donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026

Good numbers and times at the Llanrug 5k championship race. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   There was a good turnout of over two-hundred runners at the midweek Llanrug 5k championship race despite the wet and windy conditions, and quite remarkably, the first eighteen finishers all dipped under eighteen minutes! Meirionnydd athletes  Tomos Roberts and Ifan Dafydd  took the first two finishing places with  Huw Gwynn  (Eryri Harriers) third. Tomos recorded a superb time of just 15 minutes and 37 seconds, with Daffyd close behind in 15.42, and Huw in 16.29. The first female was  Tilly Edwards  (Cybi Striders) in 18.01, with  Tinka Vinks  (Eryri Harriers) the runner-up in 19.14, and  Elliw Haf Roberts  (Eryri Harriers) finished third in 19.52. *North Wales Road Runners  had 15 members involved and young  Joe Culverhouse  led the team home with an outstanding performance in 25th plac...

*Runners listen to the briefing at the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun. Visitors set a hot pace on a cold, frosty morning at the Rhos parkrun – plus other results and reports from the region... Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Pictured above and below - the mass start of the Rhos parkrun. It was another jam-packed and fun-filled occasion on Saturday morning at the new Llandrillo yn Rhos (Y Promenade) parkrun last Saturday following a record-breaking attendance on Christmas Day. Despite the freezing temperatures and a generous covering of heavy frost around the region, with the icy conditions causing the cancellation of rival events at  Conwy  and at  Nova , the Rhos parkrun, possibly aided by a light layer of sand at key points, was given the green light, much to the delight of 576 eager entrants. And many runners later expressed their gratitude to the run director  Dougie Graham  and his RD colleagues,...

*Pictured above - super veteran John Hatton at Penrhyn Castle. John Hatton celebrated his 350th volunteer role at Penrhyn parkrun...plus other results... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Super veteran John Hatton, a well-known local race director and a prolific charity organiser/fundraiser, celebrated his 350th role as a volunteer at the  Penrhyn Castle  parkrun event last Saturday morning. VM80 athlete John, who also represents  North Wales Road Runners  (NWRRC), said he was delighted to have been given the opportunity to reach this parkrun milestone at Penrhyn, and he confirmed: “It was my 350th volunteering opportunity, and I was so thrilled to achieve this number at this particular venue, as they are always so welcoming.” He later helped out with barcode scanning and was also able to witness an exciting fast paced finish by the top three male athletes, which included the first two sharing the exact same times.  Visitor  Daniel...

  *Pictured above - A great action shot shortly after the start of the THH 5k. Tri-Hard Harriers sell-out 5k race produced many PBs... Report by David Gibson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   On Thursday 22nd August saw Swansea club Tri Hard Harriers put on its second annual THH ‘5k on the Bay’ race along the Swansea Bay front between Blackpill and Oystermouth.  The course was very flat and fast, and this year produced numerous personal best times in the sell-out field of 300. Amongst many stella performances there were a few worth noting.   *Mike Roderick  of Tri Hard Harriers came in first with a time of 15:42.  *First female was  Megan Carter-Davies  of Swansea Harriers with a great time of 16:52.   *In the Veteran Female category  Stephanie Gibson  of Tri Hard Harriers was first (and second female overall) with a superb time of 18:00. This was despite Stephanie saying that she hates 5k...

*Adam Lemalle (*above) was the first NWRRC club runner at Conwy parkrun. Fast times and a good turn-out at Conwy parkrun despite the cold and blustery conditions... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmasterathletics.co.uk   Despite a bitterly cold day, and a strong blustery wind, nearly two-hundred entrants still braved the elements and recorded some fast times over the challenging but relatively dry 5k course at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning. The event once again attracted a large number of visiting club and social runners from across the UK and Ireland, as part of an early Easter break, and plaudits were again handed to NWRRC member and parkrun volunteer  John Hatton , for his sterling efforts to help improve part of the start area. GOG Triathlete  Simon Cole  was the first runner home with an impressive time of just 17 minutes and 35 seconds to additionally win his VM40 age cat, and at the time of writing, the second placed runner ...

*Jonathan Kettle (*above) won a NW Regional 10k gold medal. Five gold medals for the Road Runners at Caernarfon 10k during the Regional Championships. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was bright and breezy last Sunday for just over two-hundred runners at the Caernarfon 10k race, which also included the North Wales Regional Championships, where NWRRC collected five prestigious gold medals. The conditions allowed for a fast encounter with many runners recording personal best (PB) or much improved chip times, with the event eventually won by  Scott Nixon  (Wrexham AAC) in 33 minutes 31 seconds, with  Gavin Stuart  (Cybi Striders) 2nd in 33.53, and  James Yarwood  (Wrexham AAC) 3rd in 34.05. The first female athlete was  Alison Campbell  in 36.43, and she was followed by  Amie Smith  (Cheshire Dragons) in 38.47, with 3rd place,  Anna Drinkwa...

*Martin Green (*pictured above right) in the pack at the Sale Sizzler. Road Running trio ran fast at Sale Sizzler 5k. Report by Don Hale . https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Three members of North Wales Road Runners competed in the Sale Sizzler 5k race last Thursday night which included a quality field of 642 elite and top cub runners. Martin Green  enjoyed another great run and finished 37th overall and he was 3rd in his MV45 age category in a fast chip time of 16 minutes and 19 seconds.  Will Williams  continued his excellent form in 87th place, and he was 4th in his MV50 cat in 17.35, with  Jamie Tharme  223rd in 20.24. This popular summer event again attracted a massive field and incredibly there was only a matter of a few seconds between the top nine athletes, with the first twenty-seven runners all dipping under sixteen seconds.  The overall race was won by  Nicholas Barry  (Sale Harriers) in 15.00, with...

*Runners wanted for the club relay in August - pictured is Helen Hannam (*above left) with Nicola Wylie. North Wales Road Runners - Summer Relay. The NW Road runners will be staging their Summer Relay on the prom early next month - Tuesday 1st August.  Meet near the Cenotaph at 6.30pm with the relay to start at 7pm, followed by free sausage and chips at the RAOB Club on Madoc Street Llandudno. The relay will be made up of teams of 3 club members per team, with the 1st leg being 1k, 2nd 1 mile, and the final leg 2.5 miles approx. So that arrangements can be made, please confirm in the comments (or by FB messenger) your attendance by the 25th of July.  To arrange the teams, we could also do with knowing your most recent 5k times. Please also confirm any dietary requirements and any guests attending with you for food.        *Flashback to some previous relay action on Llandudno prom (above l-r) Josh Keogh, Kay Hatton and Richard Eccles.