Don Hale Blog

*The NWRRC quartet pictured above (l-r): Nia Lister, Kay  Hatton, Cheryl Frost and Mike Hayton. NWRRC quartet tackled an 8-mile challenge for the South Snowdonia Search & Rescue Team. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   North Wales Road Runners entered a quartet of hardy athletes in the SSART Trawsfynydd Multi-Terrain 8-mile race last Sunday afternoon amongst an entry of 232 finishers who helped to raise essential funds for the South Snowdonia Search & Rescue team. Described as a beautiful multi-terrain race starting from the Magnox Power Station and then around Trawsfynydd Lake in the Eryri/Snowdonia National Park, the course was claimed to be fast, with just one challenging hill over a mixed tarmac and trail route. The NWRRC team  performed well despite the very blustery conditions, combined at times with hail showers, but  Cheryl Frost  led her group home in 68th place, as the 9th female athlete, with an excellent chip time

  *John Hatton (*above)  performed a clean sweep at Conwy parkrun to help reduce numerous large puddles at the start of a waterlogged course. Report by Don Hale.   Over two-hundred mixed ability runners took part in last Saturday’s Conwy parkrun, but once again they had to contend with very muddy and waterlogged conditions underfoot, with the start area only improved late on due to volunteer John Hatton sweeping out some of the large puddles! John’s determined action with a stiff brush improved the safety of this popular event, and for the second time in recent weeks, only the innovative actions of willing individuals meant this popular run could begin on time!  *Pictured above - Hard working NWRRC official and parkrun volunteer, and MC John Hatton, sweeps  the puddles at Conwy parkrun.  ( *Photo credit Michael Finnie ). Despite the challenging conditions, this run attracted several top juniors, and senior athletes, who ran hard to record new course PB’s, and ensured a fast pace was ma

*Harry Driscoll (*pictured above) was the first NWRRC member home at the Chester 10k race last Sunday - photo by John Hatton. Harry Driscoll led North Wales Road Runners home at the Chester 10k. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Eight North Wales Road Runners competed amongst nearly 5,000 finishers at the Chester 10k race last Sunday, and they all performed well despite the cold, wet, and windy conditions. Harry Driscoll  led the team home with a tremendous run in 68th place overall with a great new course PB in just 37 minutes and 49 seconds, and  Steve Roberts  was also on top form in 542nd place in 45.49. *Harry Driscoll (*above left), with Steve Roberts. Meanwhile,  Cheryl Frost  and  Kay Hatton  continued their regular cat and mouse tussle, with Cheryl finishing well in 769th place, as the 89th female runner, in 47.34, and 4th in her FV55 age cat, and Kay also enjoyed another fine run and won her FV60 age cat, finishing in 924th

*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, and  Ben Hudson  (545) in 1.35.57

Will Williams tackled the gruelling cross country course at Dolgellau. Mud, wind, and rain at a very muddy cross-country race at Dolgellau... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Lesley Goodson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Three Road Runners braved the strong blustery winds, rain, and heavy mud at Dolgellau this weekend during the latest fixture within the Grand Prix Express, North Wales XC league. Will Williams  ran well in the  Senior Men’s race  and finished well in 38th place overall amongst 125 starters, and he was 3rd in his MV50 age cat in 36 minutes and 19 seconds. Will later said: “ I really love cross-country. Always a great atmosphere.” The race was won by  Matthew Collins  (Oswestry Olympians) in 30.11 and he won his SM age cat.  Janos Vranek (Aberystwyth University) was 2nd in 30.22, with  Rhodri Owen  (Meirionnydd) 3rd in 31.11.  Emyr Davies  competed in the over 65’s race and won his M80 age cat in 29.25, finishing 15th overall, with  Roge

*Some of the NWRRC team (*above), that competed at the NW cross-country championships last Saturday (l-r): Karen Butler, Cheryl Frost, Kay Hatton, Carla Green, Gwennan Charlton, Iwan Evans, and Stuart Culverhouse, with team supporter Martin Green.  Prestigious medals won at the North Wales cross-country championships... Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Several hundred runners ranging from juniors to master veterans took part in the Grand Prix Express, North Wales cross-country championships, held last Saturday afternoon at Ysgol Morgan Llywd at Wrexham. North Wales Road Runners  entered nine athletes including five ladies and four men, and they won six prestigious NW championship awards with one gold, one silver, and four bronze medals. The female athletes competed in the senior/master women’s race with  Carla Green  bouncing back to form in 29th place overall in 28 minutes and 20 seconds to win a silv