Don Hale Blog

TELFORD 10K - exclusive match report courtesy of NW road race team manager Paul Brooks from NWRAC. So, the final opportunity for the North Wales road running athletes to represent the Region was on 11th December, at the Telford 10km. This race is advertised as England’s fastest and has a justifiable reputation for not only having a fast, traffic-free course but a field of exceptionally quick athletes.  However, a mixture of injuries and unavailability (including four withdrawals in the week before the race) meant two men, Andy Bromley and Nick Brook , were co-opted into the men’s team literally hours before the start. The day was cold, with temperatures hovering around zero and just below, but the course had been gritted both the day before and in places on the morning of the race, so was declared safe to go ahead. However, it started to snow during wave one and turned into a heavy downfall as the morning progressed, gradually stopping towards the end of wave three. To illustrate the

*Amie Bagnall (*above) who is about to cross a  snowy finish line at Telford, and (*below), some members of the North Wales team at the Telford 10k. North Wales athletes beat the snow and ice to record many new PBs at Telford 10k . Introduction by Don Hale.   My thanks to the North Wales Road Race team manager, Paul Brooks, who was out with his team in freezing temperatures for a couple of hours last Sunday at Telford. This is his personal report. Well done to Paul, to all the athletes, and especially to all the volunteers and supporters involved with this race in snowy and very icy conditions. Special report and photos by team manager Paul Brooks (*pictured above). *Rachel Shipley (*above) and pictured at the start area. These were our times from the Telford 10km:   Ryan Davis  (Wrexham) recorded 30:50 with a huge new PB. This ranks him at no 8 in the all-time NWRAC list and 9th in the senior men's list.  Luke Northall  (Wrexham) 33:19, 10 seconds faster than last year here.  Mart

*Cheryl Frost (*above left) with NWRRC club colleague Kay Hatton and a Cybi fundraising official at the Treborth track last Saturday. Special 24-hour track challenge success by Cybi Striders for Ukraine appeal: latest news £3,320 raised by 4,537 laps. Report by Don Hale.   Dozens of local runners of all ages and abilities took part in a special 24-hour track ‘Run for Ukraine’ fundraising appeal, organised by Cybi Striders last weekend. Staged on the Treborth 400-metre athletic track, near Bangor, event organisers welcomed  anyone and everyone to take part, with entrants invited to run as many, or as few laps as possible for a donation, and as part of a unique challenge, which began at 9 am on Saturday morning and continued until the same time on Sunday. A club official confirmed:  “We are a small Anglesey based running club who like so many have been appalled to see the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine unfold. This 24-hour run is our way of showing support and raising much needed funds f

. *Another good run from Steve Mason (*pictured above) at Conwy parkrun. Splash down for Conwy parkrunners on puddle-filled course. Conwy parkrun 2/4/22.  Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Conwy parkrun resembled a waterlogged cross-country course last Saturday, with a mass of deep puddles, and entrants having to splash their way around, and battle with the cold, damp conditions, and a steady drizzle. Despite all these climatic problems, the event still attracted 163 finishers including runners from as far afield as Darlington, Keswick, Hyndburn, Eden, and Rossendale, with five elite athletes in the top-13 all claiming new PBs, and the first 11 finishers dipping under 20-minutes. Nic Brook  (Eryri Harriers) was the first man home to additionally win his MV45-49 age cat in 17 minutes and 56 seconds, with  Daniel Wellings  2nd overall and 2nd in the same age cat as Nic in 18.37, with  Chris Yorke  3rd, and 1st in his MV50-54 cat in 18.49. North Wales Road Runners  entered ei

Kay Hatton (*pictured above) was the pick of the trio at the Tatton Park 10k. Report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton.   Three North Wales Road Runners crossed the border into England last Saturday and celebrated with some very good performances in the Tatton Park 10k race in Cheshire, including Kay Hatton who won her respective veteran age category. With parkruns and most other races currently prohibited, or severely restricted in Wales, due to Welsh Government and Covid-19 restrictions it meant another long trip for three notable club athletes who had to battle strong winds, cold temperatures, and rain over a challenging but picturesque course. Harry Driscoll  (*pictured above) was the first NWRRC member home in 19th place in 39 minutes 51 seconds, with  Iwan Evans  31st in 41.43 and 4th in his MV40 age cat, whilst  Kay Hatton  was the pick of the trio, and continued her excellent form to win her VW55 age cat in a superb time of 48.03, finishing 109th overall and the 13th female ru

*Course PB for Mark Jessett at New Year’s Day parkrun in Kent. Report by Don Hale. Some photos by Steve Jeffery.   Mark Jessett was up bright and early on New Year’s Day to take part in the Bexley parkrun at Sidcup in Kent and was rewarded with a great new course PB of 18 minutes 26 seconds. The NWRRC athlete was 3rd overall out of 271 finishers, and he also won his MV35-39 age category. Mark also recorded his third PB out of his last four outings at this parkrun and knocked eleven seconds of his previous performance in Kent. The event was won by James Macdonald (Cambridge Harriers) and 1st MV40 cat in a fast time of 17.10, with Alexander Barber, SM25-29, 2nd overall in 18.00, with Mark  Jessett 3rd. *Mark Jessett in action at a previous Conwy  Parkrun. Tour De Llyn Llydaw race. Well known local athletes   Nic Brook   and his partner   Gemma Brown   competed together in the Tour De Llyn Llydaw fell race on New Year’s Day. The experienced endurance runners completed a tough 5-mile cours

*Harry Driscoll (*above) led the Road Runners home at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery.   Harry Driscoll was the first club man home once again for NWRRC at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday, which had depleted numbers due to festive demands, and the aftermath from a succession of storms and challenging conditions. Despite all the problems and a cool, breezy morning, on a wet and part debris riddled course, the organisers worked hard to ensure that the safety of runners and volunteers was paramount and celebrated with 146 finishers enjoying their weekly 5k dash. Teenager  James Smith  (Menai Track and Field) was the 1st finisher and won his SM18-19 age cat with an impressive new PB of 17 minutes 5 seconds, with  James Coleman  2nd in 17.54. In addition, popular local runner  Nic Brook (Eryri Harriers) was another man in fine form, and he also celebrated a new course PB in 18.04 in 4th place. Harry Driscoll  led a team of eleven NWRRC members, and he was one