Don Hale Blog

*The start of the 2024 Deganwy Dash with Jonathan Kettle and the leaders. LAST 80 ENTRIES AVAILABLE FOR THE 2025 DEGANWY DASH & ROHAN'S CHARITY RUN... FRIDAY 30th May 2025 START TIME 7PM.  https://secure.onreg.com/onreg2/front/step1.php?id=6781 *Pictured above - Deganwy Dash race organisers John Hatton and Carla Green John and Carla’s Deganwy Dash voted the ‘Best Sporting Event of the Year 2024,’ and raised thousands for Children's Cancer Charities... Don Hale Blog: John and Carla’s Deganwy Dash voted the ‘Best Spor... https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2024/11/john-and-carlas-deganwy-dash-voted-best.html?spref=tw Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk FRIDAY 30th May 2025 START TIME 19:00  https://secure.onreg.com/onreg2/front/step1.php?id=6781 ***STOP PRESS/URGENT UPDATE: The last 80 places are  available for this year's Deganwy Dash, so hurry and book your place asap, as there is a 350 max limit. RACE LICENCE APPLIED FO...

*North Wales Road Runners are pictured (*above) just before the start of the festive handicap race on the promenade at Rhos on Sea. Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Twenty-four members of NWRRC took part in the annual Christmas club handicap race, which this year was staged from the Rhos on Sea clock tower to the renovated far end of the promenade and back over a 4.5-mile course. Well organised with times recorded and verified by  Carla Green  and  Elizabeth Driscoll , with support from other members, the handicap rules this time included each runner having to hand in their watches and mobile phones, and the need to predict their finishing times, so that no one knew their exact pace, or whether their estimated times were likely to be accurate, until they actually reached the finish line. The top three female winners , who were the closest to their times included the winner –  Kay Hatto...

*Pictured above - Michael Finnie - back on track at the Indoor 60m race. Veteran track sprinter Michael Finnie won his age cat at the Indoor 60m dash ...plus other race results. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   NWRRC veteran track athlete Michael Finnie won his M65 age cat at the North Wales Indoor Open 60m dash at the Deeside Indoor Athletics Centre at Coleg Cambria, Deeside, last Saturday. He braved the challenging weather conditions en-route caused by Storm Bert, to take part in the sprint event, and he was just a fraction of second down on his previous best time, but said he was still pleased with his fine result of 11.23 seconds. After the event, he admitted that unfortunately the road conditions had restricted the number of competitors, but confirmed: “Not bad, since I haven’t been able to train much due to weather and flu the past week. I think I was a quarter of a second slower than my best.” Michael is hoping to improve...

*Pictured above - team manager Bernie Jones (*front left) with some members of the Welsh team at the Belfast races. NW Road Running duo performed well for Wales at the British & Irish International Cross Country championships in Belfast. *North Wales Road Runners Will Williams (*above left) and Karen Butler. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk North Wales Road Runners Will Williams and Karen Butler competed well in the British and Irish Masters International Cross-Country Championships at the Billy Neill Country Park, Dundonald, near Belfast last Saturday. Will performed well in his MV50 age cat on a rather hilly and challenging course despite only just recovering from injury and seemed satisfied after finishing 29th overall in thirty-three minutes and one-second. And plaudits were also given to NWRRC member  Karen Butler  who finished 16th in her VW65-75 age cat (24th overall) and she was the1st Welsh veteran athlete i...

*Pictured above - Steve Bozier was the first NWRRC member back at the marathon. Hundreds of athletes tackled the iconic Marathon Eryri on its 40th anniversary. Report by Don Hale. Some photos by Dave Jones and others. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Nine North Wales Road Runners were involved with the gruelling challenge of the famous Marathon Eryri last Saturday morning, which started and finished at Llanberis in the Snowdonia National Park, and this year celebrated its 40th anniversary. Run over mountain trails, farm tracks, and tarmac, it’s one of the toughest ever marathons, yet it also included some of the most spectacular scenery in the UK. The event   has twice been voted the  Best British Marathon , and the demanding course which encircles Yr Wyddfa – the highest peak in Wales – has served to makes this an iconic event in the running calendar. Steve Bozier  was back to his best following some recent injuries and led home the...

*Pictured above - Jonathan Kettle ran well on his return to parkrun. Lots of half-term visitors and mixed ability athletes at Conwy parkrun...plus other results. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Conwy parkrun attracted the usual mix of half-term entrants, visitors, and both social and club runners to another sunny but cool morning at the RSPB Nature Reserve. The  Road Runners  had a dozen members involved with  Jonathan Kettle  making a welcome return after a holiday break, and he finished 4th overall and won his VM50 age cat in just 19 minutes and 10 seconds.  Colleague  Will Williams  tried to chase Jonathan down, and he was just one place and twenty-three seconds behind him in 19.33, and he 2nd in the same age cat.  Steve Mason  finished 24th in 22.09, and  Karl Morris  was 28th in 22.19.  Sion Thomas  finished in 39th place in 23.05, with  Tony Price-Jones...

  *Some of the NWRRC team (*above) on the prom at Abergele. Hundreds of runners beat the storm at the Abergele races. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Hundreds of runners tried to beat the weather at the Abergele 5k and 10k races last Sunday morning as the prelude to Storm Ashley battered North Wales with heavy rain and gale force winds. Fortunately, the worst of these conditions didn’t prevail until later in the day, but entrants for the earlier 5k faced driving rain and gusty winds, whilst 10k entrants more than an hour later, still had some strong winds to contend with, but welcomed a brief spell of bright sunshine. The elements though failed to dampen the spirit of nineteen Road Runners who bravely took part in either one or both events. Fifteen NWRRC members ran in the 5k race and claimed five age category victories and several podium places, including some fast times, and four members ran in the later 10k race. Will Williams  led the team home ...