Don Hale Blog

*Harry Driscoll (above) with another good run to lead the club runners home. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   North Wales Road Runner Harry Driscoll was the first club runner back at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning and he led home a strong team of fourteen seniors and two juniors amongst a holiday crowd of some two-hundred finishers. The talented team of mixed ages and abilities also claimed six age category wins and five second places in addition to recording several personal best (PB) times. Harry  finished 5th overall and won his SM20-24 age cat in just 20 minutes and 6 seconds, and he was nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest rival, veteran  Sean Butler  who also won his MV60-64 cat in 21.56 and he was 18th overall. *Jamie Tharme (*above) produced a good result despite a lack of sleep. Jamie Tharme  battled a lack of sleep due to work commitments, but still enjoyed a dream run to finish 22nd and 2nd in his MV40-44 cat in 22.13, and he was just six seconds ahead

*Martin Green recorded another superb victory at a windswept Conwy Parkrun. Storm Malik provided a stern challenge for Conwy parkrunners as Martin Green claims victory... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Storm Malik provided an extra element of strong gale force winds to Conwy parkrun’s already challenging 5k course last Saturday, thereby reducing many hopes of obtaining personal best times for 176 brave souls. Facing powerful head and side winds and with the tide racing in on the RSPB estuary, the runners were forced to battle unusually buffeting conditions as they completed this picturesque “out and back” course, which probably reduced all finishing times by at least a minute. North Wales Road Runners  entered eleven athletes and claimed nine age category podium placings, including  Martin Green , who returned to parkrun and easily won the event despite including his run as part of his tough ongoing training schedule.  Martin  finished well in 19 minutes 4 seconds to wi

Kay Hatton (*pictured above) was the pick of the trio at the Tatton Park 10k. Report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton.   Three North Wales Road Runners crossed the border into England last Saturday and celebrated with some very good performances in the Tatton Park 10k race in Cheshire, including Kay Hatton who won her respective veteran age category. With parkruns and most other races currently prohibited, or severely restricted in Wales, due to Welsh Government and Covid-19 restrictions it meant another long trip for three notable club athletes who had to battle strong winds, cold temperatures, and rain over a challenging but picturesque course. Harry Driscoll  (*pictured above) was the first NWRRC member home in 19th place in 39 minutes 51 seconds, with  Iwan Evans  31st in 41.43 and 4th in his MV40 age cat, whilst  Kay Hatton  was the pick of the trio, and continued her excellent form to win her VW55 age cat in a superb time of 48.03, finishing 109th overall and the 13th female ru

*Harry Driscoll (*above) led the Road Runners home at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery.   Harry Driscoll was the first club man home once again for NWRRC at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday, which had depleted numbers due to festive demands, and the aftermath from a succession of storms and challenging conditions. Despite all the problems and a cool, breezy morning, on a wet and part debris riddled course, the organisers worked hard to ensure that the safety of runners and volunteers was paramount and celebrated with 146 finishers enjoying their weekly 5k dash. Teenager  James Smith  (Menai Track and Field) was the 1st finisher and won his SM18-19 age cat with an impressive new PB of 17 minutes 5 seconds, with  James Coleman  2nd in 17.54. In addition, popular local runner  Nic Brook (Eryri Harriers) was another man in fine form, and he also celebrated a new course PB in 18.04 in 4th place. Harry Driscoll  led a team of eleven NWRRC members, and he was one

   *Harry Driscoll was the first club runner home at the Conwy  Parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Conwy parkrun returned to action again following the intervention of Storm Arwen the previous Saturday, but numbers were down due to a clash with other fixtures and a cold blustery wind. The event was won by tourist Ben Hague (Rotherham Harriers) in a PB of 17 minutes 9 seconds, and his club colleague Tammy Hague, also won her VW35-39 age cat in 23.03 and was the 2nd female athlete. Nic Brook (Eryri Harriers) had a great run finishing in 3rd place overall, and the 4th place was taken by international long-distance traveller Bernabe Sanchez Naffziger (Singapore Shufflers) in 19.08. North Wales Road Runners  entered nine athletes amongst the 164 finishers and  Harry Driscoll  was the first club man home finishing 5th overall in 19 minutes 22 seconds to win his SM20-24 age category, and  Sean Butler  was another cat winner of his MV60-64 section.                      *St

*Jonathan Kettle (*above) set a hot pace around the freezing 16-mile race circuit at Oulton Park, Cheshire, last Sunday morning. Report by Don Hale.   Jonathan Kettle set an incredibly hot pace around the freezing cold Oulton Park racing circuit on Sunday morning to easily win his 16-mile endurance race which formed part of the final events schedule for the 2021 Running Grand Prix promotions. The event held at Little Budworth, Tarporley, included a variety of six different distance races ranging from a 5k to a full marathon, but the talented North Wales Road Runner soon hit top gear in his preferred distance race and adopted cruise control around each of the gruelling six-laps of this famous and undulating course before dipping under the chequered flag. Jonathan deservedly claimed 1st place overall, despite the bitterly cold and windy conditions, and he also claimed another podium placing after winning his MV45 age cat in 1 hour 36 minutes and 36 seconds.  And quite remarkably, Jonatha

Three age category wins at Conwy parkrun, plus two other event wins as tourists. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery.   North Wales Road Runners claimed a hat-trick of impressive age category wins at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday despite a depleted team due to other commitments and preparation for a major race the following day, with two additional event wins at other parkruns. Despite this shortfall at Conwy, eleven members still competed in dry, but cool and breezy conditions at the event, which included about fifty visitors using the parkrun as a warm-up for the Conwy half-marathon, with numerous UK clubs again represented. The event attracted 295 runners, and it was won quite easily by the remarkable Steve Forsyth (Prestatyn), who was also 1st MV40-44 cat winner in 17.22, with James Yarwood 2nd, and 1st in his SM30-34 cat in 17.53, and Alex Bedingham (York Knavesmire Harriers) finished in 3rd place, and was 1st M35-39. *Another impressive run from Richard Eccles at t