Don Hale Blog

Ian Dadswell from the Wenlock Olympian Society is trying to promote th e 138th   Wenlock Olympian Games – on July 14th – at the Much Wenlock Leisure Centre, Shropshire, TF13 6NB.  This week he said: “ We’d appreciate it if you would let your club  and members of the Welsh Masters Athletics  know about this year’s Games - and hopefully come and compete! “ Both the athletics and the road race will be on Sunday, July 14th.  The road race this year has become a 10k event, while the athletics offers a wide range of events, including pentathlon with a unique medal awarded to winners in each category.  Both are UKA registered events and results reported to Power of Ten.   “ I’ve attached tiles which we hope you’ll circulate to your members and possible posters for your noticeboard.  Your support would be much appreciated.  Any questions, please get in touch.”   Regards and thanks,  Ian Dadswell,   Chair, Games (Sport) Sub-Committee, Wenlock Olympian Society.

Volunteers and entrants wanted for Welsh Masters T&F championships at Yate on Sunday 21st July 2024. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk The Welsh Masters Athletics Track & Field championships will be held on Sunday 21st July 2024 as part of the Avon/Yate AC Masters Open Championships, and potential entrants are advised to register as soon as possible due to the expected demand for places. It will be staged at the Yate outdoor sports complex and is being organised by the Yate & District AC.  And Chris Pruski from WMAL is also appealing for at least three more people to make themselves available on the day to help out with a variety of voluntary tasks.   He confirmed: “I am appealing for volunteers for our WMAL champs on 21st July, without much success so far. We need at least three people, but the more the better. Activities include admin registration, medal organising, presentations and setting up signage etc.” Chris added t

*Some of the NWRRC team (*above) at the Snowdonia half-marathon (l-r) Hannah Griffith, Adam Lemalle, Kevin Slattery, Dave Jones, Stuart Culverhouse, Steve Roberts, Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones, and Cai Roberts. Ten Road Runners hit peak form despite the heat at the tough Snowdonia half-marathon... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Ten members of North Wales Road Runners competed in the gruelling Snowdonia half-marathon race on Sunday but were pleased with their results despite a rather hot, and humid day. Stuart Culverhouse  was the first NWRRC athlete home in 41st place overall with an impressive chip time of 1.47.38, but the club chairman and top veteran athlete  Kevin Slattery  was perhaps the pick of the team after winning his MV65 age cat with a superb performance in 70th place in 1.53.36. *And as a note of interest, Kevin’s son  Ian Slattery,  who was visiting, also ran well, and he finished 23rd in 1.42.58. *NWRC chairman Kevin

*Pictured above - Nurses, NHS medical professionals, and parkrunners, wore blue for International Nurses Day at Conwy last  Saturday. Outstanding performances at Conwy parkrun on a bone-hard course to commemorate International Nurses Day and the NHS... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was another bumper turn-out at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday, this time to commemorate International Nurses Day, and in support of the NHS, as just short of 300 club and social athletes enjoyed the humid conditions on a bone-hard 5k course to record some outstanding finishing times. *Pictured above - Will Williams, with Stuart and Joe Culverhouse. North Wales Road Runner  Will Williams  led home a team of twelve other club members, to finish in 2nd place overall in 18 minutes and 30 seconds, to win his VM50 age cat. And young soccer player  Joe Culverhouse , who has just finished playing for his local junior team, set a hot pace throughout, and fi

*The NWRRC trio (*above) who won a total of five medals at the Regional champs. Pictured (l-r): Steve Gardner, Dave Gardner and Michael Finnie. Road Running trio won five medals, new PBs, and broke some records at NW Track & Field champs. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Three Road Runners took to the track last Saturday at Deeside for the North Wales Regional Track & Field Championships and set some new PBs, won five prestigious medals, and also smashed a couple of Welsh records! Veteran  Steve Gardner  hit top form in the 3000m race for Senior Men, and he finished in 7th place overall within a quality field and won a gold medal after finishing 1st in his VM60 age cat with a superb new PB time of 11 minutes and 2 seconds.  His father  Dave Gardner  also excelled in the shot put and javelin events and won two gold medals in his VM80 age cat in both events, with some exceptional throws, which are now new Welsh records! Dave’s

