Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above - Sarah Ferguson  Hudson at the finish of her marathon. Sarah beats the bug and completes the famous Boston Marathon in style... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com North Wales Road Runner Sarah Ferguson Hudson has finally completed a lifelong ambition to take part in the famous Boston Marathon in America. The popular ultra-distance veteran runner who had to overcome illness last week battled her way around this challenging course to record an excellent time of 3 hours 59 minutes and 27 seconds.  Sarah was absolutely delighted to dip under the four-hour mark and after her race she confirmed: “I am o ver the moon after my bug last week! Had to cling on for dear life to get that! It was super-hot too, and hilly but such an amazing experience. I Loved it! “Still can’t quite believe that I have run the Boston Marathon, Crazy! I need to work on shorter runs again now and will try and pick up some pace again. Way off my marathon PB pace, but I think ...

*Pictured above - some of the many hard working volunteers at the Nova parkrun. Course debutants and first timers boosted local parkruns over Easter...plus results round-up. Report by Don Hale.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com *Members of the NWRRC team at Nova (*above l-r): Gwen Charlton, Hannah Griffith, Carla Green, Cheryl Frost,  Daniel Hennell, and Nia Lister, with Adam Lemalle on the back row.   The Easter weekend series of local 5k parkruns attracted massive attendances again this year, with many recording record numbers of entrants including a large input of course debutants and first timers! Nova at Prestatyn and Penrhyn Castle parkruns, were probably the most popular events last weekend in North Wales, with bumper attendances also reported at Newborough Forest, who welcomed 297 runners, and Nant y Pandy 145, whilst most other local events also welcomed a large number of families, visitors and first-time participants. Conwy parkrun director  Gwyn Williams ...

*North Wales athlete Steve Gardner (*above) in the 1500m steeplechase race. Four new Welsh records by father and son at the NW Track & Field open meeting at Deeside... Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Father and son Dave and Steve Gardner celebrated once again after breaking four Welsh Masters records at the first outdoor event of the season, during the North Wales Endurance Track and Field open meeting, held at the Deeside Stadium, Connah’s Quay, on 4th April. Super veteran Dave competed in the javelin and the shot putt events and he won his M85 age category in both mixed age competitions to add to his many other previous and prestigious Welsh Masters Athletics championship victories and records.  In the Javelin, his winning throw was 15.32m, and in the shot event he recorded another successful throw of 7.19m. Steve meanwhile competed in the 1000m and in the 1500m steeplechase races, and he too won his M60 age cat in both events and smashed two...

Great performance and possible new record for Ifan Lloyd in 20-mile race... Report by David Gibson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Swansea Harrier Ifan Lloyd ran at Merthyr Tydfil in the San Domenico 10 and 20-mile road race event on 30th March and probably set a new M65, 20-mile UK record.  The route was a five mile out, and five mile back, on the Taff Trail path from the Merthyr Tydfil Leisure village, with a deceptively steep climb at around 4.5 miles. The 20-mile race repeated this for a second time. Ifan's race went to plan. His target was 2hrs10min, and he finished just under this in 2 hrs 9 mins and 44 secs, to take first position in the men 65+ age category. Pace at 4min/km was the same as his average in the World Championship M65 winning Bucharest marathon last October when he was in better shape. The previous was 2hrs 15 mins and 55 seconds. There was the added bonus of scoring for Swansea Harriers to take the team race alongside Dewi Griffiths (who had a superla...

Tri Hard Harriers Women Triumph in the West Glamorgan Cross Country League... Report by David Gibson. *Pictured above - the last race.   The final 4.7-mile race of five fixtures was held at Amman Valley Trotting Club, Tairgwaith on Sunday 25th March. The series, which is for South Wales club teams, is held on different courses in west Wales providing a variety of challenges to participants.   The women’s title was won by the Tri Hard Harriers team, who were only promoted to the top division this season, beating Run4All Neath Blacks and 3Ms Gorseinon RR.  Team captain Stephanie Gibson proved to be the class of the field by winning all five events and was ably supported by Teresa Penhorwood who was joint second and Alice Mayo who finished in the women’s top 20. The men’s title was won by Neath Harriers with Run4All Neath Blacks in runner up spot and Swansea Harriers in third. Individually, Scott Williams and Iestyn Evans - both of Neath Harriers were first and second ov...

*Pictured above - some of the NWRRC team and the Conwy regulars at Penrhyn, and (*below), the start of the Penrhyn Castle p arkrun. Half term boost by visitors at Penrhyn parkrun... plus other results... Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Michael (Pat) Finnie, and others. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   It was another bumper entry for the Penrhyn Castle parkrun last Saturday as some 329 mixed ability entrants from all parts of the country boosted this half term event. On a lovely warm and sunny morning and braving a rather challenging and undulating 5k lapped course, visitor  Matthew Sayers  (North Herts RRC), was the first finisher on his debut in just 18 minutes and 19 seconds, with fellow debutant  Matthew Jones  (Ripley RC), claiming the runner-up spot following a determined battle with his rival, and he was just three-seconds adrift in 18.22.  At the time of writing, the 3rd male place remained unknown, but the 1st female finisher was visitor...

*The North Wales Road Runners pictured above at Trawsfynydd on Sunday. Search & Rescue team well supported at Trawsfynydd race  Report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com Over three-hundred athletes tackled the challenging Trawsfynydd Multi-Terrain Race last Sunday, which helped to raise essential funds for the South Snowdonia Search and Rescue Team. Described by race officials as a b eautiful multi terrain 8.6-mile race around  Trawsfynydd Lake  in the Eryri/Snowdonia National Park, this event was staged over a relatively fast course, yet it included one rather challenging hill, and a mixed tarmac and trail course.  All proceeds were donated to this worthy Search and Rescue Team, which is a charity, wholly dependent on donations from the public, and is run entirely by volunteers, who are on call-out 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to help those in need in the local area.  The first finisher overall was  Steffan Sayer ...

*Pictured above - the start of the Penrhyn Castle parkrun last Saturday. Penrhyn was the King of the Castle for popular parkruns Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Michael (Pat) Finnie. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   The Penrhyn Castle parkrun was one of the most popular local events again last Saturday morning, with 256 visiting club and social athletes enjoying the picturesque but undulating 5k woodland trail course, despite a very cool and blustery wind. Young  Andrew Moore  won his SM20 age cat with an outstanding display in just 17 minutes and 8 seconds, and he was over a minute ahead of his nearest rival  Luke Hilliard  (Elswick Harriers) on his debut in 18.21, with teenager  Aidan Thomas  3rd in 18.30. The 1st female finisher was SW25 athlete  Anna Drinkwater  (Eryri Harriers), in 19.26, who was 6th overall, with  Laura McKenzie  (Betsi Runaways), 2nd (27th), in 22.54, whilst  Elen Jones  claimed the 3rd spo...