Don Hale Blog

  Martin Green - a new Welsh marathon record holder   Two NWRRC runners in Welsh record books   North Wales Road Runners have celebrated the welcome end-of-year news that two club runners have achieved notable records for Welsh Masters Athletics in 2020, despite a very problematic year due to Covid-19 problems. Martin Green proved his high-calibre yet again, this time winning a prestigious Welsh marathon record, with a new PB time of 2 hrs 28 mins 11 secs as the MV45 champion. He ran this superb time during the Running Grand Prix at the Bedford Autodrome but seems determined to try to improve on this time whenever we return to live racing again. And veteran runner Don Hale says he was both fortunate and rather surprised to claim 3 rd  place overall in the Welsh Masters record books for his placing in the MV65 age category over 60 metres.  He set a record for his performance last January at the Welsh indoor meeting at Connah’s Quay, where he won gold in 1 st place, running 11.32 secs ov

When Charlie' lost' his mind - By Don Hale  IT was on the number 6 bus back from Eccles, near Manchester, on a bitterly cold, wet day, one November, that my friend Charlie first mentioned something about his amazing mind-reading claims.  We had been playing football against St Joseph's School at Monton - and won 3-2, - thanks to our centre forward Brian (Sniffer) Harris scoring a last minute penalty. The home side accused their goalkeeper of 'sleeping,' and of being 'nobbled,' as Sniffer struck home the winner.  Certainly the lad appeared to freeze, and made little or no effort to save the shot.  Charlie Cressbrook played on the left wing for our school team. On the journey home, as we celebrated a sweet victory with a packet of salt and vinegar crisps, some toffee cigarettes and a can of pop, he tried to tell the boys' about a dangerous trick he claimed to have mastered.  Charlie was a bit of a 'swank,' always boasting about something or other.