Don Hale Blog

*Richard Eccles (*above) is one of five NWRRC members selected for Wales. Welsh road running team includes five NWRRC athletes for Home Nations races at Tenby in July. Report by Don Hale.   Five members of North Wales Road Runners have been selected to represent Wales at the Road Running Festival in Tenby on 3rd July against top athletes from the Home Nations. The final selection was announced this week by team official Bernie Jones following scrutiny from fellow selectors, who initially welcomed applications from local running clubs and individuals, based on recent or potential performances over varied distances. International event race organisers at Tenby invited teams from the Home Nations of the UK to participate, with up to eight runners permitted in each of the four 10-year age bands, based on the day of the competition. Events include 5k, 10k and half-marathon races. The NWRRC members selected include:  Richard Eccles  M55-64 (5k), and  Cheryl Frost  W55-64 (5k); with  Carla Gr

*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

*Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts (*above) won a silver medal at the Welsh Duathlon. Silver and bronze medals for Road Runners at Welsh Duathlon championships at Harlech... Report by Don Hale.   Two NWRRC athletes collected prestigious silver and bronze medals in their respective age categories after competing in the Welsh Duathlon Championships at Harlech last Sunday. Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts  and  Richard Eccles  competed in the Harlech Sprint Duathlon event which involved two varied runs interspersed with a tough bike ride. The race attracted 101 finishers, with Llyr winning a silver medal in his M40 age cat in 10th place overall, in a total time of 1 hour 10 minutes and 56 seconds, whilst Richard also finished well in 26th place overall, and he was 3rd in his M50 cat for a bronze medal in 1.17.55. Llyr’s splits included a 5k run in 19.01, a 20k plus cycle ride in 40.49, and a final run in 9.11.  After the race, Llyr admitted: ‘My legs were filled with lactate on the steps to the finish at Harl

*Richard Eccles finished 5th and won his age cat at Conwy Parkrun. Plenty of visiting club runners at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Club athletes from as far afield as Truro, Littleborough, the Fylde Coast, Chiltern, and Trentham, had to battle a strong breeze and large puddles amidst the challenging 5k course at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning. North Wales Road Runners entered ten members this week following numerous fixture clashes over recent weeks with  Richard Eccles  and  Steve Mason  competing neck and neck with just four seconds separating the talented duo. *Steve Mason (*above) had a close finish with Richard Eccles. Richard  eventually finished in 5th place overall in 19 minutes 13 seconds, and he also won his MV55-59 age category, with  Steve  6th, and the winner of his MV45-49 cat in 19.17.  *Pictured (*above left) Gethin Wyn Jones, and (*right) Stuart Culverhouse. Gethin Wyn Jones  continued his rapid progress of late, to finish 16th ove

NWRRC team packed well to claim four age category wins at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   North Wales Road Running Club members maintained their recent top form and returned in numbers to the Conwy parkrun, where they packed well and recorded nine podium places, including one event win, four age category wins, four second placings, and one third. *Martin and Carla Green (*above) both won their age cats and Martin was also the overall winner at the Conwy Parkrun last weekend. A team of fourteen athletes also included talented newcomer  William Williams  who finished 7th overall on his debut and 3rd in his MV45-49 age cat with a great new PB of 19 minutes and 17 seconds.  The parkrun event however was won by  Martin Green , who again won his MV45-49 cat in a superb time of 17.16.  Richard Eccles  ran well and finished 5th and won his MV55-59 age cat in 18.52.  *Richard Eccles (*above) won his MV55-59 age cat at Conwy. It then proved a very close encounter wi

Three age category wins at Conwy parkrun, plus two other event wins as tourists. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery.   North Wales Road Runners claimed a hat-trick of impressive age category wins at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday despite a depleted team due to other commitments and preparation for a major race the following day, with two additional event wins at other parkruns. Despite this shortfall at Conwy, eleven members still competed in dry, but cool and breezy conditions at the event, which included about fifty visitors using the parkrun as a warm-up for the Conwy half-marathon, with numerous UK clubs again represented. The event attracted 295 runners, and it was won quite easily by the remarkable Steve Forsyth (Prestatyn), who was also 1st MV40-44 cat winner in 17.22, with James Yarwood 2nd, and 1st in his SM30-34 cat in 17.53, and Alex Bedingham (York Knavesmire Harriers) finished in 3rd place, and was 1st M35-39. *Another impressive run from Richard Eccles at t

*Some of the triumphant NWRRC team at the Abergele 5k championships. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery. North Wales Road Runners dominated the Abergele 5k and North Wales championships last weekend by recording a host of PBs, age category wins, and other podium placings, in addition to claiming both the male and female team prizes. It was soon raining gold on the windswept promenade at Pensarn on Sunday as NWRRC members smashed numerous records and collected seven age category gold medals and trophies, in addition to two runners-up awards and silver medals, plus a further two bronze medals, and two prestigious team prizes.  In a very fast and highly competitive race,  Scott Nixon  (Cardiff AC) was the first runner home in 15 minutes 47 seconds, with  Jon Bowie  (Shrewsbury AC) 2nd in 15.52, and  Steve Forsyth  (Prestatyn) in 15.57.  Martin Green  (*pictured above) from NWRRC led a strong team of twenty club members back along the cycle track to finish 4th overall and 1st