115th in 29.20, closely followed by  Tom Simpson  in 117th

*GOG athlete Craig Rutter (*above) returned to action at  the Nick Beer 10k race and he was one of many GOG Triathlon members who ran last Sunday. Nick Beer 10k charity success as GOG Triathlon runners tackled the Orme in bright sunshine. Report by Don Hale.    Over five-hundred mixed ability runners enjoyed bright sunshine and some spectacular scenery around the Great Orme in Llandudno last Sunday for the ever-popular Nick Beer 10k race. The large crowds of tourists and supporters on the promenade were treated to a feast of entertainment as the mass ranks quickly dashed past the pier and began the challenging ascent and later descent of the Orme prior to returning to the start via Church Walks. There was a large turnout of GOG Triathlon athletes and  Grant Little  was the first club home on 38.05 and he also won his MV40 age cat, with  Jonathan Seymour  close behind in 17th place and 2nd in the same age cat as grant in 38.14, and  Keith Quinton  was the 3rd GOG runner in 39.48. The 1s

*Elizabeth Evans (*above) claimed 1st place in her VW70 age cat at Oswestry. GOG’s ran well at final cross-country fixture. Report by Don Hale. There was a good turnout of club runners for the final cross-country fixture of the season at the Marches School, Oswestry last Saturday in the  David Alun Williams,  North Wales Senior CC League, sponsored by Grand Prix. There were some excellent performances by  GOG Triathlon  and  North Wales Road Runners  and in particular by  Elizabeth Evans  who claimed the 1st place in the WV70 race, with  Ann D’Alburquerque  2nd, and Ann’s husband John finished 4th in the O65 race.  *(Pictured above left), Ann  D’Alburquerque with Elizabeth Evans. *GOG Triathlon: Senior Women:  70th  Elizabeth Evans  27.04 and 1st W70, 74th  Vicky Darby-Brown  27.24 and 9th WV40, and 82nd  Ann D’Alburquerque  28.31 and 2nd WV70.  Male Masters:  20th  John D’Alburquerque  30.51 and 4th MV75.  *NOTE:   Ann D’Alburquerque  also collected the overall prize as the 1st WV70