Don Hale Blog

*Another great performance by Mark Jessett (*above) at Conwy. Visiting athlete set hot pace in the sun at Conwy parkrun...plus Pat Finnie back in action... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   There was another large entry for the Conwy Bank Holiday parkrun last Saturday which again attracted a host of mixed ability social and club runners from all parts of the UK and abroad. Run in bright, and very warm sunshine, visiting athlete  Alastair Campbell  (Stroud & District AC) soon set a hot pace over this picturesque but dusty 5k course, and he was the 1st runner home in 17 minutes and 23 seconds, and won his MV35 age cat.  Despite a strong challenge throughout,  Alastair  remained narrowly ahead of Road Runner  Mark Jessett  who finished in 2nd place overall in 17.53 and 2nd MV35 cat, with  David Clarke  3rd and 1st MV40 cat with a PB of 18.09.  There were 316 finishers. Praise too was given to MV70 master vet

*A group picture (*above) of some of the people who attended the 40th anniversary bash. Large turn-out for NWRRC's 40th anniversary gathering. Report by Don Hale. Exclusive photos by Steve Jeffery and John Hatton. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk There was a large turn-out of North Wales Road Runners both past and present as they celebrated their 40th anniversary gathering last Sunday afternoon in the rear garden at The Nevill on Vaughan Street, Llandudno. Club chairman Kevin Slattery welcomed all the visitors and running club members together with many family members, and spoke about his surprise that the club has continued to flourish over four decades since its initial formation with very limited facilities and optimism. He said he looked forward to the continued expansion of the membership and hoped the club would meet again for the 50th, 60th, plus other, additional, and future anniversaries. He said the club now had over 100 active members and

*The NWRRC trio who ran well for Wales against England at the Chester half-marathon (*above l-r) Kay Hatton, Martin Green and Richard Eccles, and (*below), the Wales team at the start of the race. Road Running trio performed well for Wales at Chester half-marathon...plus other race results... Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runners had three athletes selected to represent Wales in the international fixture against England within the Essar Chester half-marathon race last Sunday and they had a further twelve club members in the general race. It was a fast and furious event which also attracted over four-thousand mixed ability and top club runners, who competed on a challenging course around the city centre and the outskirts. The race was eventually won by  Andrew Heyes  (Hallamshire Harriers) with a chip time of 1.05.51, with  Scott Overall  (Blackheath & Bromley) 2nd in 1.06.27, and  Ed Shepherd  (Woodford Green) 3rd in 1.06.58. Martin Green, Richard Eccles,  and  Kay Hatton

*Josh Keogh (*pictured above) had a great run at Conwy. Josh celebrated his run in the sun at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   There was another good turn-out of mixed ability athletes at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday where all the entrants were again blessed with warm sunshine and an unusually bone-dry 5k course. North Wales Road Runner  Josh Keogh  was the worthy first placed finisher, and he also celebrated his SM30 age category in 17 minutes and 52 seconds. Josh was just 14-seconds ahead of his nearest rival  Aled Hughes , who was 2nd in 18.06, with  Alison Campbell  (Sheffield University) 3rd overall, and she was also the 1st female finisher, winning her SW30 cat in 18.41.  The other female finishers were  Sally Bennett  2nd, and 15th place overall in 21.01, with  Vicky Cole  (GOG Triathlon), the 3rd female, and 17th overall, despite a great PB of 21.17.  *There were 295 finishers in total. Josh Keogh  led a team of nine club members home, and he was

Claudio Merkier : Research project about Over 60s Master athletes: FAO of the over-60s masters: From Claudio Merkier. As most of you know, I am doing a research project with LSBU with over-60s track and field athletes. Data collection for the first phase of this project is an anonymous online survey and it includes 45 closed-ended questions.  The results will help to understand more about the over-60s athlete’s demographic profile, training methods, injury history, and management. It takes 15 minutes to fill out. If you haven't completed the survey your participation is fully appreciated and will make the results more representative. These are the access details: https://lsbu.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/master-track-and-field... Password: MasterAthlete60+ Data collection for the survey will finish by 30/04/23. Many thanks for your kind support. LSBU.ONLINESURVEYS.AC.UK Master Track and Field Athletes Perceptions of Chiropractic Care and Manual Therapies

*Xavier Poynton (*above right) with his father Neil at Conwy parkrun. Xavier Poynton, a top young ski-racer, and runner, tells of his incredible recovery from injury, and his quest to raise funds and make people aware of mental health issues.   Special report by Don Hale.    Top photo by John  Hatton. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   A young athlete and keen musician from Colwyn Heights in North Wales, who has suffered two devastating injuries on his ambitious journey to become an Olympic ski-racer is now using his own incredible fitness recovery plan to help raise funds for a very worthy and supportive cause. Twelve-year old  Xavier Poynton,  a pupil at  Ysgol Eirias , in Colwyn Bay, is a highly promising ski-racer with the Ambition Race Team and the British Children’s Team. On two separate occasions, he has suffered debilitating injuries on his quest to reach the top of his chosen sport and has since bravely fought back to become the British Alpine U12 SL Champion. Xavier is curren