Don Hale Blog

*Some of the NWRRC team at Wrexham (l-r): Cheryl Frost, Kay Hatton, Kevin Slattery, and Gwennan Charlton, with Richard Scamans at the back. Welsh cakes and fast times at the Village Bakery half-marathon...plus other results. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   The well organised and very popular Village Bakery half-marathon race attracted a massive entry of over 1,700 runners, at Wrexham last Sunday morning, and included numerous elite and club athletes, in addition to a plentiful amount of fun and social runners. On a fast, and relatively flat course, many runners were able to celebrate personal best (PB) times and raised funds for local and national charities. North Wales Road Runners  entered fifteen members and collected three prestigious age category awards. The first club man home again was  Jonathan Kettle  in 75th place with a new course PB in 1.15.52, followed by  Iwan Evans  (281) in 1.24.44, and  Ben Hudson  (545) in 1.35.57

*Pictured above - runners from the Back Cloak runners, Dalzell runners, and a variety of other local running clubs at the start of the Nick Beer 10k race on Llandudno promenade. Bumper entry for Nick Beer 10k race, and a fast pace by the lead runners... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathetics.co.uk   North Wales Road Runners had eight club members involved in the popular Nick Beer 10k race last Sunday and celebrated with two veteran age category victories amongst a bumper entry of 627 club and social runners. The event, named in honour of a former NWRRC athlete, was well organised by  Always Aim High , and followed a picturesque but very challenging course, which started from Llandudno promenade and around the Great Orme and back, and included over forty club members acting as marshalls and willing volunteers. *Harry Driscoll (*above left) with Steve Gardner. Harry Driscoll  was the first club runner home with an excellent run finishing in 26th pla

  Welsh Masters Athletics set to hold Summer T&F championships at Yate again this year. Brett Davis, a director of Welsh Masters Athletics, has confirmed an  important  update this week regarding the WMAL championships. He said: "WMAL will be holding our Summer Athletics T&F championships in Yate again! We are combining with Avon Athletics Association and Yate AC, who are hosting the Masters Open Track and Field Event   on Sunday 21st July.   This is a week before the BMAF Championships in Derby on 27/28th July." *Further details to follow.

*Kelly Marie Alford (*pictured above), enjoyed a good run in Manchester. Kelly on form at the Manchester Winter Warmer 10k - plus other race results... Kelly Marie Alford  and her partner  Cai Roberts  took part in the breezy  Manchester Winter Warmer 10k  race last Sunday, with Kelly finishing 2nd in her F40 age cat in 49th place overall in a chip time of 50.12, whilst Cai was 77th in 53.18. *local athlete Gee Outen made her half-marathon debut in the Manchester Winter Warmer race and finished 2nd in her SW age cat in 1.44.30. She was 45th overall and the 4th female runner, and her partner Val also claimed a new PB in the 10k race.   *Pictured (*above left), Cai Roberts, who ran well at Heaton Park, with Lesley Goodson and Anthony Paul Davies at Cardiff, with (*above right), Richard Scamans, who enjoyed a canine parkrun at Newborough. *Cardiff:  Lesley Goodson   made her debut at the  Cardiff parkrun  last Saturday and claimed 3rd place in her VW55 age cat in 25.28. Afterwards, she co

*The NWRRC team at the tough Conwy fell race (l-r): Helen Hannam, Nia Lister, Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones, Nicola Wylie and Adam Lemalle. Tough challenge for brave runners at the Conwy Fell Race. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Five North Wales Road Club members braved the tough challenge of the Conwy fell race last Saturday afternoon in cold, misty, and drizzly conditions which tested stamina to the limits. Amidst a quality field of 106 finishers, mainly of experienced fell runners from clubs across the country, they all battled well despite the testing conditions. Adam Lemalle was the first NWRRC man home in 71st place in 71 minutes and 15 seconds, with Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones 2nd in 87th place overall in 85.46. She was closely followed by  Nicola Wylie  in 94th place in 89.45, with  Nia Lister  104th in 123.38, and  Helen Hannam  105th in 130.05. *Nicola Wylie (*above left), with Nia Lister, and (*below), Charlotte Rose Wi

*Josh Keogh (*above left), with Jonathan Kettle. North Wales Road Runners claimed top three places at Conwy parkrun...plus other results. Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of the late Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   A hat-trick of North Wales Road Runners celebrated after claiming the first three places at last Saturday’s Conwy parkrun, which included another bumper attendance of nearly 300-entrants, despite the blustery and damp conditions. Josh Keogh  and  Jonathan Kettle  battled for glory throughout this challenging 5k dash amidst a route that was splattered with mud, deep puddles, along a narrow out and back course, and led home a strong team of eighteen club members. Josh eventually finished 1st, but he was only 22-seconds ahead of his cub rival Jonathan, who had just returned to Conwy following his amazing half-marathon win in Cyprus last weekend.   He   also won his SM30 age cat in just 17 minutes and 28 seconds, with  Jonatha

  *Brothers John Jones (Eryri) and Dave Jones (NWRRC) are pictured above with Paul Quentin (Abergele) at Conwy parkrun as they paid tribute to Steve Jeffery. Tributes paid to the late photographer Steve Jeffery by trio from different athletic clubs. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Three runners from different local athletic clubs paid their own personal tribute to the former athlete and photographer Steve Jeffery. They included brothers John and David Jones, together with Paul Quentin. The trio initially intended to run at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday to celebrate Paul’s 100th parkrun, but they also wanted honour the memory of a beloved friend and a former colleague, who Dave said: “Had been sadly taken from the running community this week.” Paul won his age group during an emotional run, but confirmed, that although he is no longer a member of  Abergele Harriers , he was a member when Steve Jeffery founded the club, and ran wit