Don Hale Blog

 *Pictured above - many members of the NWRRC team at the Caernarfon half marathon last Sunday. Wet and windy at Caernarfon for the half marathon championships... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   There was a good entry of more than six hundred elite, club and social runners at the Caernarfon half marathon last Sunday, which was staged in unusually wet and windy weather but saw the top male and female athletes retain their titles. This event was also part of the  North Wales Regional Half-Marathon Championships , and it also attracted many top athletes from all around the UK, and it was well organised by RunWales. Tomos Roberts  (Meirionnydd RC) was the overall winner in 1 hour 11 minutes and 26 seconds, with  Chris Pownall (Cybi Striders) second in 1.15.42, and  Steffan Sayer  (Menai T&F), third in 1.15.45. *The first female finisher was  Emma Alofs  (Cybi Striders) in 1.27.49, and  Eleanor Ashcroft  (Denbigh H...

*Pictured above - Karl Morris on his ultra race along the Coastal Path. Karl battled the elements to complete the tough ‘Ring of Fire’ race...and well done to Martin Joy in his ultra race. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   North Wales Road Runner Karl Morris battled against heavy rain, gales, and a severe lack of sleep, to record a tremendous performance in the tough ultra ‘Ring of Fire’ race around the Anglesey Coastal Path last weekend. This is one of the most gruelling challenges in the country, and for this experienced endurance athlete, his demanding journey began at Holyhead’s Breakwater Park, and followed a continuous loop covering some 131 miles, and just over 11k elevation along the island’s picturesque coastal pathway. Karl’s determination to complete the course was evident by his overall race stats, with his family and friends able to watch and admire his progress online. He eventually finished well in 47th place out of 112 starters – and in an incredib...

Martin and Carla (*pictured above) both won their age cats at the Golden Ball 20-mile race at Lancaster. Martin and Carla Green on top form at the Golden Ball 20-miler. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Martin and Carla Green both won their respective veteran age categories at the Golden Ball 20-mile race on Sunday, which part of the Lancaster Races series of events. Now competing for  Meirionnydd RC , Martin was in fine form again, and he finished 5th overall and won his MV50 cat in a very good time of 1 hour 57 minutes and 54 seconds, with Carla, from  North Wales Road Runners , also winning her FV50 age cat in 46th place, and she was the fourth female finisher in 2.30.21. For Martin, this was his second race over the weekend after first competing for his club in the Mid Cheshire 5k race on Friday night, where he recorded another excellent time of just 16 minutes and 18 seconds.  After his 20-mile race on Sunday, Martin confirmed : “My biggest ever month...

*Pictured above - Welsh Master Steve Gardner at a recent  track race. Welsh Master Steve Gardner denied a new steeplechase record due to a water leak! Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Welsh Master and international track athlete Steve Gardner hit the track running again last weekend and celebrated in style after winning his 2000m steeplechase race at a British Masters Championship meeting, but he was denied a new record due to a water leak! Staged at the Pingles Stadium in Nuneaton, he took part in a mixed race and was delighted with his outstanding overall win in an excellent time of just 7 minutes 31.62 seconds, but his result won’t count however as a record, as the runners had to miss out on the water jump due to an unfortunate leak, leaving the tray pit only half full. Steve, who also represents  North Wales Road Runners , was obviously disappointed by this unusual problem, but with his current good form on the tra...

*John Hatton (*above far right), who completed his 350th volunteering role last week is pictured with some of the many friendly volunteers at Penrhyn Castle parkrun. Young athletes star at North Wales parkruns: plus results round-up from around the region... There were some fast times and several top three finishes for young male and female athletes at various parkruns across North Wales last Saturday morning. With the fine weather and dry conditions continuing for the past few weeks, it was the turn of several promising youngsters to show their more experienced rivals a clean pair of heels. William Delamere  was perhaps the pick of the bunch, where the JM15-17 athlete was the first runner home at the  Newborough Forest parkrun  in just 17 minutes and 31 seconds, and his  sister Lucy Delamere  also ran well as the third female in the same event, with the JW11-14 athlete recording another good time of 21.55. Fred Reese  was another fine junior athlete on the...

*Pictured above and below - some of the  many people who took part in a special commemorative run on the prom for Jon Dalzell. Special tribute run in memory of Jon Dalzell Introduction by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   On Sunday there was a great turn out by Dalzell Runners, NWRRC club members, and numerous other local runners, plus family, friends, and supporters, during a special commemorative run along the prom, to help pay tribute to the popular athlete Jon Dalzell, who sadly lost his life two-years ago. This tribute event was well organised by Dalzell Runners officials Tony and Hayley Price Jones, with help from Jonathan Kettle and others, with some drinks later arranged at the Wildings Hotel in Llandudno. *Runners, family, friends and supporters drink a toast to help commemorate  Jon Dalzell's memory at the Wildings Hotel in Llandudno.   Following the commemorations, Jonathan Kettle later confirmed: Thank you all for coming out this evening in mem...

*Pictured above - the NWRRC relay team and supporters on Llandudno prom. Hot pace on a warm night for the club relay teams. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Members of North Wales Road Runners took part in their annual team relay challenge last Tuesday night on Llandudno promenade amidst glorious sunshine and very warm conditions. Eighteen runners competed in six teams of three, with their previous average times over 5k estimated to help equalise the competition. The event, which included each runner targeting a specific distance, was well organised by  Carla Green , with support from  John Hatton ,  Elizabeth Driscoll and others , was eventually won by a team consisting of  Gwennan Charlton, Molly Evans, and Kevin Slattery , who finished in an overall time of 28 minutes and 34 seconds. The runners-up team included:  Mark Davies, Richard Scamans, and Molly Evans in a combined time of 28.34,  with all the team finishing quite close...

*Pictured above - the start of the Caernarfon 10k race last Sunday. Course record smashed at the Caernarfon 10k race. Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Lesley Goodson, Chris Yorke and Mick Hall. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com *Some members of the NWRRC team at the Caernarfon 10k (l-r): Back row - Mike Hayton, Ben Hudson, Rob Fryer, and Stuart Culverhouse, and (front row) - Carla Green, Kay Hatton, Cheryl Frost and Sarah Ferguson Hudson.   The conditions were perfect last Sunday as a star-studded line up of elite and top club runners at the Caernarfon 10k race set a fast pace right from the start, with the course record later smashed during an exciting event, which also included an Inter-Counties championship match. Race organiser  Chris Yorke  from  RunWales  confirmed: “Well done to everyone who completed in today’s Caernarfon 10k. Wow what a race on this super-fast 10k course! The top 3 runners all broke the course record! with  Swansea Harrier ...

*Pictured above - the NWRRC trio each won their respective age categories at the Nant y Pandy parkrun, (l-r): Carla Green, Mike Hayton and Kay Hatton. Hat-trick of age category wins for NWRRC trio at Nant y Pandy parkrun...plus other results... Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Three NWRRC members each won their respective age categories at the Nant y Pandy parkrun on Saturday morning. Carla Green finished well as the third female athlete in 24th place in 23.53, and she also won her VW50 age cat. Veteran  Kay Hatton  was also in top form, and she won her VW60 cat in 26th place overall with a new course PB in 24.40, and master vet  Mike Hayton  was 112th, and he won his new VM75 age cat on his debut in 31.55. *Nant y Pandy:  *The first finisher at  Nant y Pandy parkrun  was SM20 athlete  Sam Gunning , with a PB in 17.11, with  Joel Chick  second on his debut in 17.33, and visitor  Nathan James  (...