Don Hale Blog

*North Wales Road runner Mal Preece (*above) at the London Marathon. Mixed emotions but a great experience for athletes at the London Marathon...plus other results and updates... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Seven North Wales Road Runners competed in the televised London Marathon last Sunday amongst a mass participation of some 50,000 runners, who raised tens of thousands of pounds for various worthy charities, with many athletes recalling mixed emotions and personal best times! Mal Preece  was the first NWRRC member home with an excellent time of 3 hours and 20 minutes, and he celebrated following a great new PB time. Afterwards he confirmed:  “Very pleased with a new six-minute PB. I ran my first marathon back in 2011 at Chester, and to date I’ve knocked 20 minutes off that time. Looking to chip away my latest PB again next year with GFA time. My goal was to get my qualifying time for Berlin next year, which I achieved. ” *Pic

*Martin and Carla Green (*above), were welcomed back to Conwy parkrun. The Green duo welcomed back at Conwy parkrun in cool, blustery but relatively dry conditions... Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk It was another good turn-out at Conwy parkrun last Saturday as nearly 300 athletes of mixed ages and abilities enjoyed an unusually dry 5k riverside course, yet they still had to contend with a rather cool and blustery wind. The event welcomed back  North Wales Road Runners  Martin and Carla Green  following a period of absence, and this formidable duo formed part of a club team of twelve entrants, who collected two age category wins, three second places and two third. They both took it steady, like many other runners this week, due to additional race commitments the following day, with  Martin  finishing 6th overall, and he was 2nd in his VM45 cat in 20 minutes and 39 seconds, whilst  Carla  won her VW50 cat in 62nd place in 25.05.  Wil

*Morgan Kendall (*above) pictured at his recent Conwy half-marathon victory continued his excellent form at the Conwy parkrun. Hot pace set by Morgan Kendall at cool and breezy Conwy parkrun...and four age cat wins for NWRRC. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was cool, with very breezy conditions at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday, but it was good to see talented local athlete and student Morgan Kendall set a hot pace from the start of this 5k event despite some tough opposition. Returning home from  Durham University  for the festive holidays  Morgan , representing (Durham City Harriers), maintained his top form and gained a narrow victory over rivals  James Smith  (Menai T&F), and  Harty Woodford .  He recorded another excellent time of just 17 minutes and 14 seconds to win his SM20 age cat, and finished just 9-seconds ahead of James, who claimed 2nd place in the same age cat as Morgan in 17.25, with

* Mark Mason (*pictured above), ran well and finished 4th overall at Conwy.   Five age cat wins for the Road Runners at another puddle-filled Conwy parkrun - plus other race results. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   A dozen North Wales Road Runners took part in another puddled-filled parkrun event at Conwy last Saturday, where, despite the awful conditions underfoot, they still managed to win five respective age categories, plus one second placing, and one third. During an unusually bright and sunny morning,  Steve Mason  led the NWRRC team home with a determined performance over this near waterlogged 5k course in 4th place overall in 19 minutes and 32 seconds, and he won his VM45 age cat.  Will Evans  then celebrated a new course PB, but finished just six-seconds, and one place behind Steve, but won his VM40 cat in 19.38, with  Harry Driscoll  9th in 20.07, and he too won his SM20 age cat.   *Pictured above

*Martin Green (*in yellow vest) leads out the runners at Conwy parkrun. Busy parkrun at Conwy as visiting entrants negotiated the puddles...plus other race results at Tooting and Hyde Park. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It proved to be another busy half-term parkrun at Conwy again last Saturday despite many athletes taking part in the Eryri Marathon and other competing fixtures, but the Road Runners managed to turn out ten members and collected three 1st place age category wins, four 2nd places, and one third. Some 239 runners enjoyed the challenge of negotiating this problematic 5k puddle-filled course, which attracted mixed ability entrants from across the UK.  One such athlete was  Seth Kirby  (Steel City Striders RC), who was the first runner back on his course debut in 17 minutes and 48 seconds to additionally win his SM30 cat.  Dave Hughes  claimed the 2nd spot and won his VM35 cat with a PB in 17.5