Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above - a splashing start for the leaders at last Saturday's Conwy parkrun. Keen competition at Conwy parkrun despite the challenging conditions... Report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Numbers were down at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning due to the Christmas shopping rush, combined with some very challenging weather conditions. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, the riverside course was flooded again and resembled a cross between a swamp and a tough 5k cross-country course, yet it still created a great festive atmosphere, with many of the near two-hundred mixed ability entrants wearing their traditional fancy dress outfits. Despite a strong blustery wind and drizzly rain there were still some good times recorded and the first athlete back was  Morgan Kendall  (Meirionnydd RC), dressed in his famous Banana-man kit once more, and he faced a keen battle with rival  Cai ...

*Will Williams (*pictured above) was the first NWRRC finisher at Conwy. Bumper festive turn-out at a very wild and windy Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk It was another bumper turn-out at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning for the ever-popular Christmas event with nearly three-hundred club and social runners braving the wild and windy conditions over this challenging 5k course. And it turned out to be a dash with a blast for two top young guns who battled for honours with just five-seconds separating 1st and 2nd places. Students  Morgan Kendall  and  Bryn Woodall , who are both back home again in North Wales for the festive break, raced neck and neck throughout, with a near photo-finish on stand-by! Morgan  (Durham University Harriers AC) eventually took the 1st finisher place overall in 17 minutes and 15 seconds, and won his SM20 age cat, with  Bryn  (Colwyn Bay AC), a very close 2nd...

*Morgan Kendall (*above) pictured at his recent Conwy half-marathon victory continued his excellent form at the Conwy parkrun. Hot pace set by Morgan Kendall at cool and breezy Conwy parkrun...and four age cat wins for NWRRC. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was cool, with very breezy conditions at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday, but it was good to see talented local athlete and student Morgan Kendall set a hot pace from the start of this 5k event despite some tough opposition. Returning home from  Durham University  for the festive holidays  Morgan , representing (Durham City Harriers), maintained his top form and gained a narrow victory over rivals  James Smith  (Menai T&F), and  Harty Woodford .  He recorded another excellent time of just 17 minutes and 14 seconds to win his SM20 age cat, and finished just 9-seconds ahead of James, who claimed 2nd place in th...

*Some of the NWRRC team (pictured above) that competed in the Conwy half marathon race last Sunday. RESULTS UPDATED:  AND NEW VIDEO FOOTAGE. **Unique new videos from Conwy half-marathon courtesy of Chris Yorke at run Wales: Now available to view for FREE on  YouTube... *Conwy half-marathon 2023 quick start recoded on video; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buKYDPqHaXQ Conwy half-marathon 2023. Runners wait on the bridge for the start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjsf-x9uwAs   Runners beat the weather and tackled the Great Orme in half-marathon race...plus other race results. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was another memorable morning at the Conwy half-marathon last Sunday as 2,513 runners battled against storm-force blustery winds and steady rain as they tackled a challenging and undulating course around Llandudno’s Great Orme and back. The event, well organised by  RunWales , was won in specta...

Bumper turnout at Conwy's New Year’s Eve parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. It was a bumper turnout at the New Year’s Eve parkrun at Conwy despite the rather damp conditions, and a very heavy, and waterlogged course. The event attracted 243 mixed ability runners from various parts of the UK, and debutant  Harry Standing  was the first finisher in just 18 minutes and 4 seconds, which was just a few seconds ahead of last week’s teenage age cat winner  Morgan Kendall  aka  Bananaman  in 18.13 and visiting athlete  Jack Cooper  (Trafford AC) with a new PB of 18.21. The first female finisher was  Anna Drinkwater  (Eryri Harriers) in 19.32, with  Amie Bagnall  (Cheshire Dragons) 2nd in 19.44, and debutant  Anna Burt  3rd in 21.41. Ten North Wales Road Runners  were involved in the New Year’s Eve parkrun at Conwy and claimed seven podium placings including five age cat wins.  Josh Keogh  (*p...