Don Hale Blog

Carla Green realises PB dream at Altrincham 10k race.   Report by Don Hale.   Carla Green finished as the 3rd female runner at the Altrincham 10k race last Sunday, and finally realised a four-year PB dream to dip under 40-minutes for this challenging distance. The NWRRC member celebrated a very positive performance, finishing 35th overall out of 1,188 finishers and she was 3rd Lady in 38 minutes 49 seconds. Carla also won her FV45 age category.  The female race was won by  Joanna Marsden  in 36.18, with  Molly Cawthorne  2nd in 37.41 with Carla 3rd. The male race was won by  Marco Parolin  in 33.09, with 2nd  Matthew Beacock  in 34.34, and  Matthew Harrison  3rd in 34.39. Silver medal for Kelly-Marie at Wrexham 10k.   Kelly-Marie Alford  and  Cai Roberts  ran in the re-arranged Village Bakery half-marathon race in Wrexham on Sunday and both rummers were satisfied with their performances on a very hot day.  Kelly-Marie also finished second in the North Wales championships and won a pres

Richard Eccles wins senior   challenge race at Endurance Eliminator in Wrexham: - and Cai and Kelly at Shrewsbury 10k event. Report by Don Hale.   NWRRC athlete Richard Eccles became the senior men’s champion at last weekend’s unusual North Wales Endurance Eliminator challenge held at the Queensway Stadium in Wrexham. Richard finished ahead of rival  Daniel Weston  from the host club to claim the top spot on the podium at this Welsh  Athletics  event to win a prestigious senior trophy.  After the race,  Richard  confirmed: ‘ We ended up running two 400-metre laps, and then on then on the third lap, it was basically a first over the line. I just sat on Daniel’s shoulder for around 250, and then sprinted for the line.’ *Welsh champion Richard Eccles (*right) with runner-up Daniel Weston. This eliminator contest attracted competitors from clubs at Colwyn Bay, Llandudno, Deeside, Eryri, Menai, Prestatyn and Wrexham, with athletes taking part in races from U13 and U15 Boys and Girls events,

*Kelly-Marie Alford and Mandy Owen on Blackpool prom. NORTH WALES RUNNERS DAZZLED AT BLACKPOOL LIGHTS 10K - and course PB for Kelly-Marie. Report by Don Hale.   Four North Wales athletes dazzled in the glare of the Blackpool Illuminations last Saturday night during the live “Run the Lights” 10k race, which attracted over seven-hundred entrants. The team effort involved husband and wife duo  Charlie and Mandy Owen , with  Kelly-Marie Alford  and her partner  Cai Roberts , together with their young son  Noah  in his buggy. Kelly, who has performed well in several recent endurance events, was again the pick of the club members in 146th place overall, and 28th female runner with a deserved course PB of 49 mins 49 seconds. And she only just missed out on a podium position, finishing 4th in her F35 age cat.  After the race  Kelly-Marie  said: ‘ Blackpool Run the Lights 10k done and dusted (and Noah).’  *The North Wales team who competed in the 'Run the Lights' 10k (*pictured l-r) Ca

*They think it's all over - it is now! Three exhausted but happy runners (l-r) Cai Roberts, Kelly-Marie Alford  and  Vicky Taylor after completing the NW half-marathon race last Sunday morning. Club athletes competed in tough North Wales half-marathon Report by Don Hale. Believed to be one of the toughest events in the country, some 138 endurance athletes took part in the re-scheduled North Wales half-marathon race last Sunday in mixed weather conditions. This incredible challenge started and finished on the beach close to the Mulberry Marina and crossed back and forth into the Snowdonia National Park.  Set between the mountains and sea near Conwy, this year’s race unfortunately attracted a reduced entry due to previous pandemic restrictions, yet all were treated to some spectacular scenery over a difficult course. North Wales Road Runners  had five members competing and although most found the route very hard, they all claimed to have enjoyed their venture.  * Steve Roberts perfor

NWRRC athletes braved the heat at Aldi Chester 10k - and hosepipe came to the rescue of all runners...   Report by Don Hale   Several North Wales athletes turned out at the Aldi Chester 10k road race last Sunday despite a heat wave, and social distancing restrictions, within a massive turnout of nearly 3,000 runners. Newcomer  Jamie Tharme  was the first club man home in 50 minutes 51 seconds in 430th place from 1,633 male runners. He was followed by  Cai Roberts  in 55.49 in 676th place, with local soccer referee  Charlie Owen , a highly creditable 1,225th in 77.34. *Charlie  and Mandy Owen sizzled at the Chester 10k *Vicky Taylor had another good run at Chester in the heat Kelly-Marie Alford  led the ladies back home with another good run as 137th female out of 1,165 finishers in 55.06. And  Vicky Taylor  was another runner in fine form and following on from last week’s fell race, finishing as 239th female in 58.54, with  Mandy Owen  301st female in 60.49. Afterwards, Kelly confirmed

*Kelly-Marie Alford performed well despite the horrendous weather Kelly and Cai defy the weather to finish Brynkinalt 20k trail race Report by Don Hale. Kelly-Marie Alford  and her partner  Cai Roberts  braved a variety of horrific and very challenging weather conditions last Sunday to take part in the tough Brynkinalt 20k trail race as part of the Adrenaline Sporting Events, Running Festival. The pair ran very well together and finished jointly in 28th place in 2 hours 16 minutes 47 seconds. Kelly was also 8th Lady, but she said how horrendous the conditions suddenly became with mixed and then severe weather throughout. She explained: ‘ We ran together. The first lap was so hot, and because it was a trail race we were running through trees, the air was humid and so hard to breathe. Just before finishing the first lap, I said to Cai that I was quitting and doing no more, I was so fed up. ‘The second lap though was like a monsoon with thunder and lightning. We were running through thick

*Course PB times for  both  Mandy and Charlie Owen in the heat at Southport half-marathon (*Pictured above) Incredible 11-minute PB for Mandy Report by Don Hale   Five determined athletes from North Wales Road Runners braved extreme temperatures and made another border crossing to the seaside town of Southport last Sunday to compete in the half-marathon. Staged in very hot and humid weather, this popular event attracted 1083 finishers for the half-marathon race, and nearly 400 more for the 10k dash, yet despite the heat, two NWRRC athletes still celebrated course PB times. Stuart Culverhouse  was the first club man home in 127th place in a superb time of 1 hour 34 minutes and 37 seconds,’ but afterwards Stuart admitted: ‘I really struggled out there today in the humid conditions.’                                    *Stuart Culverhouse Kelly-Marie Alford  continued her return to form in 614th position overall in 2.02.17. She was also affected by the heat and humidity and explained: ‘It