Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above - Harry Driscoll led the NWRRC team. Harry Driscoll led the Road Runners home at Conwy parkrun...plus other parkrun results. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was another bumper turn-out at Conwy parkrun last Saturday as a host of visitors enjoyed the mild conditions and the picturesque 5k riverside course at the RSPB Nature Reserve. Harry Driscoll  led home a team of just nine  North Wales Road Runners  due to members recovering from illness, injuries, or from last week’s Marathon Eryri.   Harry finished 12th overall out of 366 entrants, and he was 2nd in his SM20 age cat in 20 minutes and 16 seconds.  Sion Thomas  was 78th in 24.30, and  Richard Scamans  finished in 82nd place in 24.37.  *Sion Thomas (*above left), with Richard Scamans. Steve Bozier  had an easy recovery run in 27.33 in 151st place, and  Gwen Charlton  was 163rd and she claimed a new...

*Martin Green (*pictured above), from NWRRC was the first club runner home. Conwy parkrunners enjoyed their run in the sun during another busy morning...and other running results... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Martin Green led home a team of fourteen North Wales Road Runners at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning, with another bumper attendance of mixed ability club and social athletes enjoying the warm, dry conditions, along a picturesque 5k riverside route from the RSPB Nature Reserve. Martin  eventually finished in 2nd place overall, and in a very fast encounter, he was just 7-seconds behind the first placed finisher  Jack Jones  on his debut, with Martin recording an excellent time of 17 minutes and 23 seconds, to win his VM45 age cat, and Jack finishing narrowly ahead in 17.16. Sion Thomas  was only five seconds away from celebrating a new PB, but ran well in 24th place in 21.14, and he won his VM40...

*Pictured above - Benjamin  Brummit (*left), with Sion Thomas, and James Jones at the Coleslaw 10k. Good performances by North Wales Road Runners at the Colshaw 10k... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Seven Road Runners travelled to the leafy lanes in Cheshire last Sunday to compete in the Colshaw Hall 10k near Knutsford with most members pleased with some excellent results. Newcomer  Benjamin Brummit  made his club debut and he finished very well in 143rd place in 40.59, out of a massive field of nearly 700 runners. He was followed by  James Jones , who was 165th in 41.47, with  Sion Thomas  176th in 42.17.  *NWRRC veteran Kevin Higgins (*above left), with Cai Roberts and Kelly Alford. Veteran athlete K evin Higgins   ran in his 4th consecutive 10k race during his unique series, and he too was pleased with his time of 51.22, which was his best for over two years, and   Cai Roberts an...

Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts (*pictured above) wins qualification to the GB Team for 2025 Duathlon Championships. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmasterathletics.co.uk North Wales Road Runner Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts has gained qualification to the GB Team after finishing 3rd in his respective age category during a 2025 Duathlon Championships qualifying event, held last Sunday on the East Fortune Race Circuit, near Edinburgh. Welsh master Llyr competed in a 5k run, followed by a 21k bike ride, and a final 2.5k run, with his excellent times, and age cat position ensuring him an automatic qualification. His very fast times for each event included his first run of 5k in just 18 minutes, the 21k cycle race in 36 minutes, and the final 2.5k run in 9 minutes. After the event, he confirmed: “I secured my qualification for the 2025 championships by finishing in the top-four of my age group at this event (I missed out at Castle Combe at the beginning of March). “Overall, I...

  *John Hatton (*above)  performed a clean sweep at Conwy parkrun to help reduce numerous large puddles at the start of a waterlogged course. Report by Don Hale.   Over two-hundred mixed ability runners took part in last Saturday’s Conwy parkrun, but once again they had to contend with very muddy and waterlogged conditions underfoot, with the start area only improved late on due to volunteer John Hatton sweeping out some of the large puddles! John’s determined action with a stiff brush improved the safety of this popular event, and for the second time in recent weeks, only the innovative actions of willing individuals meant this popular run could begin on time!  *Pictured above - Hard working NWRRC official and parkrun volunteer, and MC John Hatton, sweeps  the puddles at Conwy parkrun.  ( *Photo credit Michael Finnie ). Despite the challenging conditions, this run attracted several top juniors, and senior athletes, who ran hard to record new course PB’s, a...

*Pictured above - Four North Wales Road Runners at the Great Orme Fell Race (l-r) Steve Bozier, Nicola Wylie, Helen  Hannam and Karl Morris. Perfect conditions as records smashed at the Great Orme Fell Race... Report by Don Hale.    The annual   Great Orme Fell Race (Y Gogarth) was held last Tuesday evening in superb conditions with dozens of experienced fell, endurance, and club runners enjoying some spectacular views, as they smashed several established records. Staged over as challenging 4.1-mile, (6.6kms) course, with 1,306ft (398m) of elevation, organisers welcomed a perfect evening for racing, with many entrants travelling from far afield just to take part in this ever-popular event, which included both junior and senior races and varied age categories. One of the local event organisers,  Mike Blake  from Eryri Harriers ,  later confirmed: “Perfect running conditions at the Great Orme for Round 12 of the  Joe Brown Shops ’ mid-week fell race...