Don Hale Blog

*Gwen Charlton pictured above - after completing her gruelling trail marathon. Gwen Charlton completed the tough NW Pilgrims Trail Marathon in style...and news of Helen's charity runs. Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Gwen Charlton. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Road Runner Gwen Charlton took to the trails last Saturday to compete in one of the toughest, but scenic, races in the country, the North Wales Pilgrims Trail Marathon, and yet despite this extreme challenge, she ran extremely well and afterwards said, she was very pleased with her determined efforts. Gwen eventually completed her trek in a highly credible time of 7 hours 50 minutes and 58 seconds to finish in 158th place overall, and she was the 71st female athlete.  She later confirmed: “This must be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Absolutely stunning route along the top coast of Llyn Peninsula with lots of steps, fields, cows, sheep, wonky paths, rocks, gates, bea...

*Some of the NWRRC team (*above) at the Snowdonia half-marathon (l-r) Hannah Griffith, Adam Lemalle, Kevin Slattery, Dave Jones, Stuart Culverhouse, Steve Roberts, Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones, and Cai Roberts. Ten Road Runners hit peak form despite the heat at the tough Snowdonia half-marathon... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Ten members of North Wales Road Runners competed in the gruelling Snowdonia half-marathon race on Sunday but were pleased with their results despite a rather hot, and humid day. Stuart Culverhouse  was the first NWRRC athlete home in 41st place overall with an impressive chip time of 1.47.38, but the club chairman and top veteran athlete  Kevin Slattery  was perhaps the pick of the team after winning his MV65 age cat with a superb performance in 70th place in 1.53.36. *And as a note of interest, Kevin’s son  Ian Slattery,  who was visiting, also ran well, and he finished 23r...

*Some of the NWRRC team at Wrexham (l-r): Cheryl Frost, Kay Hatton, Kevin Slattery, and Gwennan Charlton, with Richard Scamans at the back. Welsh cakes and fast times at the Village Bakery half-marathon...plus other results. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   The well organised and very popular Village Bakery half-marathon race attracted a massive entry of over 1,700 runners, at Wrexham last Sunday morning, and included numerous elite and club athletes, in addition to a plentiful amount of fun and social runners. On a fast, and relatively flat course, many runners were able to celebrate personal best (PB) times and raised funds for local and national charities. North Wales Road Runners  entered fifteen members and collected three prestigious age category awards. The first club man home again was  Jonathan Kettle  in 75th place with a new course PB in 1.15.52, followed by  Iwan Evans  (281) in 1.24.44,...

*The NWRRC team at the tough Conwy fell race (l-r): Helen Hannam, Nia Lister, Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones, Nicola Wylie and Adam Lemalle. Tough challenge for brave runners at the Conwy Fell Race. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Five North Wales Road Club members braved the tough challenge of the Conwy fell race last Saturday afternoon in cold, misty, and drizzly conditions which tested stamina to the limits. Amidst a quality field of 106 finishers, mainly of experienced fell runners from clubs across the country, they all battled well despite the testing conditions. Adam Lemalle was the first NWRRC man home in 71st place in 71 minutes and 15 seconds, with Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones 2nd in 87th place overall in 85.46. She was closely followed by  Nicola Wylie  in 94th place in 89.45, with  Nia Lister  104th in 123.38, and  Helen Hannam  105th in 130.05. *Nicola Wylie (*above left), with Nia Liste...

*Members of NWRRC (*pictured above), prior to the start of the Christmas handicap race at West Shore. Blustery winds for Road Runners at club’s Christmas handicap race...plus other  results and New Year events. Report by Don Hale. Main photos by Kevin Slattery and John Hatton. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Twenty-five members of North Wales Road Runners took part in the annual Christmas handicap race last Sunday, but they had to battle with cool and very blustery head and sidewinds as they negotiated a challenging four-mile course along part of the Great Orme. Following a tough route out from West Shore and climbing up the Orme to the old WW2 gun sites and past what’s known as ‘ Millionaires Row ,’ the runners then turned via a further muddy track before returning back to the start. This popular event, well organised by John Hatton, Martin and Carla Green, and a team of willing volunteers and marshals attracted a bumper attendance, which in...