Don Hale Blog

Simon Cole leads the field and the GOGs home at Conwy parkrun's soggy birthday dash. Report by Don Hale.    Talented athlete Simon Cole was the first GOG Triathlon member - and the first male runner home - at last Saturday’s Conwy parkrun despite some atrocious conditions underfoot and a dark drizzly morning. He led a large contingent of club and social runners back along a waterlogged 5k course with seventeen GOG’s also helping the parkrun to celebrate its 8th anniversary. The club later recorded six podium places including three age category victories. Simon also won his MV40 age cat in 18 minutes and 23 seconds and finished some 25 seconds ahead of his 4th placed club rival  Alun Brown  who was 2nd in the same age cat in 18.48.  Graeme Tunstall  was 22nd in 22.29, with  Andy Jones  26th in 22.35. Lizzie Irvine  was the first GOG female runner finishing 33rd overall, the 2nd female runner, and she was 1st in her VW35 cat in 23.41; whilst  Merf Jones  also finished well in 47th pl

*Ann  D'Alburquerque (*pictured above) won a gold medal at Wrexham. Gold for Ann D'Albuquerque as GOG members celebrated a hat-trick of cross-country medals at North Wales champs...plus a hat-trick of age cat wins at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale.   Three GOG triathlon members celebrated last Saturday with a hat-trick of prestigious cross-country medals at the North Wales championships held at Wrexham. Competing in the Senior/Master Women’s event on a cold blustery day,  Helen MacArthur  led the team home finishing 26th overall and collected a silver medal in her W50 age cat.  Helen was followed by  Michelle Farrell  who was 34th in 30.58, and she won a bronze medal in her W40 cat. The main plaudits, however, went to club veteran athlete  Ann d’Albuquerque , who won a deserved gold medal after finishing 1st in her W70 age cat in 34.45.   *This is the link to the provisional results from the North Wales cross country championships at Wrexham:  https://view.officeapps.live.co

*GOG Triathlete Andy Brazier (*above) at Conwy parkrun. Six podium places for the GOGs at a very wet and waterlogged Conwy parkrun... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   GOG Triathlon members claimed six podium places at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning including four age category wins and two second places despite a very wet and waterlogged 5k course. Nine club members entered, and  Andy Brazier  led the team back in 22nd place and he was 2nd in his MV55 cat in 22.45. He was closely followed by  Lizzie Irvine  who was the second female finisher, and she won her VW35 cat in 26th place in 23.47, with  Paul Algieri  giving Lizzie a good chase before finishing 27th in 23.56. *Lizzie Irvine (*above left) with Paul Algieri. Andrea Cody  was 46th overall and claimed 2nd place in her VW35 cat in 26.00, with  Nicola Tomlinson  just four seconds behind in 48th place, but she won her VW40 age cat in 26.04.  Liz Evans  was another cat winner in 63rd place overall but finished 1st in

*GOG Triathlon members Bryn Phillips (*left) and Steven Owen celebrated a dead-heat at Conwy parkrun with both athletes sharing the same finishing time. Hat-trick of age cat wins for the GOGs at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Twelve members of the GOG Triathlon Club claimed six podium places including a hat-trick of age category wins at a very damp Conwy parkrun, where the course was near waterlogged following a period of heavy rain. Victoria Cole  was the first club runner home in 21.50, and she also won her VW40 age cat finishing in 31st place overall, and just a second ahead of colleague  Andy Jones  who was 32nd in 21.51.  Andy Brazier  also won his MV55 cat in 44th place in 23.00, with  Billy Thomas  53rd in 23.39. Steven Owen  and  Bryn Phillips  celebrated a very close finish with both athletes sharing the exact same time of 25.27  with a dead-heat in 72nd and 73rd places respectively. And  John Farrell  finished 3rd in his MV55 cat in 88th place i

Eight GOGs tackled the Conwy Christmas Eve parkrun. Special report and photos by Don Hale.   Eight members of the GOG Triathlon club took part in the special Christmas Eve parkrun last Saturday and claimed four podium placings including one age cat win, and three second spots. Andy Jones  was the first club runner back in 30th place in 21.50, with  Andy Brazier  next home in 58th place and 2nd in his MV55 cat in 24.03.  Bryn Phillips  also claimed 2nd place in his MV40 cat in 25.45, and he finished 87th overall.  Steven Owen,  however, was hot on Bryn’s heels in 88th place, and both shared the same finishing time. Nicola Tomlinson  won her VW40 age cat in 94th place overall in 26.18, and  Gary Jones  was 102nd in 26.49. Teenage student  Caitlin Owen  made a welcome return from her studies at Cheltenham and enjoyed a muddy but festive run back on home soil in 123rd place in 27.43, and she also claimed the 2nd spot in her respective SW18 age cat, with  Wayne Roberts  finishing 163rd in 3

