Don Hale Blog

*Nicola Wylie (above) won her age cat at the Ellesmere Port parkrun Other club race results: from around  the UK and beyond.. *Birchwood:  Three NWRRC members took part in the Birchwood 10k race on Sunday.  Kelly-Marie Alford  and  Cai Roberts  ran together again with Kelly finishing in 156th place in 50.46 and the 7th F35 athlete, with Cai sharing the same time and just one place behind.  Mandy Owen  also continued her return to fitness with another determined run in 56.13 and 220th place. *Pictured (*above l-r) Mandy Owen, with Kelly Alford and Cai Roberts. *America: Jon Evans  continued his American adventure last weekend and returned to the  Theodore Roosevelt Island DC parkrun  in America where he celebrated a great new course PB of 22.55 to win his MV55 age cat, marking a 27-second improvement to his time from last week and finishing in 7th place overall. *Jon Evans (*above) celebrated a new course PB at his American parkrun. *Hemel Hempstead: Stuart   Culverhouse  completed a to

*Four dazzling NWRRC runners at the Blackpool Lights races (l-r) Cai Roberts, Kelly Alford, Mandy Owen and Charlie Owen. Lights, camera, action, for club runners at Blackpool Illuminations races... Reports by Don Hale.   Four club members celebrated a night out at Blackpool last Saturday and competed in the ‘Run the Lights’ 10k & 5k races, which also marked the start of the famous Illuminations at this popular Lancashire seaside resort.  Kelly Alford  and her partner  Cai Roberts  were both in dazzling form and ran together throughout the 10k event, with  Kelly  also celebrating a new course PB by about a minute in 50.42 and finished 4th in her F35 age cat in 111th position as the 22nd female runner, with  Cai  sharing the same time, and just one place behind.  And praise too for  Mandy Owen  who ran very well after recovering from a period of ill health and finished in 216th place. She he was the 56th female runner in 57.21, and her husband  Charlie Owen,  who is recovering from a

*John Dalzell (*above) completed the tough West Highland's Way race. SOME GREAT RESULTS ON THE ROAD FROM NWRRC ATHLETES: *Scotland: John Dalzell  took part in the  ‘Devil O the Highlands’  footrace. John was the 2nd Welsh finisher, and he was 146th out of 274 runners who eventually completed this tough 68k plus ultra-event in an amazing time of 9 hours 18 minutes and 30 seconds.  After the race, John confirmed: “West Highland Way done in two shifts. Today’s effort was an easy 21-miles in the rain, the second 21 starting with the Devil’s staircase, which I’m sure was steeper and longer than last time, followed by the undulating military road. The legs weren’t impressed, but I kept smiling.” *Steve Bozier (*above left) and Steve Poupart ran in the Coastal Marathon. *Anglesey:  Two NWRRC endurance athletes took part in the  Cybi Coastal Marathon  on Saturday, but both struggled with injuries.  Steve Bozier  battled with a hip problem after 15-miles but still finished well in 18th plac

*Steve Mason (*above) was the first NWRRC member at Conwy. Fun in the sun for Conwy parkrunners. Report by Don Hale.   Conwy parkrunners were greeted by bright, warm sunshine, and a light breeze, as they tackled the spectacular out and back 5k course along the river estuary last Saturday morning. The event attracted over two-hundred finishers with the first twelve runners all dipping under the magic twenty-minute barrier. And runners of all ages and abilities from across the UK were again well represented, including club members from as far afield as York, Forest of Dean, Salford, Accrington, Telford, Wigan, and Bingley, amongst others, with one runner even travelling over from New Zealand! Teenager  James Smith  (Menai T&F) was the first runner back in a fast time of 17 minutes and 39 seconds, and he also won his SM18-19 age cat, with  Guy Roberts  (Mossley Hill AC) 2nd overall, and 1st in his VM35-39 cat in 18.09, whilst well-known local athlete  Chris Yorke  finished 3rd, but wo

*Jonathan Kettle (*above) braved injury to finish well at Manchester Seven Road Runners tackled the Manchester Marathon. Report by Don Hale.   A team of seven Road Runners travelled North last weekend for the Manchester Marathon, which also included an elite race, and a trial for top English runners aiming to represent their country in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. Claimed to be one of the largest Marathon’s in Europe, this event attracted over 24,000 entrants and provided a stern test for a variety of club and general runners of mixed abilities. Jonathan Kettle  was the impressive first NWRRC member home in just 2 hours 48 minutes and 45 seconds for 468th place overall, despite a late injury scare, with  Josh Keogh  also running well in 850th place in 2.56.00, and  Stuart Culverhouse  performed well again in 4,496th place in 3.39.47.   *Josh Keogh (*above left) with Stuart Culverhouse (*right). Steve Roberts  was pleased to finish 7,248th in 4.02.22, and partners  Cai Roberts  a

*Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts (*above) won a silver medal at the Welsh Duathlon. Silver and bronze medals for Road Runners at Welsh Duathlon championships at Harlech... Report by Don Hale.   Two NWRRC athletes collected prestigious silver and bronze medals in their respective age categories after competing in the Welsh Duathlon Championships at Harlech last Sunday. Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts  and  Richard Eccles  competed in the Harlech Sprint Duathlon event which involved two varied runs interspersed with a tough bike ride. The race attracted 101 finishers, with Llyr winning a silver medal in his M40 age cat in 10th place overall, in a total time of 1 hour 10 minutes and 56 seconds, whilst Richard also finished well in 26th place overall, and he was 3rd in his M50 cat for a bronze medal in 1.17.55. Llyr’s splits included a 5k run in 19.01, a 20k plus cycle ride in 40.49, and a final run in 9.11.  After the race, Llyr admitted: ‘My legs were filled with lactate on the steps to the finish at Harl

*Steve Mason (Above) enjoyed another good run at Conwy despite the conditions Wild, wet, and windy at popular Conwy Parkrun...and success for Charlie Owen. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   It was another wild, wet, and very windy day at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning at the RSPB site, yet this popular event still attracted over two hundred determined runners. Martin Green  was the first man home again over this puddled-filled course and knocked eighteen seconds off his winning time from last week, but he was made to work hard throughout his run by promising local junior athlete Alfie Shiland, who eventually finished just seven seconds adrift. North Wales Road Runners  had twelve members in action and recorded nine age cat podium results including five outright victories, two second, and three third places. Martin Green  additionally won his MV45-49 age cat in a fast time of 18 minutes 48 seconds, whilst  Steve Mason  also enjoyed another great performance to finish 5