Don Hale Blog

*Kelly Marie Alford (*pictured above), enjoyed a good run in Manchester. Kelly on form at the Manchester Winter Warmer 10k - plus other race results... Kelly Marie Alford  and her partner  Cai Roberts  took part in the breezy  Manchester Winter Warmer 10k  race last Sunday, with Kelly finishing 2nd in her F40 age cat in 49th place overall in a chip time of 50.12, whilst Cai was 77th in 53.18. *local athlete Gee Outen made her half-marathon debut in the Manchester Winter Warmer race and finished 2nd in her SW age cat in 1.44.30. She was 45th overall and the 4th female runner, and her partner Val also claimed a new PB in the 10k race.   *Pictured (*above left), Cai Roberts, who ran well at Heaton Park, with Lesley Goodson and Anthony Paul Davies at Cardiff, with (*above right), Richard Scamans, who enjoyed a canine parkrun at Newborough. *Cardiff:  Lesley Goodson   made her debut at the  Cardiff parkrun  last Saturday and claimed 3rd place in her VW55 age cat in 25.28. Afterwards, she co

*Gwennan Charlton (*above) competed well in the Llandudno Triathlon. Road Runner and all-round athlete Gwennan Charlton  took part in the  challenging  Triathlon on Llandudno Promenade and around the Great Orme on Sunday but she seemed slightly disappointed with her swim result after a slight mishap.  She explained: “I took a wrong turn in the swim and probably added an extra 100-200m. It really threw me off! When it came to the bike, I had nothing left in the tank for loop 1, after that mare of a swim.” I don’t think Gwennan though should be too hard on herself, as her results looked quite promising despite an unfortunate mishap, including: - 750m swim in 25 minutes 37 seconds, T1 2.51, 16.95K bike ride 60.00, T2 0.58, 5k run in 30 minutes 52 seconds. Well done Gwennan! *  Cai Roberts  and his partner Kelly Marie Alford are pictured (*above) with their finishing medals after completing the Cardiff half-marathon. Kelly Marie Alford  and  Cai Roberts  competed in the packed Cardiff half

* Karl Morris (*pictured above) tackled the Pedol Peris fell race.   Karl Morris tackled the tough Pedol Peris fell race. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Endurance athlete Karl Morris competed well in the challenging Pedol Peris half fell race last Saturday. This tough run included 1,461m of elevation and was run over about 14k of varied terrain.  After the event, NWRRC member Karl said:  “I competed in the Pedol Peris half-race which started in Llanberis. It’s a classic local fell race. Not my best but getting back from injury and a great morning on the tops. My overall time was 2hrs 40 mins and 44secs.” *Pictured above - Cai Roberts, Kevin Higgins and Kelly Marie Alford.   Road Running trio at Farndon 10k.   A Road Running trio consisting of Kelly Marie Alford, Cai Roberts, and Kevin Higgins competed in the undulating Farndon 10k race on Sunday, which attracted 325 mixed ability entrants. Kelly was on top form again and finished i

*NWRRC trio (*above) Cai Roberts, Kelly Marie Alford and Vicky Taylor. NW Road Running trio tackled the tough Ras Y Mynydd midweek race... Report by Don Hale.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Three NW Road Runners took part in the rather challenging Ras Y Mynydd multi-terrain fun-run last Wednesday night amidst a generous entry of some seventy-two hardy athletes. Cai Roberts  was the first club athlete home of the trio in 53rd place in 44 minutes 31 seconds and the race was competed over an undulating, yet picturesque 4.6-mile (7.3km) course, with Cai’s partner  Kelly Marie Alford  very close behind in 56th place in 45.07, and  Vicky Taylor  ran well and finished in 53.54. This race was perhaps a tough task for the NWRRC team as it came within a couple of days of them all tackling the Caernarfon 10k, last Sunday, where Kelly admitted to fatigue, but nevertheless, they all performed well and seemed to enjoy the run despite the course. It also meant a re

