Don Hale Blog

*Steve  Forsyth (*above left) with Will Williams at the Two Lakes Trail 10k race. Trail Race victory for Steve  Forsyth  at Llyn Brenig  Trail  Race. Report by Don Hale.  Llyn Brenig Trail 10k:   Steve Forsyth  and  Will Williams  claimed the 1st and 2nd places at the Two Lakes Trail 10k at Llyn Brenig last Sunday, although the course was said to be about 7-miles.  And NWRRC colleague  Jamie Tharme  also ran well, although admitted he was struggling following his previous week’s gruelling ultra-effort. He later claimed, it was “too much, too soon,” and said his legs weren’t ready, and that it was a struggle from 3k. *Steve  Forsyth and Jamie Tharme (*above) at the Two Lakes Trail Race. *Barcelona marathon:   Mark Jessett  enjoyed his own run in the sun at the weekend with a great performance in the Barcelona marathon and just dipped under the 3-hour mark in 2.53. *Mark Jessett (*above) had a good run in the Barcelona marathon. *Brynkinalt 20k Trail Race :  Kelly-Marie Alford  and  Cai

*Will Williams (*above left) with Steve  Forsyth. Five Road Runners in top ten at Conwy parkrun - plus other race results... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Conwy parkrunners enjoyed a good run in the sun last Saturday where five Road Runners finished within the top-ten, and seven members claimed age category wins.  Steve Forsyth  marked his return from Gambia with another positive run to finish in 2nd place overall in 17 minutes 39 seconds and won his MV40-44 age cat, but he was unable to catch the runaway leader Hamish Morton (Cambridge & Coleridge AC), who celebrated a new PB in 17.27 and won his SM25-29 age cat. Meanwhile, Colwyn Bay youngster Alfie Shirland claimed the 3rd spot and won his JM11-14 age cat in 17.50. Martin Green  finished 4th overall and he was 1st in his MV45-49 cat in 18.11, with  Steve Mason  just two-seconds off his previous best in 5th spot, and 2nd in the same cat as Martin in 18.50.  *Pictured above -  Martin  and Carla Green at Conwy  Par

*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

* Some of the many young benefactors (*pictured above) of Steve Forsyth's Gambian kit appeal. Steve's kit appeal for Gambia proves a huge success. Report by Don Hale.   Steve Forysth’s appeal for any unwanted running shoes and kit has proved a huge success with the first batch of donations delivered to underprivileged young sportsmen and women last week. The North Wales Road Runner also helped organise the delivery of several carloads and boxes of kit to the Gambian Police Athletic Team who began an urgent distribution to youngsters in readiness for a series of races in their country. *NWRRC athlete Steve Forsyth (*above left) with colleagues Don Hale and Will Williams as they helped collect unwanted trainers and sports kit for Gambia at Conwy parkrun. Steve was also able to send back these  exclusive  photographs from different groups who were absolutely thrilled to receive this kit from hundreds of North Wales supporters which included running clubs at Llandudno, Prestatyn, D

*Steve Forsyth's brother Echen  Omega (*above)  smashes the Gambian 10k record in borrowed trainers -  and  won a major cash prize! Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runner Steve Forsyth was celebrating after reporting that his brother Echen Obega, won a top Gambian 10k event last weekend and smashed the country’s race record after borrowing his trainers and completing just six weeks of extra training! Steve, who has recently returned to Wales from his home country, has been busy these past few weeks collecting unwanted shoes, and sports kit for underprivileged young sportsmen and women in Gambia, explained: ‘This result has  literally turned this man into a national hero overnight. I’m so proud of you bro, I just wish I had been in Gambia to see it.’  He confirmed: ‘My little brother was competing in my trainers, and in just six weeks, he literally went from running 30-miles a week with no motivation, to fast forward - running 100-miles a week, and only going on to win the Ba

*North Wales Road Runners (*above and l-r) Steve Forsyth, Don Hale, and Will Wiilams with a car boot full of donated sports gear for Gambia at the Conwy Parkrun last Saturday. Steve Forsyth launches appeal for unwanted sports kit for Gambian runners. Report by Don Hale.   NWRRC member Steve Forsyth this week praised the support of local runners as he launched his appeal for any unwanted or spare sports kit for underprivileged young athletes in Gambia, The popular and talented runner, who has recently returned from his homeland overseas after visiting family and friends, is hoping to collect as many items as possible for numerous promising young sportsmen and women in Gambia, who desperately need any surplus trainers, t-shirts, running vests, socks, shorts, gloves, hats, scarves or even any unused gels! Many youngsters are said to be busy training for a variety of local races in Gambia including the forthcoming Banjul marathon events but have limited protective shoes and sports clothing

URGENT APPEAL TO HELP YOUNG SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN IN GAMBIA. Spare trainers, and sports kit urgently wanted for underprivileged athletes... Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runner Steve Forsyth is appealing for any unwanted sports items including trainers, running t-shirts, vests, socks, shorts, unused gels, gloves, hats, and scarfs etc for use by underprivileged young athletes in Gambia. *Steve Forsyth (above) is appealing for trainers and kit for Gambia. Steve, who recently travelled to visit family and relatives in that country is urgently trying to fill a barrel load of equipment to send out there as soon as possible, and especially in time for potential participants in the local Banjul marathon. He confirmed: ‘Wanted please, your unwanted, or no longer used, men’s and women’s trainers, together with any other unwanted sports gear.  ‘I am sending them to Gambia for people who can’t afford trainers. I am happy to collect from any corner of the UK and note that we already have re

   *Harry Driscoll was the first club runner home at the Conwy  Parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Conwy parkrun returned to action again following the intervention of Storm Arwen the previous Saturday, but numbers were down due to a clash with other fixtures and a cold blustery wind. The event was won by tourist Ben Hague (Rotherham Harriers) in a PB of 17 minutes 9 seconds, and his club colleague Tammy Hague, also won her VW35-39 age cat in 23.03 and was the 2nd female athlete. Nic Brook (Eryri Harriers) had a great run finishing in 3rd place overall, and the 4th place was taken by international long-distance traveller Bernabe Sanchez Naffziger (Singapore Shufflers) in 19.08. North Wales Road Runners  entered nine athletes amongst the 164 finishers and  Harry Driscoll  was the first club man home finishing 5th overall in 19 minutes 22 seconds to win his SM20-24 age category, and  Sean Butler  was another cat winner of his MV60-64 section.                      *St

*Carla and Martin Green both won their age categories at Conwy Records smashed despite cool and blustery conditions at Conwy half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. Photo’s courtesy of Mick Hall and NWRRC members. Records were smashed and many North Wales athletes celebrated prestigious age category wins at the re-scheduled Conwy half-marathon last Sunday despite cool and very blustery conditions. And it was a particularly close-run contest amongst the elite athletes with many of the top six positions constantly changing places as they battled their way from Conwy Castle and back via the Great Orme, with 17-runners dipping under 80 minutes over a very challenging course. Gary Priestley  (Salford Harriers) eventually claimed an overall victory with a tremendous display to win the race in 1 hour 10 minutes 28 seconds, and he was more than a minute clear of second-placed  Michael Young  (West Cheshire AC) in 1.12.12, with  Tom Roberts  (Meirionnydd RC) just 20-seconds adrift in third spot in 1