Don Hale Blog

*North Wales Road runner Mal Preece (*above) at the London Marathon. Mixed emotions but a great experience for athletes at the London Marathon...plus other results and updates... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Seven North Wales Road Runners competed in the televised London Marathon last Sunday amongst a mass participation of some 50,000 runners, who raised tens of thousands of pounds for various worthy charities, with many athletes recalling mixed emotions and personal best times! Mal Preece  was the first NWRRC member home with an excellent time of 3 hours and 20 minutes, and he celebrated following a great new PB time. Afterwards he confirmed:  “Very pleased with a new six-minute PB. I ran my first marathon back in 2011 at Chester, and to date I’ve knocked 20 minutes off that time. Looking to chip away my latest PB again next year with GFA time. My goal was to get my qualifying time for Berlin next year, which I ac...

*Some of the NWRRC team pictured above at Colwyn  Bay (back row l-r): Dave Jones, Phil and Carol Moss, Rob Fryer, Rachel Morris, Sarah Jones, Daniel  Henley, and (*front row), Don Hale, Mike Hayton and Cheryl Frost. Medals galore and PBs for NW Road Runners at the Colwyn Bay Metric races... Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Lesley Goodson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmasterathletics.co.uk   Nearly three-hundred mixed ability runners took part in the challenging Colwyn Bay Metric Marathon, and Metric Half-Marathon races, run together last Sunday in cool and very breezy conditions. Well-organised by RunWales, and well supported by numerous volunteers and marshalls, including a generous number from Porth Eirias Runners, the entrants had to battle with very strong and blustery headwinds on the re-routed four-mile outward course towards Penrhyn Bay from the start on the running track at the Eirias Park Stadium. The Metric half-marathon  (13.1 kms/8.13 miles...

*Mal Preece (*pictured above) was going well until he collected a hip injury during the Abingdon Marathon. Double trouble for Mal and Sarah at Abingdon Marathon. Report by Don Hale.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Two members of NWRRC took part in the   Abingdon Marathon   last weekend with   Mal Preece   running the full distance despite suffering a hip injury shortly after passing the half-way point, which scuppered any hopes of recording a new PB, and   Sarah Ferguson Hudson , who ran the last half just to help support her friend but was later reprimanded by an official for chatting too much! After the race, Mal confirmed : “I ran the Abingdon Marathon  ran  but  alas no PB for me today. It was a fantastic flat course. I was on for a massive PB at halfway 3.17, but my hip gave way. I recommend this course however, for anyone chasing a new PB time.” Sarah (*pictured right), added : “ I think ever...

Carla G reen back to her best at Conwy parkrun - and sprint finish for talented trio. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Experienced GOG Triathlete Simon Cole took on the challenge against some very fast young students at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning, and just managed to edge ahead of Harri Jackson and Jack Rigal in a sprint finish to claim the top-spot in just 16 minutes 58 seconds. Harri , who is now representing (Menai T&F), had been the previous victor for the past couple of weeks, but still won his SM20 age cat, but  this  time he had to settle for 2nd place overall, and he was just 12-seconds adrift of the MV40 cat winner, Simon in 17.11, with  Jack Rigal  3rd, and the 2nd SM20 athlete, despite a new course PB in 18.13.  Carla Green  (NWRRC), *pictured right - was back to her best and she was the 1st female runner home, in 17th place overall, in a super...

*Will Williams (*pictured above)  celebrated  another new course PB at Conwy. Will continued his purple patch of form at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co,uk North Wales Road Runner Will Williams continued his purple patch of form to claim another personal best (PB) time at Conwy parkrun last Saturday after claiming a hat-trick of other recent outstanding results on his travels. Will stormed home during the latter part of the event to secure a notable result as the 1st finisher overall and recorded a new course PB of 17 minutes and 59 seconds, to additionally win his MV50 age cat. In the end his rival and debutant  Aled Hughes  had to settle for 2nd place and finished just 21-seconds adrift of Will in 18.20, with fellow debutant  Jack Kelbrick  3rd, with a PB of 18.58. Anna Drinkwater  (Eryri Harriers) was the 1st female finisher and the winner of her SW25 cat in 20.09, with  Ell...

*Mark Jessett (*above) was the first NWRRC member home. Great Bank Holiday turn-out in the sun at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   There was a large turn-out of mixed ability club and social runners at the Bank Holiday weekend parkrun at Conwy last Saturday with sixteen North Wales Road Runners returning from their recent marathon exploits to claim eight podium places including four age category wins. Visiting athlete  Aaron Hoyle  (Corstorphine AC) was the first runner home on his debut in just 18 minutes and 7 seconds. And at the time of writing the 2nd placed runner’s identity remained unknown, but NWRRC member  Mark Jessett  claimed the 3rd spot in 18.30, and he also won his MV35 cat. There were 287 finishers. The 1st female athlete was  Gemma Moore , a former NWRRC member now with Eryri Harriers, who finished in 12th place overall in 20.17, but she had a real tussle with club colleague  Anna Drinkwater , who was j...