Don Hale Blog

*Road Runner Lesley Goodson (*above) tackled her first ultra race. Lesley Goodson’s amazing ultra-distance debut. All reports by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Anthony Paul Davies. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersatletics.co.uk Veteran Road Runner Lesley Goodson made her successful debut in a very challenging ultra-distance event last Saturday during the Pen Lyn Coast to Coast Winter Ultra race at Pwllheli. Lesley covered an incredible distance of over 60kms in an overall time of 10 hours, 2 minutes, and 14 seconds, to finish a highly respectable 106th, and she was 5th in her VW50 age cat. *Lesley Goodson - pictured above and below - during her epic ultra-distance race and (*below right), Lesley with Anthony Paul Davies. After her race, Lesley modestly explained just how tough this race really was : “This was my first attempt at an ultra-distance. It was very muddy and slippery, and my legs are shot now, but wow! What a day. Pen Llyn Coast to Coast Ultra. Almost 38-miles

*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

*Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts (*above) crosses the finish line after winning his duathlon race at the Slateman challenge. Llyr wins T2 Slateman Sprint Duathlon race. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   NWRRC member Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts came home in 1st place in the T2 classification of the Slateman Sprint Duathlon in the Snowdonia National Park last Saturday.  Despite an undulating course, plus very warm and breezy conditions, Welsh Master and GB International athlete Llyr competed well throughout the event and recorded a time of 9 mins 11 secs for his first 2.36k run. This was followed by a 20.36k bike ride with 368m of elevation, which he completed in 44 mins and 53 secs; and then he followed this again with a second 5.59k run, including 198m of elevation, in 27 mins and 48 secs.  His total time for the entire event including transition was shown as 1 hour, 23 minutes and 1 second. And after the race, Llyr confirmed: “I was not as quick

*Josh Keogh (*above) on top form at parkrun and recorded a great new PB. Four successive wins and a great new PB for Josh at Conwy parkrun...plus great win for Kelly Alford, and other results... Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   Josh Keogh made it four wins in a row at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday, and he also recorded a great new personal best time of 17 minutes and 11 seconds. The NWRRC all-rounder continued with his stunning form over fells, road, and parkruns, to celebrate knocking a further three-seconds off his previous best time over this challenging 5k route. Josh also won his SM30 age cat and despite keen competition from visiting rival  Andy Bromley  (Prestatyn RC), and club colleague  Mark Jessett , who similarly recorded PBs, he finally managed to outsprint the pair to claim another impressive victory. *Mark Jessett (*above) finished 3rd at the Conwy Parkrun with a new PB. As usual, the parkrun involved another fast and furious event, attracting 185 var

*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

*Harry Driscoll (above) with another good run to lead the club runners home. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   North Wales Road Runner Harry Driscoll was the first club runner back at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning and he led home a strong team of fourteen seniors and two juniors amongst a holiday crowd of some two-hundred finishers. The talented team of mixed ages and abilities also claimed six age category wins and five second places in addition to recording several personal best (PB) times. Harry  finished 5th overall and won his SM20-24 age cat in just 20 minutes and 6 seconds, and he was nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest rival, veteran  Sean Butler  who also won his MV60-64 cat in 21.56 and he was 18th overall. *Jamie Tharme (*above) produced a good result despite a lack of sleep. Jamie Tharme  battled a lack of sleep due to work commitments, but still enjoyed a dream run to finish 22nd and 2nd in his MV40-44 cat in 22.13, and he was just six seconds ahead