Don Hale Blog

(Pictured above) Martin Green in NWRRC vest dipped under 16 minutes and claimed new personal best time in the "Fast 5k" race at Wigan. Paul Freary is at the head of the pack Report by Don Hale. Photographs by John Earlston. North Wales Road Runner Martin Green recorded an incredible personal best time (PB) at Wigan last Tuesday night in a high-quality 5k race, and just dipped under 16 minutes for the very first time. This event marked a fabulous performance from Martin who quickly hit top gear and accelerated away from the “Green” flag and burnt some rubber on the five-lap, Three Sisters go-cart track, to register an official time of 15 minutes 59 seconds.  Martin accelerated from the "Green" flag on the Three Sisters go-cart track It was a proud moment for the talented veteran athlete and marathon star, who later confirmed: ‘It was a “Fast 5k” event and included 5 x 1k laps, which was ideal. A PB, and my first time under 16 minutes. I was well chuffed to be honest,

 *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

*Josh Keogh won his 'Senior Man' age category at the Welsh one-mile championships Josh celebrated top-three finish and Welsh age category title *Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery. North Wales Road Runner Josh Keogh celebrated a great performance in last weekend’s Welsh Athletics one-mile virtual championships, finishing 2 nd  overall, with two other club runners claiming podium positions in their respective age groups. Staged as an unusual out-and-back race, and held over three days amidst very difficult weather conditions, the race proved to be a very close encounter, as Josh finished just 14 seconds behind the eventual winner Alex Jackson (U20M) from Cardiff AC, who ran home in an incredible time of just 4 mins 39 seconds. Josh though, added the Welsh 'Senior Man' title to his excellent top-three placing, recording a great time of 4.53, and secured 2 nd  spot by a mere 5 seconds ahead of 3 rd  placed rival Nic Brook from Eyri Harriers, who was 1 st

                                                                       Stuart Culverhouse Two North Wales runners claim age category wins North Wales Road Runners claimed several age-related podium places in last weekend’s Kidsgrove virtual 10k and 5k races, which attracted over 500 athletes, despite an extended spell of icy weather and extensive Covid-19 restrictions. Stuart Culverhouse and Kevin Slattery both won their individual age categories in the 10k challenge, with Stuart having a fine run to finish 7 th  overall and 1 st  M45 cat winner in 42 mins 43 secs, and Kevin completing a fantastic performance to win his M65 cat in 17 th  place overall in 45.21. In addition, charity fundraiser Llinos Davies from GOG Triathlon finished in 163 rd  place overall and was the 7 th  F60 runner in 68.19. The overall race was won by Scott Zikmanis from Newcastle (Staffs), 1 st  M40 cat runner in 36.25.                                Kevin Slattery   Exciting family finishes in 5k race   It wa

Spanish runners claim North Wales vests during club challenge They say the camera never lies, and at first glance it would appear that several members of North Wales Road Running Club have abandoned the current freezing temperatures to enjoy some welcome Spanish sunshine…but rest assured Covid restrictions have NOT been ignored, and the photographs simply relates to members of the Fondistes Running Club, near Barcelona, who proudly wear the vests of their rivals after claiming prizes from the recent International relay challenge. Pictured (above and below), members of the Fondistes Running club in Spain. Members of the Spanish athletic club should have come to Wales last summer for a friendship exchange, but plans were suddenly curtailed due to the worldwide pandemic.   NWRRC club chairman Kevin Slattery therefore organised a 5k inter-club relay at the end of last year, with mixed gender and ability teams representing both clubs. The event proved a huge success with forty athletes taki

Ghost and Mystery Stories - THE WOMAN IN THE RED DRESS - By Don Hale THE battered old dredger 'Penrose Bay' eased alongside the jetty at Dover Harbour. She had just returned with a most precious cargo, about sixty servicemen, lifted from the bloody, smoke ridden beaches of war-torn Dunkirk. Once the butt of many a joke in the dockside taverns around Pompey, this rusting old flat-bottomed tub now took centre stage alongside a Frigate, two Destroyers and a host of other smaller naval craft and pleasure boats. This had been its finest hour! Sergeant Tom Evans grasped at a corroded handrail on its top deck and scanned the waiting crowds on the quayside for familiar faces. After more than two years of military service in France with the outflanked British Expeditionary Force, and thankful to escape from the rapid advance of the German invasion, Royal Engineer Evans was practically back in England again. His face became contorted though at the prospect of a reunion with his family. T

  (1) B ILLY – the Bright Blue Ball - a children's story The first in a series of fictional short stories by Don Hale. BILLY woke with a start to the sound of a small boy tapping a coin on the shop window. As he slowly opened his heavy eyes, he could see someone staring back at him. It was unnerving. Billy was in the far corner of the window.  He felt rather uncomfortable and was perched on a soft pack of coloured plasticine, which was at precisely the same height as the boy’s eyes. Each day at exactly 4pm, this very same boy passed by the window with his mother on his home from school. It was an old-fashioned toy and gift shop in a small village on the Lleyn Peninsula. The window was a magnet for children of all ages. It seemed like an Aladdin’s cave packed full of goodies. It had everything from a wooden yo-yo, to a spinning top, an impressive Knight’s Castle, string puppets, metallic cranes, cloth dolls and a large electric train set. The train could be started by pressing a sma

                                   The genuine detectives' office at Manchester Town Hall SHERLOCK HOLMES, DYNAMITERS, FOREIGN AGENTS AND ROGUES The perils of old Manchester & London  Report by Don Hale The period shortly before and after the turn of the 19th century coincided with the fictional publications of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who depicted his hero as the super sleuth Sherlock Holmes, and his able assistant Dr Watson.  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - the creator of the Sherlock Holmes character His work was extremely topical, and although at times it was criticised by senior Manchester Detective Jerome Caminada, he often included important references to the ‘Dynamiters’ and ‘Foreign Agents,’ and Holmes regularly pitted his wits against the admirable Inspector Lustrade at the new Scotland Yard.                                   Famous Manchester detective Jerome Caminada By this time, London could also boast of a unique police riverboat force, incorporated within the main city