Don Hale Blog

*A close finish for Jonathan Kettle (*above) at Conwy parkrun. Jonathan Kettle took the plaudits after a close finish at Conwy parkrun...plus other race results. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Road Runner Jonathan Kettle was the first runner home at Conwy parkrun last Saturday, but he was made to battle all the way around this challenging 5k course by rival Matthew Baker, who finished just 9-seconds behind Jonathan. The NWRRC athlete recorded a good time 17 minutes 36 seconds to win his MV45 cat, with Matthew 2nd overall in 17.45, and he won his MV35 cat, with  Aled Hughes  claiming the 3rd spot in 18.18, and he too won his MV35 cat. After the event, Jonathan confirmed : “ It was a close run until the bridge when I thought I would push the effort a bit, and he couldn’t hang on, so I just cruised home off the bridge. All good fun when it’s a bit of a battle.” Lisa Davies  was the first female finisher home

*A group photograph of all the supporters who turned out to remember their friend and colleague John Dalzell on Llandudno Promenade last Wednesday night. Good turn-out on the prom in midweek for a 5k tribute run in memory of John Dalzell. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   About sixty people attended a special tribute and social 5k run/walk on Llandudno Promenade last Wednesday night in memory of a popular North Wales Road Runner John Dalzell, who tragically lost his life last month. John was a well-known ultra-distance athlete and a regular parkrunner at Conwy, who always had time for people, and often gave loads of encouragement to fellow runners, before, during, and after any events.  This special commemorative 5k was arranged by club colleagues and close friends of John, in  Jonathan Kettle  and  Tony Price Jones , and attracted plenty of supporters from numerous clubs and organisations that he was previously associated with, inc

*John Dalzell (*pictured centre ) with club mates Karl Morris and Steve Bozier. Plenty of warm tributes to North Wales Road Runner John Dalzell following his sad loss. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Plenty of warm tributes have poured in for popular North Wales Road Runner John Dalzell, who sadly lost his life last week in the most tragic of circumstances. John (48) was a former rugby player and a keen endurance athlete, who represented the club in numerous ultra-distance events, and competed in a variety of challenging races across the UK, including a remarkable 53-mile Highland Fling event in Scotland, where he smashed records as the first Welsh athlete. The news of John’s loss both shocked and saddened the running community, with NWRRC official and Conwy parkrun MC,  John Hatton , announcing the news at last Saturday’s parkrun, where fellow runners gave John, (aka Jon Doe), a generous 30-seconds applaus

  *Pictured above - John  Dalzell  - who tragically lost his life this week. Emotional morning as Conwy parkrunners paid tribute to North Wales Road Runner John Dalzell. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was a rather sad and emotional parkrun at Conwy last Saturday morning as participants, club colleagues, officials, volunteers, and friends, paid tribute to North Wales Road Runner John Dalzell, (48), who sadly died earlier in the week. This shock news had been the main topic of conversation for a few days as people in the running community came to terms with this devastating realisation.  John, a popular family man and a successful ultra-distance veteran athlete, was a regular supporter of parkrun, particularly at Conwy, where he made sixty appearances amidst a total of one-hundred and one other parkruns, including some at Walsall Aboretum, where he used to live, and it was only a couple of weeks since he

*Josh Keogh (*above) performed well again at Conwy to claim another win. Josh celebrated his 50th parkrun at Conwy with his 10th win...and 5th on the trot!  Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   North Wales Road Runner Josh Keogh celebrated his 50th parkrun overall at Conwy last Saturday with another stunning result as the first runner home despite competing on a waterlogged 5k course in freezing cold, and very wet conditions. For  Josh , this was also his 10th win at Conwy and his 5th consecutive victory, finishing in 17 minutes and 32 seconds, which was some 27-seconds ahead of teenage rival  James Smith  (Menai Track & Field), who was 2nd in 17.59, and  Osian Griffiths,  3rd in 18.35. For the Ladies  Anna Drinkwater  (Eryri Harriers) was the 1st female runner home in 7th place overall in 20.47, and  Ella Grundy  (Colwyn Bay) finished 2nd, and in 19th place overall in 22.49, with another fine battle for both placings, and age cat results, by NWRRC athletes  Cheryl Frost

*The NWRRC team (*above) at Whitford. Fast and furious cross country fixture at Whitford. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. Four members from NWRRC took part in the latest North Wales cross-country fixture at Whitford last Saturday.   Martin Green  was the first club man home in this fast and furious senior men's encounter, and he finished in 22nd place in 28.51.  Stuart Culverhouse  was 84th in 33.31, with  John Dalzell  101st in 34.39, and  Michael (Pat) Finnie  ran home in 43.18. *Martin Green (*above left) with Stuart Culverhouse, and (*below) John Dalzell (left) with Pat Finnie, who were all pictured, at the North Wales cross-country fixture at Whitford last Saturday. Photos by Steve Jeffery. *Draft Results are now available on the North Wales website via the following link:  https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx... OTHER RACE RESULTS: *Wilmslow Festive 10k:  Two NWRRC athletes competed at the Wilmslow 10k race last Sunday and both recorded new PBs with  Wil

*Runners on the road during the Snowdonia Marathon (l-r) Kelly Alford, Cai Roberts, Mandy Owen and Vicky Taylor. Road Runners battled the course and weather at Snowdonia Marathon....plus other race results & news. Report by Don Hale.   Ten members of North Wales Road Running Club completed the gruelling Snowdonia Marathon last Saturday despite battling a very tough course and some extremely challenging weather conditions that included driving rain and gusty winds, with two other runners forced to drop through injuries and sheer exhaustion. Ben Hudson was the first club man  home  and he   finished in 263rd place in 3.53.35, and  John Dalzell , also had an excellent run in 3 hours 56 minutes and 21 seconds. He was closely followed by Karl Morris in 303rd place in 3.57.56, and this was Karl's 7th running of this event. And colleague Sarah Ferguson Hudson, another top endurance and ultra- distance  athlete was  the 46th female finisher, and 326th overall, in 4.00.31.  Stuart Culv