Don Hale Blog

*They think it's all over - it is now! Three exhausted but happy runners (l-r) Cai Roberts, Kelly-Marie Alford  and  Vicky Taylor after completing the NW half-marathon race last Sunday morning. Club athletes competed in tough North Wales half-marathon Report by Don Hale. Believed to be one of the toughest events in the country, some 138 endurance athletes took part in the re-scheduled North Wales half-marathon race last Sunday in mixed weather conditions. This incredible challenge started and finished on the beach close to the Mulberry Marina and crossed back and forth into the Snowdonia National Park.  Set between the mountains and sea near Conwy, this year’s race unfortunately attracted a reduced entry due to previous pandemic restrictions, yet all were treated to some spectacular scenery over a difficult course. North Wales Road Runners  had five members competing and although most found the route very hard, they all claimed to have enjoyed their venture.  * Steve Roberts perfor

NWRRC athletes braved the heat at Aldi Chester 10k - and hosepipe came to the rescue of all runners...   Report by Don Hale   Several North Wales athletes turned out at the Aldi Chester 10k road race last Sunday despite a heat wave, and social distancing restrictions, within a massive turnout of nearly 3,000 runners. Newcomer  Jamie Tharme  was the first club man home in 50 minutes 51 seconds in 430th place from 1,633 male runners. He was followed by  Cai Roberts  in 55.49 in 676th place, with local soccer referee  Charlie Owen , a highly creditable 1,225th in 77.34. *Charlie  and Mandy Owen sizzled at the Chester 10k *Vicky Taylor had another good run at Chester in the heat Kelly-Marie Alford  led the ladies back home with another good run as 137th female out of 1,165 finishers in 55.06. And  Vicky Taylor  was another runner in fine form and following on from last week’s fell race, finishing as 239th female in 58.54, with  Mandy Owen  301st female in 60.49. Afterwards, Kelly confirmed

*Kelly-Marie Alford performed well despite the horrendous weather Kelly and Cai defy the weather to finish Brynkinalt 20k trail race Report by Don Hale. Kelly-Marie Alford  and her partner  Cai Roberts  braved a variety of horrific and very challenging weather conditions last Sunday to take part in the tough Brynkinalt 20k trail race as part of the Adrenaline Sporting Events, Running Festival. The pair ran very well together and finished jointly in 28th place in 2 hours 16 minutes 47 seconds. Kelly was also 8th Lady, but she said how horrendous the conditions suddenly became with mixed and then severe weather throughout. She explained: ‘ We ran together. The first lap was so hot, and because it was a trail race we were running through trees, the air was humid and so hard to breathe. Just before finishing the first lap, I said to Cai that I was quitting and doing no more, I was so fed up. ‘The second lap though was like a monsoon with thunder and lightning. We were running through thick

*Course PB times for  both  Mandy and Charlie Owen in the heat at Southport half-marathon (*Pictured above) Incredible 11-minute PB for Mandy Report by Don Hale   Five determined athletes from North Wales Road Runners braved extreme temperatures and made another border crossing to the seaside town of Southport last Sunday to compete in the half-marathon. Staged in very hot and humid weather, this popular event attracted 1083 finishers for the half-marathon race, and nearly 400 more for the 10k dash, yet despite the heat, two NWRRC athletes still celebrated course PB times. Stuart Culverhouse  was the first club man home in 127th place in a superb time of 1 hour 34 minutes and 37 seconds,’ but afterwards Stuart admitted: ‘I really struggled out there today in the humid conditions.’                                    *Stuart Culverhouse Kelly-Marie Alford  continued her return to form in 614th position overall in 2.02.17. She was also affected by the heat and humidity and explained: ‘It

  *Jonathan Kettle claimed a new 10k PB at Colshaw Hall (Photo Mick Hall) Personal Best time for Jonathan Kettle at Colshaw 10k   Report by Don Hale Jonathan Kettle crossed the border again to compete in another live event and claimed a great new personal best time (PB), and finished 3rd in his age category during the Colshaw Hall 10k, near Knutsford on a warm Sunday morning. The North Wales Road Runner showed grit and determination as he raced around the Cheshire country lanes and was 11th overall but won a bronze placing in his MV45 age cat in 34 minutes 16 seconds, beating his previous best time by eight seconds. Jonathan led home a small team of five club members amongst the 680 finishers with Dean Allison finishing in 117th place in 41.20, and he was just five seconds ahead of Stuart Culverhouse 119th in 41.25. Kelly-Marie Alford continued her good form to finish 357th overall and 74th female athlete in 52.12, and her partner Cai Roberts, who was pushing the buggy around the cours

*Kelly Marie Alford and her partner Cai Roberts with their young son Noah ATHLETES ON THE RUN Kelly and Cai beat the heat in “Secret” half-marathon   Both Kelly-Marie Alford and her partner Cai successfully completed a virtual half-marathon event last Saturday as part of a special “Secret Half” challenge. This was an invite only event from Cardiff half-marathon organisers HOKA One-One. The invites were offered to the top twenty non-elite finishers from the 2019 race, plus the top performers from certain age categories. The pair, however, were unable to run together due to work commitments, so Cai ran his race from 12-noon, whilst Kelly completed her challenge in the evening after work.  Cai also had his child-minding duties to undertake, so he pushed their young son Noah on a tough course around the Great Orme, with the youngster strapped firmly into his buggy. He finished in 2 hours 46 minutes, and Kelly – without a buggy – ran home in 2.03.28. Afterwards, a relieved Kelly said: ‘I am

 *Kelly-Marie Alford and Cai Roberts in Heaton Park Deserved podium place for Kelly at Heaton Park half-marathon Report by Don Hale. North Wales athletes Kelly-Marie Alford and her partner Cai Roberts crossed the English border to Heaton Park in Manchester on Sunday to take part in a “live” half-marathon event where Kelly claimed a deserved age-related podium place. In a popular race that would still be prohibited in Wales due to current Covid-19 restrictions on running events, Kelly battled the weather and a series of challenging hill climbs to earn a silver medal position as 2nd in her F35 age category. The half-marathon was part of a welcome three-race programme, including both a 5k and 10k, and recording nearly 800 finishers in total  Despite a lack of endurance training and race fitness, both Kelly and Cai, who were representing NWRRC, ran well and enjoyed their first major race competition for over a year, with Kelly running home in 2 hours 8 minutes 39 seconds.  She was less tha

Report by Don Hale.  North Wales Road Runner Jonathan Kettle set a hot pace on a cold day but soon hit top gear on the famous Oulton Park motor racing circuit to claim his third win in the annual 16-miler race in the past three years to celebrate a unique hat-trick of prestigious victories. Jonathan Kettle completed a unique hat-trick of wins at Oulton Park Jonathan was one of three club runners who competed in a variety of rare ‘live’ races around the brand-new traffic-free course at Tarporley, last Sunday, which is also the famous home of the British Touring Car Championships, and the British Superbike Championships. Jonathan won this ‘Grand Prix’ running event in just 1 hr 37 mins 18 secs, and also dipped under the chequered flag to claim his M45 age category prize.  He also recorded several best chip times during laps of the race and  finishing two-minutes ahead of the 2nd placed runner.  Afterwards however, Jonathan modestly played down his remarkable achievement, saying: ‘It was