Don Hale Blog

*Four dazzling NWRRC runners at the Blackpool Lights races (l-r) Cai Roberts, Kelly Alford, Mandy Owen and Charlie Owen. Lights, camera, action, for club runners at Blackpool Illuminations races... Reports by Don Hale.   Four club members celebrated a night out at Blackpool last Saturday and competed in the ‘Run the Lights’ 10k & 5k races, which also marked the start of the famous Illuminations at this popular Lancashire seaside resort.  Kelly Alford  and her partner  Cai Roberts  were both in dazzling form and ran together throughout the 10k event, with  Kelly  also celebrating a new course PB by about a minute in 50.42 and finished 4th in her F35 age cat in 111th position as the 22nd female runner, with  Cai  sharing the same time, and just one place behind.  And praise too for  Mandy Owen  who ran very well after recovering from a period of ill health and finished in 216th place. She he was the 56th female runner in 57.21, and her husband  Charlie Owen,  who is recovering from a

*Richard Eccles (*above left) with Jon Evans. Both athletes claimed great new PBs last Friday night at the very fast and high calibre Mid Cheshire 5k race. Road running duo hit top form at Mid Cheshire 5k race. Report by Don Hale.   Two North Wales Road Runners competed in the Mid Cheshire 5k Spring race last Friday night and both claimed incredible new PB times within a quality field of top athletes. This star-spangled event attracted 747 international, elite, and club runners from across the UK, with many simply intent on recording personal best times over this exceptionally fast course. And the race pedigree was proven by the first twenty-seven runners all dipping under 15-minutes. Just one second separated the first three finishers, with  David Devine  (Liverpool Harriers) the race winner in 14.19, with  Cameron Bell  (Hallamshire Harriers) 2nd in 14.20, and  James Knockton  (Trafford AC) 3rd in the same chip time of 14.20. NWRRC members  Richard Eccles  and  Jon Evans  enjoyed sup

*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

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

*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