Don Hale Blog

*NWRRC club chairman Kevin Slattery (pictured above) won gold again Gold and silver podium places for North Wales runners in Welsh 10k virtual championships Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery. Five North Wales Road Runners competed in the Welsh Athletics Spring virtual 10k championships last weekend, with three members claiming podium places, and gold and silver medal positions. The high standard of the 10k event was confirmed by the incredible finishing times and number of quality athletes taking part. 1 st  place overall went to U17M athlete Louis Lermite (Run Free Fell Runners) in an amazing time of 33 mins 26 secs, with 2 nd  Daniel James, the 1 st  M40 age cat winner (Run4All Neath RC) in 35.11, and 3 rd  place went to Ifan Lloyd (Swansea Harriers), who was also the 1 st  M60 vet in 35.46. And Amie Bagnall from Prestatyn was the 1 st  Lady finisher and 1 st  SW in 37.00. Some 248 entrants set a hot pace in this Covid-19 restricted individual race, with Masters’

                                          Jonathan Kettle - fastest 10k time for North Wales team North Wales runners complete Spanish 10k challenge Despite the bitter cold winter weather over the past two weekends some 39 athletes from North Wales Road Runners and the Spanish athletic club Fondistes Penedes, from near Barcelona, brought a welcome bit of sunshine and light relief into a second friendship virtual challenge. Staged over a week-long period, due first to snow and ice in Llandudno, and then strong winds in Spain, some thirteen teams of three runners finally completed the 10k road event last Sunday, with each athlete guided by strict Covid-19 restrictions, and having to complete their runs individually. The teams included a mixture of male and female runners from each club with the results based on the fastest finishing times, and the best age percentage performances. The Welsh squad entered 22 athletes with the Spanish club represented by 17 runners. This was the second com

                                                                       Stuart Culverhouse Two North Wales runners claim age category wins North Wales Road Runners claimed several age-related podium places in last weekend’s Kidsgrove virtual 10k and 5k races, which attracted over 500 athletes, despite an extended spell of icy weather and extensive Covid-19 restrictions. Stuart Culverhouse and Kevin Slattery both won their individual age categories in the 10k challenge, with Stuart having a fine run to finish 7 th  overall and 1 st  M45 cat winner in 42 mins 43 secs, and Kevin completing a fantastic performance to win his M65 cat in 17 th  place overall in 45.21. In addition, charity fundraiser Llinos Davies from GOG Triathlon finished in 163 rd  place overall and was the 7 th  F60 runner in 68.19. The overall race was won by Scott Zikmanis from Newcastle (Staffs), 1 st  M40 cat runner in 36.25.                                Kevin Slattery   Exciting family finishes in 5k race   It wa

                            Martin Green won gold at the half-marathon championships NWRRC athletes struck gold at half-marathon championships Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. Athletes from NWRRC claimed seven prestigious awards, including five gold medals last weekend, at the North Wales virtual half-marathon championship event. Run as individuals on their own preferred local courses due to Covid-19 restrictions, the team of nine, all celebrated with an unexpected bag-full of medals, and some excellent finishing times, despite often competing on waterlogged trails, or on other challenging routes, in wet and windy weather conditions.                                                           Carla Green - another gold medal winner Golden couple  Martin and Carla Green  were the pick of the runners with Martin finishing 2nd overall and 1st in his M45 age category in 1 hr 13 mins 49 secs; whilst Carla was 20th overall, 2nd female runner, and 1st F45 athlete in 1.34.00, beating