*Pictured above (l-r) NWRRC members Kevin Higgins, Kelly Alford and Cai Roberts at the Wilmslow 10k. Kelly records another course PB in the heat at the Wilmslow 10k... Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Four NWRRC members took part in the very well attended but hot  Wilmslow Summer 10k race  on Sunday, with  Kelly Marie Alford  probably the pick of the team, and she was delighted to record another course PB of nearly one and a half minutes.  Kelly  eventually finished in 1,063rd place in 48.33, with  Cai Roberts  next in 1,110th place in 49.03. And  Kevin Higgins  was also in form and finished 1,212th in 53.00, with master veteran  Mike Hayton  1,585th and enjoying a steady run in 58.35.   Mike  said: “Wilmslow 10k this morning, with my nephew Pete. A scenic course and a lovely sunny morning.” Kevin  later added: “ A great race and well organised but it was bit hot”   The race attracted over 2,500 entrants. *Mike  Hayton  (*above lef

*Martin Green (4th from left) with some of his Welsh team mates at Chester. Martin Green on form for club and country at Chester 10k. Report by Don Hale.   Martin Green was one of five North Wales Road Runners in the Chester 10k race last Sunday, but this week, he not only represented his club, but he also ran for Wales against England in a combined Masters 10k international event. Once again, he turned in another stunning performance and just missed out on a prestigious podium place finishing 4th in his MV45 age cat in 24th place overall in 33 minutes and 7 seconds. The talented athlete ran amidst a quality field of over 3,000 mixed ability entrants, including top international, club, and social runners, in a highly competitive event. The overall race winner was  Jonny Mellor  in 29.20, with  Omar Ahmed  (Birchfield Harriers) in close pursuit and finishing 2nd in 29.35, followed by  Charlie Hulson  (Deeside AAC) 3rd in 30.09. *Martin Green (*above  left ) with Richard Eccles. Martin G

*Runners on the road during the Snowdonia Marathon (l-r) Kelly Alford, Cai Roberts, Mandy Owen and Vicky Taylor. Road Runners battled the course and weather at Snowdonia Marathon....plus other race results & news. Report by Don Hale.   Ten members of North Wales Road Running Club completed the gruelling Snowdonia Marathon last Saturday despite battling a very tough course and some extremely challenging weather conditions that included driving rain and gusty winds, with two other runners forced to drop through injuries and sheer exhaustion. Ben Hudson was the first club man  home  and he   finished in 263rd place in 3.53.35, and  John Dalzell , also had an excellent run in 3 hours 56 minutes and 21 seconds. He was closely followed by Karl Morris in 303rd place in 3.57.56, and this was Karl's 7th running of this event. And colleague Sarah Ferguson Hudson, another top endurance and ultra- distance  athlete was  the 46th female finisher, and 326th overall, in 4.00.31.  Stuart Culv

 *Steve Forsyth (*above) dashes towards the finish line at the Amsterdam half-marathon. Other race results: - North Wales runners on the road.  Report by Don Hale. *Amsterdam parkrun:  Road Runners  Steve Forsyth  and  Jamie Tharme  travelled to the Amsterdamse Bos parkrun in Holland last weekend as a warm-up for the Amsterdam half-marathon the following day. In a massive field of nearly 500 starters,  Steve  had an incredible run to finish in 6th place in 17.39 and he also won his MV40 age cat, whilst  Jamie Tharme  celebrated a massive new PB time of 21.06 to knock about a minute off his previous best parkrun time to run home in 30th place and he was 4th in his MV45 age cat. The event was won by Welshman  Matthew Rees  (Swansea Harriers) in 16.04. *Jamie Tharme (*above) ran well at the Amsterdam parkrun and half-marathon. *Amsterdam half-marathon:   Steve Forsyth  and  Jamie Tharme  said they both struggled in the Amsterdam half-marathon last Sunday, yet they still recorded some dece

Road Running duo fly the flag at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Due to the latest 5k club championship event being held at Ruthin last weekend only two NWRRC members remained to proudly fly the flag at the Conwy parkrun, yet both athletes ran well and won their age categories amongst another popular entry of 176 varied entrants. Despite very wet conditions underfoot with another puddle-filled and muddy course, Road Runner  Will Williams continued his recent good form to finish in 4th place overall and he was also the 1st MV50 cat in 18.55. *Will Williams (*above) back to his best at Conwy following a period of ill health. And master veteran athlete  Don Hale  celebrated a surprise return to the Conwy parkrun following serious injury, which has kept him out of action since July, by winning his MV70 age cat in 75th place overall in 27.15. Due to this long delay, this was Don’s first event in this new age cat. Afterwards Don admitted: “It’s a been a long hard recovery battle and altho