*The above photo including the bench is of the Tri Hard Harriers runners at the opening event, and is courtesy of Mike Roderick. The article author David Gibson is shown in a black top in the centre at the rear. New Welsh parkrun in Swansea Valley Report by David Gibson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk The popularity of parkruns seems unbounded. With the flat and scenic Swansea Bay parkrun now often getting 500 participants, and sometimes going over 600, a new Welsh parkrun in the Swansea Valley is very welcome.    For parkrun tourists, the recent YouTube video about the  Swansea Bay Parkrun  and local sights by Harry Morgan of Jogon is well worth a watch -   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MczE96cE9iQ   On 28th April, the Cycle Route 43, Ystalyfera parkrun ran its first event attracting 210 runners and walkers, including at least four who had run the London Marathon on the previous Sunday. 43 different clubs were represented and there were 26 volunteer

*Swansea Harrier Alan Davies (*above) crosses the finish line at the recent Cardiff 5k - Race for Victory - event to set a new record. (Photo  courtesy of Paul Stillman Sports Photography). World 5k record title hope for Swansea Harrier and Welsh Master Alan Davies. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Subject to official confirmation, Welsh Master Alan Davies of Swansea Harriers is another top veteran who may well have smashed the VM70 category World Record for 5k.  Running in the Cardiff 5k – Race for Victory - on Sunday 5th May 2024, 71-year-old legend Alan clocked a chip time of 18:01. This is a notable improvement on the 18:17 that he recorded at the Tri Hard Harriers 5k On the Bay in Swansea in August last year. Alan also holds the joint 5k M65 Welsh Masters Record at 18:04. Like fine wine, he is improving with age!  *Pictured above - Swansea Harrier Alan Davies - competing in the West Glamorgan cross-country league earlier this year, (P hoto  courte

 *Pictured above and below - a delighted David Gibson at the end of his record run. Welsh Master vet David Gibson wins TCS London Marathon age cat and set the fastest time in the UK... https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Just a couple of weeks before his 72nd birthday, Tri Hard Harrier, and Welsh Master - David Gibson won the VM70 category at the TCS London Marathon held on 21st April, beating 198 other category participants.  With a personal best time of 3 hours, 13 minutes, and 31 seconds this is understood to be the fastest male 70-74 time in the UK, and the third fastest in the world this year to date! The 2024 TCS London Marathon was also the 2024 Welsh Road Marathon Championship race.  David had an operation at the beginning of January, and so he missed four weeks of training. Having had his training program cut from 16 weeks to 11, his aims were to finish, enjoy it, and to record a respectable time. Having achieved all that, he was somewhat surpris

More blue runners wanted for this Saturday at Conwy parkrun for International Nurses Day and the NHS. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Following my previous blog report (*6/5/24), and my request for runners to wear something blue at Conwy parkrun on Saturday 18th May, to commemorate their 400th parkrun, we also have an excellent opportunity to show our support this week for the NHS and International Nurses’ Day, on Saturday 12th May at Conwy, with a similar request for runners to also wear something blue. Bethan Wyn Roberts  (*pictured above), has inquired: “ Is it possible for you to put a shout out on your blog for  International Nurses Day , and to encourage people to run in blue to show their support for the NHS? “International Nurses’ Day is actually on Sunday 12th May, but we will be celebrating at Conwy parkrun on this  Saturday 11th May . We would really appreciate anything you can do to make sure park runners are aware of wearing something blue. “I know

Blue runners wanted for 400th Conwy parkrun on 18th May! NWRRC official and Conwy parkrun volunteer and regular MC John Hatton says he is trying to attract 400 runners for the 400th Conwy parkrun on Saturday 18th May. Entry parkrun is free for all parkruns, and it starts from the RSPB site near Conwy each Saturday starting at 9am.  He confirmed: “It’s Mental Health Awareness Week that week, so I have spoken to  Mind Conwy . Their colour is blue, so I am trying to encourage people to run in blue, or to even wear some fancy dress costumes.” *John Hatton  is pictured (*above) at Conwy parkrun.