Don Hale Blog

*North Wales Road runner Mal Preece (*above) at the London Marathon. Mixed emotions but a great experience for athletes at the London Marathon...plus other results and updates... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Seven North Wales Road Runners competed in the televised London Marathon last Sunday amongst a mass participation of some 50,000 runners, who raised tens of thousands of pounds for various worthy charities, with many athletes recalling mixed emotions and personal best times! Mal Preece  was the first NWRRC member home with an excellent time of 3 hours and 20 minutes, and he celebrated following a great new PB time. Afterwards he confirmed:  “Very pleased with a new six-minute PB. I ran my first marathon back in 2011 at Chester, and to date I’ve knocked 20 minutes off that time. Looking to chip away my latest PB again next year with GFA time. My goal was to get my qualifying time for Berlin next year, which I achieved. ” *Pic

*Martin Green (*above), crosses the finishing line at Colwyn Bay. Great performance by Martin Green to win the Pier2Pier half-marathon...and some other excellent club results... Report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton and Dave Jones. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com *The NWRRC team (*above) at Colwyn Bay for the Pier2Pier half-marathon.   North Wales Road Runner Martin Green quickly bounced back to top form last Sunday to win the new Pier2Pier half-marathon race following a close a battle with his club colleague Jonathan Kettle and the third placed finisher Chris Pownall. Martin, who has only just returned to racing following a period of ill health, looked comfortable all the way along this challenging promenade course from the Eirias Park Stadium to Llandudno Pier and back, despite a blustery wind, and dodging the aftermath of storm damage. He was one of ten NWRRC members who competed in this well organised event by RunWales, and he was pleased with his time of 1 hour 17 minutes and

*Pictured above - Jonathan Kettle at Conwy parkrun. Conwy parkrunners battled against Storm Kathleen. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was wild and extremely windy at Conwy parkrun last Saturday as nearly 300 mixed ability athletes braved Storm Kathleen on this blustery riverside 5k course. Once again, this popular event attracted a host of visiting runners from across the UK, but they all faced the usual swamp-like, waterlogged course, following several days of heavy and unrelenting rain, combined with 40-mph plus head and side winds! North Wales Road Runners  entered eleven members and J onathan Kettle  led the team home with an amazing performance considering the atrocious conditions under foot to finish in 3rd place overall, and he also won his VM45 age cat in just 18 minutes and 19 seconds. Will Williams  was also in good form, and he won his VM50 cat in 6th place in 19.02, with  Steve Mason  10th in 19.45, and 3rd in his VM

*Michael  Finnie  (*above) came to the rescue  as an ice-breaker at Conwy parkrun last Saturday. Ice-breaker Michael Finnie and his stick created a safe passage for parkrunners at Conwy. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   North Wales Road Runner Michael Finnie had to use a large stick to break up all the icy puddles at Conwy parkrun last Saturday to eventually allow the event to start safely on another very cold and frosty morning. Michael's innovative idea, came as a huge relief to 176 eager and enthusiastic entrants, who feared the worst over this very challenging, muddy, and puddle-filled 5k course. And his unique plan, backed by run director Sharon Hughes , confirmed a determination to provide a safe route following last week’s late cancellation due to similar problems. *Steve Poupart (*above left), with Joe and Stuart Culverhouse. Joe also celebrated his 100th parkrun this week with another promising run. Nine Road Runners  t