*Lizzie Irvine from GOG Triathlon was the first club runner back at Conwy. Podium places for GOG athletes at Conwy parkun. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   GOG Triathlon runners packed well at Conwy parkrun last Saturday despite preparations for the Conwy half-marathon the following day and claimed four podium places including three second place finishes. Many of the parkrun finishing times however, probably reflected the preparation needed for this tough challenge around the Great Orme just 24-hours later and included tackling the usual rather soggy and puddle-filled 5k course. Lizzie Irvine  led a team of seven GOGs members home with another superb display as the 5th female runner, in 32nd place overall in 23 minutes and 18 seconds to finish 3rd in her VW35 age cat.  Gareth Jones  (*pictured below right) finished 50th in 24.38, with  Sarah Gallacher  53rd, and 2nd in her VW40 age cat in 25.06. John Farrell  ran well in 60th place in 25.23 with  Clare Parsley  6

*GOG Triathlete (*above) Andy Brazier ran well at Conwy parkrun. Podium places and a cat win for GOG Triathlon members at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale   It must have been Ladies-Day for most GOG Triathlon members at Conwy parkrun last Saturday with six entrants in total, including five female athletes, and all performed well to claim three podium places, with one age cat victory, one second, and one third placing. Victoria Cole  was the first club runner home in 24th place overall, and the 4th female runner, winning her VW40 age cat in 22.42. She was followed by  Andy Brazier  who was 32nd in 23.24, and he finished 3rd in his MV55 cat. Lizzie Irvine  had a good run in 39th place and she was the 7th female finisher in 23.57.  Nicola Tomlinson  also   enjoyed her run and claimed   2nd place in her VW40 age cat, and she was 64th overall in 26.00, with  Katie Harvey  131st in 30.40, and  Sarah Ellwood  154th in 33.31. Mark Jessett  (NWRRC) was the first finisher overall, and he was ab

*GOG triathlete Paul Garstang (*pictured above) won his MV55 age cat at Bangor half-marathon...and all the latest news about the monthly GOGcast. Report by Don Hale.   GOG Triathlete Paul Garstang enjoyed a good run out at the Bangor half-marathon last Sunday and crossed the  finish line in 1 hour 35 minutes and 7 seconds to take 1st place in his MV 55-59 age group. Also competing in the same event were  Billy Thomas , who bagged a PB with a 1.42.15 and  Steve Dutton  who finished in an impressive 2.04.17. Meanwhile in the  Bangor 10K  GOG Triathlon Club had a number of participants, taking part. Tom Simpson  46.04 ,   Phil Tracey  49.59 ,  Liz Evans  54.01 , and  Joshua White  59.15 . Andy Jones  was the only GOG at the Ras Y Mynnydd 5-mile fell race in an strong 42.30, taking 4th place overall.     GOG Podcast or GOGcast now available.   The GOG Triathlon Club now have their very own innovative podcast. Club member Simon Roxburgh confirmed: “The club run their very own GOGcast with m

GOG Athletes performed well at World Triathlon championships at Roundhay Park   Report by Don Hale.   Ten members from the North Wales based GOG Triathlon Club formed a strong team at Leeds last weekend during the AJ Bell Festival of Triathlon, which was part of the World Championship series. Events were staged over hilly and challenging routes on both Saturday and Sunday at the scenic Roundhay Park, and in near perfect weather conditions. The GOG squad were pitched amongst about 4,000 competitors, including both amateur and elite athletes, and were able to gain valuable experience, and to even share the unique atmosphere at this prestigious blue carpet, multi-event finish.                                         *Angharad Lewis In the Saturday Sprint race , which involved a 750m swim, an 18.5 kms cycle race, followed by a 5k Run;  Si­mon Hick   was the first club man home in 1.28.41 , with  Caitlin Owen the 1st GOG lady to finish in 1.38.04 , closely followed by  Amelia Roberts   in 1