Don Hale Blog

Storm Bert was the only winner as various parkruns and local events hit - but Steve, Martin, and Harry beat the weather. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Storm Bert was the only winner last weekend as heavy rain and gale force winds forced the postponement of numerous sporting events, and in particular some fell and trail races, plus a host of popular parkruns across the area. Planned parkruns at Nova Prestatyn, Penrhyn Castle, Newborough Forest and Conwy, to name but a few, were all cancelled on either Friday night, or early Saturday morning, on essential health and safety grounds, to help protect both volunteers and many hundreds of participants. At Penrhyn Castle  they announced on Friday afternoon: “Unfortunately owing to the weather forecast we’ve been informed that parkrun is cancelled this Saturday.” And the same applied at the  Nova Prestatyn  venue, which is run along the promenade, when they confirmed: “...

*Pictured above - Michael Finnie - back on track at the Indoor 60m race. Veteran track sprinter Michael Finnie won his age cat at the Indoor 60m dash ...plus other race results. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   NWRRC veteran track athlete Michael Finnie won his M65 age cat at the North Wales Indoor Open 60m dash at the Deeside Indoor Athletics Centre at Coleg Cambria, Deeside, last Saturday. He braved the challenging weather conditions en-route caused by Storm Bert, to take part in the sprint event, and he was just a fraction of second down on his previous best time, but said he was still pleased with his fine result of 11.23 seconds. After the event, he admitted that unfortunately the road conditions had restricted the number of competitors, but confirmed: “Not bad, since I haven’t been able to train much due to weather and flu the past week. I think I was a quarter of a second slower than my best.” Michael is hoping to improve...

*Pictured above - Will Evans and his daughter Molly at the Manchester race. Success for North Wales athletes at the Manchester half-marathon...plus other results...including Harry's Abbey Dash success... https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   A North Wales trio of Martin Green, along with Will Evans and his daughter Molly, travelled to Manchester on Sunday to compete in the city’s popular half-marathon race along with about 24,000 other athletes, and recorded some excellent PB times! Martin, ( *pictured right ), who now has dual club registration with Meirionnydd RC, finished well as the 75th male athlete overall in 1 hr 13 mins and 4 seconds and won his VM50 age category.  After the event he confirmed:  “I went flat out for a championship time, and I was on track till around 6/7 miles then dropped off the pace unfortunately, but no complaints, enjoyed the block, took the race on but unfortunately not quite good enough on the day.” Will Evans ...

*The Welsh Masters team pictured (*above) at the Mid Cheshire Summer 5k race (Photo courtesy of team manager Bernie Jones). Four Road Runners wore the red vest of Wales in the Mid Cheshire 5k International race...plus other results. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Four North Wales Road Runners represented their club and country last Friday night at the Mid Cheshire Summer 5k race, with another three club members also competing as worthy individuals. In a star-spangled event, which attracted almost 1,000 top club and elite athletes over this fast and flat course, the quality of the entries from all around the UK, was confirmed by the first forty-six runners all dipping under 15-minutes.  Martin Green, Jonathan Kettle, Steve Gardner, and Karen   Butler  were amongst a Welsh party of 51 top runners who proudly wore the red vest of Wales against a strong England team, with some other athletes wearing the prominent ...

*Martin Green (*pictured above), from NWRRC was the first club runner home. Conwy parkrunners enjoyed their run in the sun during another busy morning...and other running results... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Martin Green led home a team of fourteen North Wales Road Runners at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning, with another bumper attendance of mixed ability club and social athletes enjoying the warm, dry conditions, along a picturesque 5k riverside route from the RSPB Nature Reserve. Martin  eventually finished in 2nd place overall, and in a very fast encounter, he was just 7-seconds behind the first placed finisher  Jack Jones  on his debut, with Martin recording an excellent time of 17 minutes and 23 seconds, to win his VM45 age cat, and Jack finishing narrowly ahead in 17.16. Sion Thomas  was only five seconds away from celebrating a new PB, but ran well in 24th place in 21.14, and he won his VM40...

*The NWRRC team pictured above just prior to the start of the Felinheli 10k. Good turn-out for the midweek Felinheli 10k race. Report by Don Hale . https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   There was a very good turn-out of members from North Wales Road Runners at the annual Felinheli 10k race last Wednesday, which attracted a bumper entry of some 325 club and social runners on a bright and breezy evening. Martin Green  was back to his best and he finished in 2nd place overall and won his M40 age cat in style in just 35 minutes and 34 seconds, and he was one of five club runners amongst 21 entrants, who claimed podium places, including three age category wins, and two third place finishes.  Will Evans  was pleased with 20th place in 41.03, and he was 4th in his M40 cat.  Stuart   Culverhouse  on top form in 28th place in 42.14, and he was 3rd in his M50 cat, whilst  Iwan Evans  was 31st in 42.51, but he was chased all...

*Pictured above - Martin Green en-route for a 3,000m track PB. Martin Green celebrated a new 3,000m track PB at Bury. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Martin Green hit the track running in midweek at Bury in North Manchester to record a great new personal best time in his 3,000m race, part of the Trafford AC race series. He finished in 4th place overall on a quality track with quality rivals in his T-8 event, race 2, with an impressive time of just 9 mins 33.43 seconds, whilst representing  Welsh Masters . Afterwards, Martin said he was pleased with his recent track racing progress and confirmed:  “Some pictures from a sunny Bury track for the Trafford track meet. We’ve been lucky with the weather this year which always helps. “I’m hoping to get to another one somewhere to try and find just over three seconds and go sub 9:30. Nine seconds quicker in three weeks, was all down to the confidence from the way the last one ...