Don Hale Blog

*Steve Mason (*pictured above) was the first NWRRC member back at Conwy. Fast times and top placings for visiting athletes at Conwy parkrun...plus other results on the road... Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Conwy parkrun welcomed plenty of visitors to last Saturday’s event with the first male finisher, and the first three female placings, all recording some excellent times on their debuts. All three top female finishers were debutants, including  Nancy Connolly  (University of East Anglia Triathlon Club), who was the 1st lady (40th overall) in 22.50, and she also won her SW25 cat, with  Rebecca King,  2nd, (52nd overall),   and the winner of her VW35 cat in 23.54, whilst  Ellie Robinson  (West Cheshire AC) claimed the 3rd place in 24.20 (59th overall) in 24.20 and won her VW50 age cat. North Wales Road Runners  only entered nine members due to other commitments, but they still claimed four podium plac

*Martin Green (*above) won a top podium place for his run and hat! Martin Green 3rd at Rhayader Round the Lakes race. Martin Green finished 3rd in the challenging Rhayader Round the Lakes 30k race last weekend and was satisfied with another great performance by this top NWRRC athlete.  After the event Martin confirmed: “ The best I could manage today was 3rd place in 1.48.44 behind two quality athletes, so I can’t complain at all, and I couldn’t have gone any quicker, so all in all a good day at the office and well worth the five-hour round trip. The only downside was missing my partner in crime who will be back fighting fit very soon.” *Martin Green (*far right above) on the podium with the male and female race winners at the Rhayader Round the Lakes race.   Josh Keogh second at Oulton Park 20-miler around race circuit...plus drama for Mandy.   Josh Keogh hit the tarmac running and finished second at the Oulton Park 20-mile race last Sunday, which was staged over many laps on the famo

* Bryn Woodall  (*in white vest) just ahead of Steve Mason. Top marks to American student Bryn Woodall as he celebrated his 100th parkrun on a very heavy Conwy course... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Colwyn Bay athlete Bryn Woodall was the first runner back at a very heavy Conwy parkrun on Saturday, where the talented teenager celebrated another superb result and his 100th parkrun, during a break from his studies and running adventures in America. Bryn also won his SM18 age cat and incredibly, he dashed around this saturated course in just 15 minutes and 38 seconds - which is the third fastest time ever - and he finished the best part of three minutes ahead of his nearest senior rival  Jonathan Kettle  from  NWRRC , who finished 2nd overall in 18.21, with JM15-17 runner  Ciaran Keyworth , 3rd in 18.59.  *Bryn Woodall (*above left) with Jonathan Kettle, who ran very well but had to settle for second place to Bryn. The first female runner was  Kirsty Stevenson  (Stone Ma

*Will Williams (*above) finished 2nd in the Run Wales 5k race Loyal athletes battled horrific weather in Run Wales 5k and 10k races...plus  Martin and Carla Green at Telford 10k. Report by Don Hale.   Nine Road Runners took part in the Run Wales Loyalty 5k and 10k races last Saturday despite freezing conditions that included sleet, rain, and snow, and a tough course covered in mud with many deep puddles. The race organisers confirmed this was a non-profit event and offered a free bonus place to runners who had previously entered at least two Run Wales events this year.  Both races utilised what was meant to be a very fast, flat, and scenic course long the cycle tracks from Conwy Bridge to Deganwy Quay and back, but the adverse weather conditions made the races far more of a challenge than expected. The 5k race  attracted twenty-one runners, and it was won by  James Yarwood  (Abergele Harriers) in 16.39, with  Will Williams  from NWRRC claiming a deserved 2nd place overall, and 1st in h

*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

*Carla Green (*far right on the podium) at the Chester Metric Marathon after her tremendous run to finish as 3rd female and age cat winner. Road Runners tackled a variety of top races during busy weekend...London, Cardiff, Chester, plus cross country etc. Report by Don Hale.   Plenty of North Wales Road Runners took part in a wide variety of races last weekend during one of the busiest times of the year which involved several fixture clashes and attracted some bumper entries. NWRRC members travelled to compete in marathons in London and Chester, together with the Chester Metric race, the Cardiff half-marathon, the season’s first cross country at Bangor, and the Conwy parkrun. The most popular event however for NWRRC club runners was the  Chester Metric Marathon  race with six members competing over this unusual and very challenging distance.  Martin Green  and his wife  Carla  were the star runners yet again, with Martin claiming a 4th place finish overall at the  Metric Marathon , and