Don Hale Blog

*A sprint finish from  Mark Jessett in 2nd place at the Conwy Parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Three members of North Wales Road Runners won their respective age categories at the Conwy Parkrun last Saturday, and one junior even celebrated a massive new personal best time, whilst three  other athletes claimed podium placings elsewhere as tourists. With several club members opting to rest prior to the Welsh 5k championships on the Sunday, or trying to take it easy within the Conwy parkrun, many times and performances were therefore restricted. Simon Cole  (GOG Triathlon) was the first athlete home again in this 5k challenge in 16 minutes 41 seconds, with  Mark Jessett  from NWRRC 2nd overall in 18.09, and  Alun Brown  3rd with a new PB, and just four seconds adrift of Mark in 18.13. The event attracted 255-runners with clubs and individuals from across the UK again represented. *Another good performance from Gethin Wyn Jones (*pictured above) and also from Steve M

*A fast paced start for Jonathan Kettle as he heads away from the Castle. Podium finish for Jonathan Kettle at Caernarfon half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Paul Brooks and Mick Hall. * Some of the NWRRC members before the start of the Caernarfon half-marathon (pictured l-r) Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts, Stuart Culverhouse, Helen Hannam, Jamie Tharme and Vicky Taylor. Seven members of NWRRC entered the new Caernarfon half-marathon last Sunday with two club runners finishing in the top-ten, and Jonathan Kettle enjoyed a podium finish in 3rd place. Jonathan also won his VM45-49 age category and confirmed a steady performance to clinch his bronze medal placing in 1 hour 17 minutes and 22 seconds. He was closely followed by  Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts , who was back on his home patch again and finished 5th overall and 2nd VM45-49 in 1.21.43. *Jonathan Kettle with leading runners at the Caernarfon half-marathon. Stuart Culverhouse  ran very well and was 24th in 1.30.51, and  Steve Roberts  

                                    *Martin Green in a close finish at the Conwy parkrun. FAST TIMES AND RECORDS SMASHED AGAIN AT CONWY PARKRUN...plus results round-up from other races. Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery.   Conwy parkrun witnessed a keen battle for top placings by a host of elite athletes on a near perfect morning at the RSPB site, where several records were smashed, and fast times recorded. And despite three superb parkrun PBs by North Wales runners  Martin Green ,  Josh Keogh , and  Mark Jessett , all were unable to match the fast pace of the 1st placed visiting man  Jonathan Goringe.                                   *PB time for Josh Keogh at Conwy. Goringe from Birchfield Harriers easily won the challenge and also set a new course record for his M30-34 age cat, finishing 51 seconds ahead of  Martin Green  in 16 minutes and 6 seconds, although Martin won his VM45-49 cat in 16.57, and  Josh Keogh  finished 3rd in 17.48, and was 2nd in his M30-34 c

*Llyr improved his running times at the Try on the Tyne Duathlon. Top-ten finish for Llyr at Newcastle Duathlon. Report by Don Hale. North Wales Road Runner, and top rugby referee Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts, continued his love of duathlons last weekend and finished 10th overall in the “Try on the Tyne” sprint race in Newcastle. For Llyr, he admitted that it’s still a learning process for him, by combining two road races, interspersed with a four lap, 5k cycle circuit on closed roads.  He also had to negotiate challenging transitions and a slippery cycle dash on wet road surfaces but said he was pleased to clinch a top-ten finish. The three events covered a distance of about 25k and Llyr improved his running PB, and finished 10th overall in a time of 1 hour 7 minutes and 51 seconds. *Llyr had to deal with slippery roads due to the wet weather last weekend. Llyr later explained : ‘It was something different for me today. It was a brilliantly organised event, apart from constant rain from sta

*Good to see Charlotte-Rose Wilton-Jones back in action on the trail. Charlotte-Rose ran well at Llyn Brenig trail race Report by Don Hale.   Charlotte-Rose Wilton-Jones was the only NWRRC member at the challenging Llyn Brenig 9.5-mile trail race on Sunday, yet she performed very well finishing as the 9th female athlete. The race route included a picturesque trail which circumnavigated Llyn Brenig via the adjoining forest and travelled along the shoreline of the lake, with most of it run off-road on rough tracks.  It was officially described as a long-terrain trail race around Llyn Brenig Reservoir, which started and finished at the Visitor Centre. The talented North Wales athlete, who particularly enjoys endurance runs and trail running, continued her return to form, and finished 27th overall, and she was the 9th female finisher in a good time of 1 hour 16 minutes and 3 seconds. She also   finished 5th in her F30-39 age category. *The race winners included: 1st  Rhodri Owen  (Un) 55.3

Llyr just missed chequered flag victory at Bedford Autodrome 16-mile race Report by Don Hale   Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts practically burned some rubber as he roared into action and claimed a deserved podium place at the Bedford Autodrome 16-mile race on Sunday, finishing in second place overall, but he just missed out on the chequered flag by a matter of seconds. The North Wales athlete was flying the flag for Wales in this tough English based endurance event, which was part of a special Grand Prix series of varied distance races held on a closed, traffic-free circuit road, which followed a brand-new course designed by former F1 racing driver Jonathan Palmer. Llyr had to complete five challenging laps of the Bedford Autodrome circuit run over a smooth tarmac surface and eventually finished in 2nd place overall in 1 hour 40 minutes 43 seconds, and also won his M45 age category.  *Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts just missed out a gold medal by seconds. He was pleased with his performance but was obv

Llyr worked hard for success at Ely Duathlon Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts flew the flag for North Wales last Sunday when he competed in the Ely Duathlon and claimed 3 rd   place in his respective age category. The event held near Cambridge in England, which contrary to Wales, allowed entrants to enjoy a live performance in both cycling and running activities, meant an early 8am start for the talented athlete and high-calibre rugby union referee. It included two 5k runs and lengthy bike race totalling 36., which Llyr completed in an excellent time of 1 hour 25 mins 50 seconds. The NWRRC runner explained it was very windy on the day, and that his multiple efforts demanded extreme concentration. He said: ‘it was something different for me today, but I was happy with my overall performance and transition. I finished 16 th   out of 150 entrants and came 3 rd   in my 45-54 age cat.’ And he added: ‘I was pleased with my runs – 17 mins 58 seconds for my first effort and in 10 th  place, and 18 mins