Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above - GOG  Triathlon  'Super Vet' Alan Benn. GOG Triathlete and Welsh ‘Super Vet’ Alan Benn crowned his 80th birthday dash in style with a new cat win and cake at Conwy’s Coronation Day parkrun. Special report by Don Hale. www.welshmasterathletics.co.uk   Welsh Master veteran Alan Benn crowned his 80th birthday dash in style at Conwy’s Coronation Day parkrun last Saturday by winning his new MV80-84 age category with an excellent time of 27 minutes and 57 seconds. The popular  GOG Triathlon  member enjoyed his first ever run as a ‘Super Vet’ and finished in 131st place amidst 325 mixed ability runners over the challenging but picturesque 5k North Wales course.  This was Alan’s 28th parkrun at Conwy, and his fastest run dates back 5-years to May 2019 when he incredibly ran a PB of just 23.41, with an age grading of 75.19%, in 64th place, and won his MV75-79 age cat. This week’s event attracted a bumper assortment of some highly talented and mixed ability athletes for

*GOG Triathlon veteran Liz EVANS (*above) won her VW70 age cat again. Veteran Liz Evans claimed age cat win for the GOGs at Easter Holiday Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Eight members of GOG Triathlon took part in the Conwy parkrun last Saturday, but their numbers and times were reduced due to competing fixtures and marathon/triathlon preparations, with veteran athlete Liz  Evans claiming the main plaudits. Graeme Tunstall  was the first club member home in 58th place in 24.01, and he was closely followed by  Steve Dutton  who was just two places and two seconds behind.  Hard working veteran athlete  Liz Evans  continued her excellent form to win her VW70 age cat in 97th place overall in 26.09.  Rob Stewart  was 119th in 27.31, with  Nicola Tomlinson  155th in 30.02, and  Amanda Collins  claimed 3rd place in her VW55 cat with a new PB in 30.43. Meanwhile,  Wayne Roberts  had a good run finishing in 163rd place in 30.43, and  Katie Harvey  was 179th in 32.34.   *The parkrun offered

*Teenage GOG athlete Caitlin Owen (*above) has won her age cat at Conwy parkrun twice in recent weeks during a break from her studies. GOG Triathlon members ran their luck with 7 podium places, including five age cat wins! Report by Don Hale. (*Conwy parkrun 25/3/23).   GOG Triathlon entered thirteen members at Conwy but contrary to belief, this number proved very lucky as they claimed seven podium places including five age category victories! Victoria Cole  was the first club athlete home, and she was also the 1st female finisher, with a new PB of 21.20, to also win her VW40 age cat, finishing 10th overall .  Andy Brazier  was 2nd in his MV55 cat in 23rd place in 23.04, with  Steven Owen  finishing 29th in 23.15, and  Merf Jones  was in close pursuit in 32nd place in 23.30. Tom Simpson  finished 64th in 25.35, and  Stephen Dutton  was 70th in 25.52, with  Claire Parsley  enjoying another good run in 71st place, and she was only three seconds behind Stephen but won her VW45 age cat in

*GOG Triathlete Liz Evans (*above) won her veteran age cat at Conwy. A Dozen GOG’s celebrated podium places and age cat wins at Conwy parkrun and Liz claims the top veteran spot. Report by Don Hale.   Twelve GOG Triathletes took part in last week’s Conwy parkrun and collected seven podium places including two age cat victories for the ladies, and a top three finish for Alun Brown. Alun  was the first club runner home in 2nd place overall, and he also claimed the 2nd spot in his MV40 cat in 18.24. He was followed by  Andy Jones  25th in 22.23, with  Michelle Farrell  30th with a new course PB of 22.56, and she came 1st in her VW40 age cat. Andy Brazier  (*pictured above) had a good run in 32nd place in 22.59, and he finished 2nd in his VM55 cat, with  John Farrell  49th in 24.30, with  Graeme Tunstall  55th in 25.11. Veteran  Liz Evans  was another cat winner of her VW70 cat in 64th place in 26.02, and  Nicola Tomlinson  finished well in 74th place in 26.29 and she was 3rd in her VW40 c

Six of the best for GOG Triathlon members at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale.   Six GOG Triathlon members claimed podium places at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday with two first place age category wins, two second, and two third placings. Steven Owen  (*pictured right) finished 12th and he was the first club man home in in 21 minutes and 11 seconds. He was followed by  Simon Cole  in 16th place in 22.00, with  Gary Jones  26th in 23.11, and  Jack Buckley  ran well and claimed a new course PB in 34th place in 23.40. Super veteran athlete  Liz Evans  continued her excellent form to win her VW70 age cat in 71st place in 26.00, and  Nicola Tomlinson  finished in 113th place in 28.47, and another top super vet  Ann d’Albuquerque  finished just behind Nicola in 28.49, to claim the 2nd spot in her VW70 cat in 114th place. *Simon Cole (*above left) with veteran Liz Evans. Amanda Collins  enjoyed a good run in 139th place with a PB of 30.54 and she was 3rd in her VW55 cat.  Wayne Roberts  als

Lizzie Irvine (*above) was the first GOG athlete back at Conwy parkrun. GOG’s on form 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. The 1st Lady was  Tara Truman  (Stroud) in 20.38, with  Alice Johnston  (Les Croupiers) 2nd in 20.44 and  Anna Smith  (Hedge End) 3rd in 20.50. GOG Triathlon  entered nine members and claimed five podium places including two 1st place finishes in their respectiv

*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 - 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

*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

*Paul Algieri claimed a 3rd age cat place at Conwy last weekend. Success for GOG athletes at perfect Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   Conwy parkrun welcomed two-hundred and twenty-six mixed ability entrants to their usual Saturday morning parkrun, which this week was staged in near perfect conditions. The fair weather seemed to attract a host of both club and social runners from far afield, and yet it was a highly promising young local athlete who eventually took the plaudits with a scintillating display to finish nearly thirty-seconds ahead of his nearest senior rival. Alfie Shiland  from  Colwyn Bay AC  enjoyed a superb run to finish 1st overall in just 18 minutes and 45 seconds to additionally win his JM11-14 age category.  David Murray  was 2nd in 19.12 with  Will Williams  from North Wales Road Runners 3rd in 19.28. The Ladies event  was won by NWRRC athlete  Carla Green  in 8th place in 20.08, with  Alice Johnston  (Les Croupiers), 2nd female and

*Dan Willings (*pictured above) was the first GOG member home. Ten GOG Triathlon members competed at the North Wales Cross-Country league meeting at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, last Saturday despite a very muddy and challenging course, where once again, veteran athlete Ann d’Alburquerque was the star of the team winning her veteran age category. It’s the first time since October 2010 that this senior league fixture has been staged at this venue, and the tough course certainly brought back many mixed memories for experienced athletes, and the event probably attracted a few more local club runners than expected due to the Conwy parkrun being cancelled just a few hours before due to a heavy frost. *Ann d'Alburquerque (*above) won her FV70 age cat at Eirias Park. Ann soon showed many of her rivals a clean pair of heels despite very challenging conditions and ran home an easy winner of her FV70 age cat in just 46 minutes and 12 seconds in 92nd place overall, and  Helen MacArthur  also cla