Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above - Colwyn Bay AC runner Josh Mottram at the Conwy race. Runaway success at the Conwy Mountain Race Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Sean Gavin. donhaleblog.blogsport.com/2025 The Conwy Mountain Race proved to be a runaway success once again and attracted a record entry of some 167 experienced fell and mountain athletes to this challenging course, which was the first fixture in this tough North Wales Series. The race over 5-miles with a climb of 1650ft, was eventually won by Gavin Roberts (Eryri Harriers) in 43 minutes and 33 seconds and he was the first M40 runner.  In second place was Chris McLean (Meirionnydd RC) and he was the first Male Open age cat winner in 44.39, with Rhys Jones (Hebog) third, and he was second in the same age cat as Chris in 45.20. The First Lady was Miranda Grant (Eryri Harriers) in 54.55 and she won her F40 cat, and the same club claimed the first three female finishing places, and they were all F40 age cat athletes, with Tess E...

*The NWRRC team who Raced the Train last Wednesday (*back row l-r), Cai Roberts, Steve Bozier, Rachel Morris, Ben Hudson and Karl Morris, and (*front row) Kelly Alford, Hannah Griffith, Vicky Taylor and Sarah Hudson. Perfect night to ‘Race the Highland Train’ back from Dinas to Caernarfon for 300 runners... Report by Don Hale. Some photos courtesy of Kelly Alford.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It proved to be another exciting dash from start to finish as nearly three-hundred mixed ability runners attempted to Race the Highland train from Dinas station to Caernarfon last Wednesday night. On a warm and almost perfect evening  Tomos Roberts  (Meirionnydd RC) was the first athlete home in a fast time of just 14 minutes and 51 seconds over this interesting 5k course, with  Ifan Dafydd  (Eryri Harriers) 2nd in 14.55, and  John Higgs  3rd in 15.02. In addition,  Simon Cole (GOG Triathlon) finished in 5th place...

*Another great performance by Mark Jessett (*above) at Conwy. Visiting athlete set hot pace in the sun at Conwy parkrun...plus Pat Finnie back in action... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   There was another large entry for the Conwy Bank Holiday parkrun last Saturday which again attracted a host of mixed ability social and club runners from all parts of the UK and abroad. Run in bright, and very warm sunshine, visiting athlete  Alastair Campbell  (Stroud & District AC) soon set a hot pace over this picturesque but dusty 5k course, and he was the 1st runner home in 17 minutes and 23 seconds, and won his MV35 age cat.  Despite a strong challenge throughout,  Alastair  remained narrowly ahead of Road Runner  Mark Jessett  who finished in 2nd place overall in 17.53 and 2nd MV35 cat, with  David Clarke  3rd and 1st MV40 cat with a PB of 18.09.  There ...

TELFORD 10K - exclusive match report courtesy of NW road race team manager Paul Brooks from NWRAC. So, the final opportunity for the North Wales road running athletes to represent the Region was on 11th December, at the Telford 10km. This race is advertised as England’s fastest and has a justifiable reputation for not only having a fast, traffic-free course but a field of exceptionally quick athletes.  However, a mixture of injuries and unavailability (including four withdrawals in the week before the race) meant two men, Andy Bromley and Nick Brook , were co-opted into the men’s team literally hours before the start. The day was cold, with temperatures hovering around zero and just below, but the course had been gritted both the day before and in places on the morning of the race, so was declared safe to go ahead. However, it started to snow during wave one and turned into a heavy downfall as the morning progressed, gradually stopping towards the end of wave three. To illust...

*Amie Bagnall (*above) who is about to cross a  snowy finish line at Telford, and (*below), some members of the North Wales team at the Telford 10k. North Wales athletes beat the snow and ice to record many new PBs at Telford 10k . Introduction by Don Hale.   My thanks to the North Wales Road Race team manager, Paul Brooks, who was out with his team in freezing temperatures for a couple of hours last Sunday at Telford. This is his personal report. Well done to Paul, to all the athletes, and especially to all the volunteers and supporters involved with this race in snowy and very icy conditions. Special report and photos by team manager Paul Brooks (*pictured above). *Rachel Shipley (*above) and pictured at the start area. These were our times from the Telford 10km:   Ryan Davis  (Wrexham) recorded 30:50 with a huge new PB. This ranks him at no 8 in the all-time NWRAC list and 9th in the senior men's list.  Luke Northall  (Wrexham) 33:19, 10 seconds faster t...

Martin and Carla Green (*pictured above) starred for Wales at Great Bristol 10k Report by Don Hale.   Talented husband and wife Road Running duo Martin and Carla Green were selected for Wales last Sunday in the Great Bristol 10k and competed against quality international opposition. In a very fast race Martin was pleased with his performance and finished 22nd overall in a superb time of 33 minutes and 16 seconds to claim 4th place in his respective age category. Carla also enjoyed another excellent run finishing 218th overall and the 51st female athlete in a time of 39.55 and 6th place in her age cat.  Former NWRRC member  Gemma Moore , now with Eryri Harriers, was also selected for Wales in the same race and she finished 177th overall in 39.15 as the 35th female runner and 8th in her age cat. *Pictured above - Martin Green (*centre) with Carla Green (*left) and Gemma Moore at the international Great Bristol 10k race. Other Race results: * Peris Horsehoe:  Accomplish...