Don Hale Blog

*Josh Keogh (*pictured above), was the first runner home at Conwy. No ice this week but runners battled a cold and blustery wind at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   In stark contrast to last week’s icy 5k course at Conwy parkrun, this time some 229 starters faced a cold blustery wind, but the event welcomed a large contingent from Porth Eirias Runners, and numerous ‘Couch to 5k’ participants. North Wales Road Runners  entered twelve members with  Josh Keogh  being the first man home overall on an unusually dry but challenging course with a fast time of 17 minutes and 33 seconds. The club also celebrated four first placed age cat victories, four second, and two third placings. Josh also won his SM30 age cat, and he was more than a minute ahead of the second placed finishers and debutants,  Cameron Morris  in 18.42, and  Ed Slaughter  third in 18.43. Cameron won his SM20 cat, and Ed additionally won his SM18 age cat. 

*Will Williams (*above), ran flat-out to finish second at Conwy. Perfect conditions for Will Williams amidst a bumper half-term crowd at Conwy parkrun...plus other results. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Conditions were almost perfect at Conwy parkrun this week with a remarkably dry course after several weeks of swamp-like conditions underfoot, with nearly 300 mixed ability club and social runners enjoying this picturesque 5k course. Boosted by the half-term holidays, organisers welcomed entrants from across the UK, and North Wales Road Runner  Will Williams , had to run flat-out to secure 2nd place overall, and he won his VM50 age cat, during another fast-dash event.  Will finished in a good time of 18 minutes and 54 seconds, but he was only 13-seconds ahead of the 3rd placed finisher, visitor  Richard Pollitt  (Horwich RMI Harriers), who won his VM45 cat in 19.07. The first male finisher was  Dave Hughes , who recorded a new cou

*     NWRRC  Veteran John O'Shea (*above), performed well at Conwy  Parkrun. Good attendance at Conwy parkrun despite a double date. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was another good attendance at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday despite other events, including the Twin Piers 10k race held later on the same day, which offered a unique double date for a number of very keen athletes. The parkrun event again attracted a good number of top club and social runners who were able to enjoy a picturesque 5k dash on an unusually dry but challenging course this week. North Wales Road Runners  were heavily depleted however, due to this fixture clash with just five members taking the parkrun option, yet they still claimed three first place age cat wins, and two second places. Master veteran  Barrie Wells  was in excellent form and finished 40th overall, winning his MV70 age cat in 24 minutes and eight-seconds, whil

*Pictured above and below right - NWRRC athlete Elizabeth Driscoll - enjoying the sun during her half-marathon in the Falkland Islands. North Wales Road Runner Elizabeth Driscoll took part in the Falkland Islands Stone half-marathon last weekend, and ran well to finish in 7th place overall, despite a potential injury problem, and a subsequent lack of training. Elizabeth, who is a RAF flight controller, is currently working on secondment in the Falkland Islands and has previously competed in some parkruns, a marathon, and several other running events during her stay.  She later confirmed: "I hardly had any training as my achilles has been niggling again, so very pleased to finish in 1 hour 58 minutes and 18 seconds. "It was a beautiful sunny day and almost no wind (unheard of down here). Summer is on its way!"

*Will Williams (*above) was the first NWRRC member home at Conwy. Fast times despite being cool and breezy at Conwy parkrun...plus news of Elizabeth in the Falkland Islands and Nicola at breezy Blackpool. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was rather cool and breezy at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday (1/7/23) but it still failed to deter another bumper attendance which also included a host of top club runners and enthusiastic visitors from many parts of the UK. Two new names though were registered as the 1st and 2nd placed finishers at Conwy with  Aled Hughes  taking the plaudits with an excellent and determined run, especially given the blustery conditions, as the 1st male finisher in 18 minutes and 6 seconds, to win his MV35 age category. He was very closely followed by rival  Dave Hughes , who finished 2nd in the same age cat as Aled, and he was only seven-seconds adrift despite a new PB of 18.13, with 

*Stuart Culverhouse (*above) ran well at the Manchester Marathon. Road Runners tackled various Marathon challenges. Report by Don Hale.   Marathon mania returned to the streets of Manchester and elsewhere in the UK again last Sunday as tens of thousands of runners celebrated their long winter training slog in style by completing numerous and very personal 26.2-mile journeys. The events, which helped to raise many millions of pounds for various charities, always attract a wide variety of entrants ranging from top international stars to first time social runners and brought mass crowds out to cheer on their heroes. The Manchester race was eventually won by Lithuanian athlete  Ignas Brasevicius  in just 2 hours 16 minutes and 27 seconds, with  Naomi Mitchell  taking the plaudits as the 1st female finisher in 2.31.27. North Wales Road Runners  welcomed back various marathon challenges and entered seven members at Manchester, with two others competing at the  Boston Marathon  in the UK, and