Don Hale Blog

TELFORD 10K - exclusive match report courtesy of NW road race team manager Paul Brooks from NWRAC. So, the final opportunity for the North Wales road running athletes to represent the Region was on 11th December, at the Telford 10km. This race is advertised as England’s fastest and has a justifiable reputation for not only having a fast, traffic-free course but a field of exceptionally quick athletes.  However, a mixture of injuries and unavailability (including four withdrawals in the week before the race) meant two men, Andy Bromley and Nick Brook , were co-opted into the men’s team literally hours before the start. The day was cold, with temperatures hovering around zero and just below, but the course had been gritted both the day before and in places on the morning of the race, so was declared safe to go ahead. However, it started to snow during wave one and turned into a heavy downfall as the morning progressed, gradually stopping towards the end of wave three. To illustrate the

*Amie Bagnall (*above) who is about to cross a  snowy finish line at Telford, and (*below), some members of the North Wales team at the Telford 10k. North Wales athletes beat the snow and ice to record many new PBs at Telford 10k . Introduction by Don Hale.   My thanks to the North Wales Road Race team manager, Paul Brooks, who was out with his team in freezing temperatures for a couple of hours last Sunday at Telford. This is his personal report. Well done to Paul, to all the athletes, and especially to all the volunteers and supporters involved with this race in snowy and very icy conditions. Special report and photos by team manager Paul Brooks (*pictured above). *Rachel Shipley (*above) and pictured at the start area. These were our times from the Telford 10km:   Ryan Davis  (Wrexham) recorded 30:50 with a huge new PB. This ranks him at no 8 in the all-time NWRAC list and 9th in the senior men's list.  Luke Northall  (Wrexham) 33:19, 10 seconds faster than last year here.  Mart

  *( Pictured above ) The North Wales team at the Inter-County match in Llandudno last Sunday at the Nick Beer 10k race, against Cheshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire. Back row:   Louis Lermite , Bryn Woodall,  Ricky Challinor ,  Ted Flynn ,  Scott Nixon  and  Martin Green   with team manager   Paul Brooks . Front row:   Jen Adams ,  Claire Wyn-Jones ,  Tracy Rogers ,  Rachel Shipley ,  Carla Green  and Amie Bagnall. Inter-Counties victory for North Wales team at Nick Beer 10k race Report by Don Hale   A team of twelve top athletes from North Wales took part in a scintillating Inter-Counties competition against rivals from Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Shropshire last Sunday, which was held in baking temperatures within the Nick Beer 10k Memorial race. The North Wales team claimed 1st place and were comfortable winners of the men’s race, with the women’s team narrowly beaten into 2nd position following a close-fought encounter. A team of six competed for honours amongst twenty-three ma