Don Hale Blog

*Ben and Sarah Hudson (*above) had a double date last weekend. Road Running trio galloped around the Aintree circuit in varied races...plus 60m dash success for Michael Finney. Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Ben and Sarah Ferguson Hudson enjoyed a busy weekend of running by taking part in the Crosby parkrun on Saturday and the Aintree half marathon on Sunday. The NWRRC pair made their course debuts at Crosby and Ben finished 25th overall, and he was 4th in his VM45 age cat in 23.01, with Sarah winning her FW45 age cat in 49th place, and the 3rd female in 24.58.  In the Aintree half race the following day, Ben was 93rd out of 460 entrants in 1.39.02, and he finished 4th again in his M45 age cat. Sarah also ran very well and she was 302nd overall and the 55th female finisher in 2.02.12, and she too was 4th in her F45 cat. After her events, Sarah confirmed:  “Did the Crosby parkrun on Saturday. Great fun and route with the Anthony Gormley statues surround...

  *Pictured above - friendly volunteers at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun (l-r): Cheryl Frost, John Hatton and Carla Green Tail end visitors boosted the numbers at North Wales parkruns...plus other results... Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   At the tail end of the holiday season, and with the weather still reasonable, most North Wales parkruns still recorded bumper attendances boosted by a host of visiting athletes. At the  Newborough Forest parkrun , seven out of the first ten finishers were all visitors from varied parts of the country, and they also recorded some excellent times.  The same applied to nearby  Nant y Pandy , with six out of the first ten finishers making their course debuts, and many other events also reported increased number from travelling runners. It was good to note that a promising young athlete in  Josh Mottram  (Colwyn Bay AC), celebrated his 100th parkrun last Saturday at  Conwy  by finishing 3rd overa...

*Pictured above - Elizabeth Driscoll and her dog Winston at Penrhyn Castle parkrun. Parkrun round-up plus news of Carla and Kevin on the road Report by Don Hale. Penrhyn photos by Michael Finnie. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com    *Carla Green (*above left), with Kevin Higgins. Carla Green  from NWRRC ran well in the Swansea half marathon on Sunday and she was 521st out of 5,729 entrants. She was the 94th female finisher in a chip time of 1.31.42, and her club colleague  Kevin Higgins  travelled to  Port Sunlight  on the same day to compete in two races and explained: “ Double header this morning in  Port Sunlight races . First a 5k and then a 10k straight after it. Two great races. Great course and an extra medal for completing in both races. My times were: 5k in 28 minutes 50 seconds, and 59 minutes 33 seconds   in the 10k.” *Action (*above and below) from the Penryhn Castle parkrun. Parkrun round-up *Penrhyn:   Chris Turner  (Er...

* Ben and Sarah Hudson at the Runcorn Jubilee Bridge half-marathon. NWRRC trio took part in the Runcorn Jubilee Bridge races. Report by Don Hale https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   NWRRC members Ben and Sarah Ferguson Hudson took part in the Runcorn Jubilee Bridge half marathon race last Sunday, with clubmate Kevin Higgins competing in the associated 10k event. The races started and finished on the Silver Jubilee Bridge, which strands the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal. The Hudson duo used this event as a warm-up for some forthcoming ultra-distance races and they both seemed pleased with their results despite some blustery winds and rain at times.  Ben finished in 216th place out of 741 entrants, in 1 hour 45 minutes and 5 seconds, whilst Sarah also ran well, and she was 367th overall in 1.55.00. After her race Sarah admitted:  “We had all the weathers today. It was hot and humid at the start, and then it got really windy, and during the last mile we had sidewa...

*Kevin Higgins (*pictured above), had a double  date in Lithuania. Two races in a day for Kevin Higgins in Lithuania.   Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Kevin Higgins  competed in two different races in Vilnius in Lithuania last Sunday. He ran in a 5k event at 2.30pm in 24 degrees and recorded a time of 28.16, finishing 539th out of about 3,000 runners. He later ran in a 10k race at 4pm when it was even hotter at 26 degrees. He completed that event in 59.58, and he was 953rd out of about 2,200 runners. Kevin later confirmed:  “I ran the races with Kieran McGrane. Both races were undulating and 60 per cent on cobble stones. They were great with lots of support all the way around and throughout the city. Today’s races today take me near my 500th race for North Wales Road Running Club.” *Kevin Higgins shown above at his two races. Other race results: *Corby: Steve Gardner  ran in the Inter-Area track and field cha...

*Pictured above - Mountain runner Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones. Podium place for Charlotte at the International Snowdon Mountain Race...and Kevin gallops around Aintree 10k. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   North Wales Road Runner Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones competed in the gruelling Castell Howell International Mountain Race last Saturday, which included a challenging route up and down Mt Snowdon. *Charlotte is shown above and with her medal. This popular event attracted a host of experienced and highly talented mountain runners from around the UK and Europe for one of the top sporting events on the Welsh calendar, which this year celebrated its 49th year. Charlotte was one of nearly five-hundred finishers, and she performed extremely well despite the inclement weather, and completed her arduous 10-mile circuit of this famous Welsh  mountain in just 1 hour 47 mins and 45 seconds and claimed a prestigious podium place after ...

*Pictured above - Benjamin  Brummit (*left), with Sion Thomas, and James Jones at the Coleslaw 10k. Good performances by North Wales Road Runners at the Colshaw 10k... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Seven Road Runners travelled to the leafy lanes in Cheshire last Sunday to compete in the Colshaw Hall 10k near Knutsford with most members pleased with some excellent results. Newcomer  Benjamin Brummit  made his club debut and he finished very well in 143rd place in 40.59, out of a massive field of nearly 700 runners. He was followed by  James Jones , who was 165th in 41.47, with  Sion Thomas  176th in 42.17.  *NWRRC veteran Kevin Higgins (*above left), with Cai Roberts and Kelly Alford. Veteran athlete K evin Higgins   ran in his 4th consecutive 10k race during his unique series, and he too was pleased with his time of 51.22, which was his best for over two years, and   Cai Roberts an...

*Ben and Sarah Hudson are pictured (*above) after their double marathon. Liverbird Double Marathon challenge for Ben and Sarah over New Year... plus other festive race results. Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runners Ben and Sarah Hudson celebrated the New Year in their own unique style by competing in the Liverbird Double Marathon on Merseyside. Both events, well organised by GB Ultras, included the full marathon distance run on consecutive days, with the first race held on New Year’s Eve, quickly followed by the second race on New Year’s Day. The ultra-enthusiastic pair braved gales, and heavy rain, during their first encounter which followed an out and back lapped course from the Merseyside Police Club at Aigburth, Liverpool, and followed a relatively flat course adjacent to the windswept River Mersey.  Despite the conditions and this gruelling challenge, they were both pleased with their day one results, with Ben finishing 19th overall, and he was 3rd in his M4...