Don Hale Blog

*Josh Keogh (*pictured above) was the first NWRRC finisher at Conwy. Cold and crisp at Conwy parkrun where athletes recorded some fast times... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was a very cold and crisp at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning where fourteen Road Runners took part in this popular event, despite an afternoon cross-country fixture at Shrewsbury, and some other competing fixtures. The NWRRC team packed well and collected four senior age category wins, one junior victory, plus four second places, and they also recorded a major PB time over this challenging 5k course, which again attracted some quality club and visiting social runners. Josh Keogh  returned to parkrun with a superb performance in 4th place, and he was 2nd in his SM30 age cat in just 18 minutes and 3-seconds. He was followed by  Jamie Tharme , who shook-off a recent nagging injury to finish in 22nd place overall in 22.07, with  Ri

*Some of the NWRRC team members at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn, (l-r), Mike Hayton, Rob Fryer, Mark Mason, Rachel Morris, Sion Thomas, Gwennan Charlton, Stuart and Joe Culverhouse, and Jonathan Kettle. Victory for Jonathan Kettle at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn during club championships. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Jonathan Kettle led a team of ten North Wales Road Runners home at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn last Saturday, with a superb victory as part of their club championships. Making his debut on this flat and fast course, Jonathan won his MV45 age cat and finished in 1st place overall with an excellent time of 17 minutes and 48 seconds. He was followed by visiting MV35 athlete  Ian Higgins  (Telford Harriers) with a new PB of 18.19, and SM30 runner  Jamie Betts  (Prestatyn RC) in 18.52. The event attracted 162 runners with seven athletes all dipping under 20-minutes. Jonathan Kettle (*above) w

*Josh Keogh (*above) ran well again at Conwy. Bright and breezy and double the numbers at Conwy parkrun... Report by Don Hale.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was bright and very breezy last Saturday at the Conwy parkrun, which was in stark contrast to the previous week’s rather soggy 5k course with continual rain, and these much-improved conditions obviously proved quite an attraction with almost double the previous attendance. And it was another promising teenage athlete,  James Smith  (Menai T&F) who stole the show with another impressive performance as the first male runner home in just 17 minutes and 24 seconds to win his SM18-19 age category. Quite remarkably, this was his sixth victory at Conwy! Visiting runner  Brian Corley  (Bushfield Joggers) finished 2nd on his debut in 17.47, and he won his MV45 cat, with  Aled Hughes  claiming the 3rd spot, whilst winning his MV35 cat, and he was just six-seconds adrift of Aled in 17.53.  Holly C

*Josh Keogh (*pictured above) had a great run at Conwy. Josh celebrated his run in the sun at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   There was another good turn-out of mixed ability athletes at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday where all the entrants were again blessed with warm sunshine and an unusually bone-dry 5k course. North Wales Road Runner  Josh Keogh  was the worthy first placed finisher, and he also celebrated his SM30 age category in 17 minutes and 52 seconds. Josh was just 14-seconds ahead of his nearest rival  Aled Hughes , who was 2nd in 18.06, with  Alison Campbell  (Sheffield University) 3rd overall, and she was also the 1st female finisher, winning her SW30 cat in 18.41.  The other female finishers were  Sally Bennett  2nd, and 15th place overall in 21.01, with  Vicky Cole  (GOG Triathlon), the 3rd female, and 17th overall, despite a great PB of 21.17.  *There were 295 finishers in total. Josh Keogh  led a team of nine club members home, and he was

*Mal Preece (*above) had a great run at London Mixed emotions for Road Runners at the London Marathon..plus other race results. Report by Don Hale.   There were mixed emotions for several members of the North Wales Road Running team who tackled the varied challenges of the ever-popular London Marathon last Sunday as heavy rain and damp conditions caused a few problems for the 49,000 mixed ability entrants. Cramp and fatigue unfortunately played a role in the performances of several key athletes, and yet most still enjoyed the occasion, and the tremendous atmosphere and support provided by tens of thousands of supporters who cheered on the runners around some of London’s most famous landmarks. Martin Green  celebrated his hard preparatory work for this race with a tremendous run finishing in 152nd place in 2 hours 30 minutes and 43 seconds, and he also claimed the 3rd spot in his MV45 age category, leading home a team of nine fellow club runners. *Martin Green (*above) put in another tr

*Road Runner Josh Keogh (*pictured above) had a great run in the Metric Marathon. Outstanding win for Josh Keogh at Colwyn Bay Metric Marathon...plus Jonathan Kettle on form at Knighton 20. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery   North Wales Road Runner Josh Keogh was the outstanding winner of the Colwyn Bay Metric Marathon last Sunday, finishing almost two minutes ahead of his nearest rival. The popular all-round athlete, who combines road races, with fell running, trail, and endurance events, set a hot pace throughout despite a blustery headwind, and proved a worthy champion of this challenging  Metric Marathon , which also proved to be an ideal warm-up for the forthcoming London (full) Marathon. Starting from the athletics track at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, this event attracted some 425 mixed ability finishers from across the UK, over a new and testing course, that became a race of two halves due to a strong and persistent sea breeze. *(Above) Some of the NWRRC  members  at the