Don Hale Blog

*Josh Keogh (*pictured above) had a great run at Conwy. Josh celebrated his run in the sun at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   There was another good turn-out of mixed ability athletes at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday where all the entrants were again blessed with warm sunshine and an unusually bone-dry 5k course. North Wales Road Runner  Josh Keogh  was the worthy first placed finisher, and he also celebrated his SM30 age category in 17 minutes and 52 seconds. Josh was just 14-seconds ahead of his nearest rival  Aled Hughes , who was 2nd in 18.06, with  Alison Campbell  (Sheffield University) 3rd overall, and she was also the 1st female finisher, winning her SW30 cat in 18.41.  The other female finishers were  Sally Bennett  2nd, and 15th place overall in 21.01, with  Vicky Cole  (GOG Triathlon), the 3rd female, and 17th overall, despite a great PB of 21.17.  *There were 295 finishers in total. Josh Keogh  led a team of nine club members home, and he was

*Some of the North Wales Road Runners (*above) at the Easter Prom Dash. Quality field battled for honours at Llandudno’s 5k Easter Prom Dash. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Kevin Slattery.   The annual Easter 5k Dash on Llandudno promenade last Saturday attracted a massive quality field of top club and social runners with many raising thousands of pounds for local charities. Blessed by bright, warm sunshine, over three-hundred runners created a fast and furious encounter watched by huge crowds of supporters and tourists on the prom, who generated a tremendous and unique atmosphere from start to finish. Dion Griffith  (Menai T&F) was the eventual winner of this popular race, but it was a battle to the finish with several keen rivals, who made him fight all the way for honours. Dion eventually took the plaudits and won his senior men age cat with an incredible chip time of just 15 minutes and 46 seconds. He was closely followed by talented youngster  Noah Vaughan  (Eryri Harriers), wh

*Steve Gardner (*pictured above) won a bronze medal after finishing 3rd in his MV60 age cat at Brecon. Bronze medal for Steve  Gardner  at Welsh National cross-country championships at Brecon.. Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runner Steve Gardner swapped the tarmac for the mud last Saturday as he competed in the Welsh National cross-country championships at Brecon and won a prestigious bronze medal and a podium place in this high-quality race. The talented veteran athlete ran against two hundred top Welsh club runners over a challenging 10.35k course in this male master’s event and finished in 113th place in 41 minutes and 10 seconds to claim 3rd place in his MV60 age cat. After the race Steve said: “ I ran in the Welsh xc champs and managed to get 3rd place in my MV60 age group, the first 4 were all within I minute. 1st David Warren 40.25 2nd  Peter Sowerby  40.43, 3rd me 41.10, and 4th  Haydn Jones  41.14.” This latest result confirms his recent top form where he recently coll

* Pictured (*above and l-r) the three female podium race winners from the Nick Beer 10k, Amie Bagnall, Eleesha Charnley, and Rachel Shipley. Nick Beer 10k charity success as runners tackled the Orme in bright sunshine. Report by Don Hale. Most photos  courtesy  of John Hatton. Over five-hundred mixed ability runners enjoyed bright sunshine and some spectacular scenery around the Great Orme in Llandudno last Sunday for the ever-popular Nick Beer 10k race. The large crowds of tourists and supporters on the promenade were treated to a feast of entertainment as the mass ranks quickly dashed past the pier and began the challenging ascent and later descent of the Orme prior to returning to the start via Church Walks. The event also welcomed a special 1k fun run for children and parents on the prom with proceeds donated towards  St David’s Hospice . And the 10k race that followed the junior race also raised tens of thousands of pounds for local charities including  Shine, Ty Gobaith, St John’

*Will Williams (*above) finished 2nd in the Run Wales 5k race Loyal athletes battled horrific weather in Run Wales 5k and 10k races...plus  Martin and Carla Green at Telford 10k. Report by Don Hale.   Nine Road Runners took part in the Run Wales Loyalty 5k and 10k races last Saturday despite freezing conditions that included sleet, rain, and snow, and a tough course covered in mud with many deep puddles. The race organisers confirmed this was a non-profit event and offered a free bonus place to runners who had previously entered at least two Run Wales events this year.  Both races utilised what was meant to be a very fast, flat, and scenic course long the cycle tracks from Conwy Bridge to Deganwy Quay and back, but the adverse weather conditions made the races far more of a challenge than expected. The 5k race  attracted twenty-one runners, and it was won by  James Yarwood  (Abergele Harriers) in 16.39, with  Will Williams  from NWRRC claiming a deserved 2nd place overall, and 1st in h