Don Hale Blog

*Jonathan Kettle (NWRC) finished third at the Conwy parkrun last week. Wet and windy parkruns - but they still attracted plenty of tourists...full results round-up... Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 It was another wet and windy day for most North Wales parkrunners last Saturday morning, yet it still failed to deter a wealth of keen visitors and participants to many a ‘splash and dash’ 5k course. Conwy was no exception where 225 hardy entrants braved the elements and the waterlogged riverside route to record some exceptional times given the circumstances. The first runner home at Conwy however, remained unknown at the time of writing, but there was just six-seconds between the second and third finishers, which included visitor  Jonty Brown  (Buxton AC) on his debut in 18 minutes and 13 seconds, with  Jonathan Kettle  (NWRRC) third in 18.19. Visitor  Beatrice Cordingley  (Sale Harriers) was the first female finisher (7th overall) with a new P...

*Mike Hayton (NWRRC) battles with the elements to finish the Porth Eirias 10k. Wild, wet and windy for the Porth Eirias 10k. *Daniel Hennell (*above left) with Stuart Culverhouse are pictured just after completing their race against the weather conditions. Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   It was wild, wet and windy for 183 runners at the Port Eirias 10k last Saturday, yet many athletes still recorded some excellent times. Gareth Griffith  was the first finisher overall in just 37 minutes and 10 seconds, but he was pushed all the way by runner-up  Rhodri Williams  (Cybi Striders) in 37.21. with  Christopher Jones  (Abergele Harriers) third in 38.21. * Emily Grandfield  (TTT RC) was the first female finisher (10th overall) in 42.42, and  Mia Williams  was second (21st) in 46.10, with  Ellie Evans  (Cybi Striders) third (24th) in 46.23. *Stuart Culverhouse (*above left) with master vet Rob Fryer and veteran Len...

*When the going gets tough, the tough get going; pictured above (l-r): Mandy Owen, Elizabeth Driscoll, Hannah Griffith and Gwen Charlton, and (*below) Kevin Slattery in the white top is shown with Steve Bozier on a challenging hill climb ( *photo courtesy of Sport pictures Cymru). Tough day on the rolling hills for hardy athletes in the Eryri Marathon...local results  round-up... Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   It was a very tough day for the 2,208 hardy athletes and all the volunteers on the rolling hills around Snowdonia last Saturday as they battled gale force winds, hail, and driving rain at times for the gruelling Eryri Marathon. And, as if the unpredictable weather was not bad enough, the varied range of mixed ability, but mainly experienced competitors from far and wide, also faced a series of picturesque but undulating challenges over roads, rough tracks, and steep mixed terrain descents. *Pictured above - The mass of runners at the start of t...

 *Pictured above - Black Cloak Runners at the Amsterdam Marathon with Helen Hannam (*front row - far left - and birthday girl Nia Lister - third from left front row. Black Cloak Runners' group enjoyed a birthday bash at the Amsterdam Marathon... Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   A large group of North Wales athletes together with family members and supporters travelled to Amsterdam last weekend to compete in their annual marathon. The idea started almost a challenge, as sixteen members of  Black Cloak Runners  from Colwyn Bay suddenly had an idea to help celebrate member Nia Lister’s birthday, so they decided to do something completely different, and opt for an overseas marathon debut adventure. *Birthday celebrations  for Nia Lister (*above left) with Helen Hannam. One of the birthday bash organisers Helen Hannam explained: “ We wanted to help Nia run her first marathon on her birthday, so sixteen of us from Black Cloak Runners went to ...

*Pictured above -Steve Bozier at the Chester Marathon. NW Road Running duo ran well in the Chester Marathon. Special report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Two North Wales Road Runners tackled the windswept Chester Marathon on Sunday and they both performed well, especially given the extremely challenging conditions. Steve Bozier  was a little apprehensive about running this distance at first after taking some time out from longer races, but he ran well in chip positions of 844th out of 6,698 entrants in 3 hours 26 minutes and 12 seconds, and afterwards he said: A great day back racing again, my first marathon in a year, and only my second race this year.  “I really enjoyed that and only entered two weeks ago with just six weeks of training as a warm-up for the  Eryri Marathon in three weeks. I took it relatively easy and paced it well to get my second fastest marathon time. Rest now, recover, and onto the next one!"  Jon Evans  ( *Pictured rig...

*Pictured above - Dougie Graham battled injury and he is now ready for action. Dougie builds back his fitness for Happy Faces charity bid at the London Marathon... Special report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Popular runner and charity fundraiser Dougie Graham has faced a problematic time battling with injuries over this past year, but he has been steadily building back his fitness in readiness for another attempt to run the London Marathon for a worthy cause in 2026. His heroic efforts were unfortunately curtailed earlier this year when he collected a niggling injury that sidelined him for many months, yet this didn’t stop him from volunteering and marshalling at many local parkruns and other events. Now a member of  Dalzell Runners ,  North Wales Road Runners , and still a member of Black Cloak Runners, Dougie is making a slow but steady comeback attempt, and he has been using a treadmill at times to ease his pain, before completing a few test events, inc...

*Pictured above and below - the fast start of the spectacular 5k fundraising race on the prom at Llandudno for the RNLI. Spectacular 5k fundraising race on the prom for the RNLI. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Caitlin Faye and others. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 It was a spectacular morning on Llandudno promenade last Sunday as bright warm sunshine greeted over 300 athletes and their supporters to an amazing 5k fundraising race for the town’s essential RNLI group Well organised by race director  John Hatton  and backed by a large and enthusiastic team of hard-working volunteers and marshals, this event attracted a wealth of elite, club and social runners, who recorded some very fast times in near perfect conditions; and this event also included some very popular junior races for children and their parents. John later confirmed:  “I have been working with  Catherine Tudor-Jones , who is the Community Manager. She was so thrilled the event went so well. Originally, th...

*NWRRC member Mal Preece (*above) pictured at the promotional finish area with his medal after running in the Berlin Marathon. Road Running duo beat the heat in the Berlin Marathon. *The North Wales dynamic duo of Mal Preece (*above left), and Lesley Goodson relax after competing in very hot conditions during the Berlin Marathon. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Two members of North Wales Road Runners ran in the world famous Berlin Marathon on Sunday in very hot temperatures, which seemed in stark contrast to the rather wet and windy weather in the UK over the weekend. Both  Mal Preece  and  Lesley Goodson  claimed they were glad to finish, but the pair still recorded some excellent times given the circumstances of competing in this prestigious event, and in those unexpected conditions, along with tens of thousands of global entrants. Mal finished in 3 hours 48 minutes and 25 seconds, and afterwards he explained: “This was marathon number 8 at...