Don Hale Blog

*North Wales Road Runner Dave Spofforth (*above) with his family. Spooky Dark Run success for Hope House and Ty Gobaith Childen’s Charities...  Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery. A slightly early but rather spooky Halloween style 5k Dark Run took place last Saturday night from the RSPB site near Llandudno Junction, and followed the Conwy 5k parkrun course under lights to help raise funds for Ty Gobaith and Hope House Children’s charities. CHECK OUT THE LATEST UPDATES AND DRONE FOOTAGE:  https://youtu.be/ONwPKoIiM It was not a race, yet the event still attracted 250 runners and walkers of all ages, who carried special Glow Sticks and head torches to help light their way across the bridge to the Cob, then out and back along the river path towards Deganwy Quay. Backed by a superb team of event marshals and volunteers, the entrants enjoyed a great physical warm up at the start under bright floodlights with music, backed by a further disco set pitched along the Cob to give so

*Steve Mason (*above) won his age cat at Conwy in 9th place. Josh and Steve claimed age cat wins at Conwy parkrun Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Only two North Wales Road Runners took part in the Conwy parkrun last Saturday due to the club 5k dash at Prestatyn and other fixture clashes, but both members won their respective age categories and finished within the top-ten finishers. Josh Keogh  was the first club man home in 2nd place overall with a fast time of 17 minutes and 13 seconds to win his SM30-34 age cat, and  Steve Mason  also had a fast finish in 9th place overall in 19.04, and he too won his MV45 age cat in 19.04. The event was won by first-time Conwy parkrunner and tourist  Keith Swainson  (Sheffield RC) in 17.04, who finished just 9-seconds ahead of Josh.  *Josh Keogh (*above) was the first NWRRC member back at Conwy. Another visitor,  Ian Hales  (Redhill Road Runners), claimed the 3rd spot in 18.11, and the 1st female athlete was former NWRRC member  Gemma

*Mark Jessett (*above) was the first NWRRC runner back at the Conwy Parkrun. Bumper holiday entry at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos Steve Jeffrey.   Nearly 300 entrants of all ages and abilities were welcomed to an unusually sun-drenched Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning for the traditional bumper holiday event. With many local club athletes including NWRRC runners busy preparing for the later Easter 5k Dash on the prom, the top placings went to visitors  Craig Derbyshire  M30,   in 1st place in 17 minutes 35 seconds, with  Oliver Bernstein  M30, (Chorlton Runners) 2nd in 17.51, and junior athlete  Sam Gunning  JM15-17, finishing 3rd in 17.58. Only three Road Runners took part in the warm 5k challenge this week with  Mark Jessett  finishing 6th overall and 2nd in his MV35 age cat in 18.50, with  Steve Mason  27th and 4th in his MV 45-49 cat in 22.16, and  Dave Spofforth 172nd in 29.38.  *Steve Mason (*above) with another fine run at Conwy last Saturday. Dave however ran wi

*Stuart Culverhouse (above) enjoyed another good performance at the Conwy Parkrun. Hot pace for top athletes at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   It was an incredibly bright, sunny, and warm start for nearly two-hundred Conwy parkrunners last Saturday morning with the first eleven athletes setting a hot pace to record some superb times and all dipping under the twenty-minute barrier. Ian Lawton  (Mersey Tri) was the first finisher overall in a very fast time of just 16 minutes and 4 seconds over this challenging 5k course, with  James Yarwood  (Abergele Harriers) 2nd despite a great new PB, and finishing exactly one minute behind Ian in 17.04, whilst local junior  Alfie Shirland  (Colwyn Bay AC) claimed 3rd place with another good run in 17.43 to win his JM11-14 age cat.                      *Will Williams (*above) turned in another great run in 7th place. North Wales Road Runners  entered eleven senior members and one junior with  Will Williams  continuing

Podium place for Steve Bozier at Snowdonia Epic Trail 10k race - and a great team effort. Report by Don Hale.   Five club runners took part in the highly challenging Snowdonia Epic Trail 10k race last Sunday in the rain where Steve Bozier enjoyed an exceptional run to claim a podium position as the 3rd placed finisher. *Steve Bozier put in a great performance to finish 3rd in the Snowdonia Trail race and he is pictured (*top of page) and (*above centre) in the white top appearing as a giant on the start line. Steve ran an amazing 48 minutes 53 seconds, and he was also 2nd in his respective age category. The race also recorded some other notable team performances from  Dave Spofforth ,  Liz Driscoll ,  Hannah Griffiths , and  Samantha Williams , with a couple of the members only recruited at the last minute. *Some good running from the ladies at the Snowdonia Trail race (pictured l-r), Hannah Griffith, Sam Williams and Liz Driscoll. *Another excellent  result  for Dave Spofforth (*pictu