Don Hale Blog

RECORDS WIPED FROM PARKRUN HQ:  It seems that parkrun have decided to wipe out all the records for the first finishers and all age cat record holders at all parkruns with immediate effect.  TV news reader and keen park runner  Sophie Raworth is trying to gauge some reaction from parkrunners. Today she said: " Any parkrun record holders out there who have just had their records wiped and want to talk about it on the news? Why it matters to you - if it does - that your record is no longer there etc?" So what is the  reasoning behind this action? I have not seen any notification from my local parkrun, or their HQ. Are they likely to stop recording finishing times and age cat results too? I can't understand the logic of this decision, and their failure to consult with runners etc. What do  park runners feel about this. No official notification given!

*Dave Watson (*above) has achieved s ome incredible international success following his heart attack about 18-months ago, and (*below) Dave is pictured last week at the Cardiff Victory 5k race where he finished 2nd in his MV65 age cat. Welsh Master Dave Watson remains on track for further international success following his amazing recovery from a debilitating heart attack. Special Report by Don Hale.   Dave Watson, a new board member of Welsh Masters’ Athletics, tells of his survival from a debilitating heart attack just over 18-months ago, and his gradual recovery and rather incredible, return to success on the track culminating in an appearance at the recent Masters’ World Championships in Torun, Poland. *Dave Watson (*above left) on the podium after track success for Wales. The MV65 middle distance athlete has somehow defied a host of major health problems over the past couple of seasons to finally enjoy medal glory in various 800m, 1,500m, 5k, and cross-country events. He explaine

*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

*Cheryl Frost and Kay Hatton (*above) are in the top Welsh rankings for 5k. North Wales Road Runners amongst the records and top Welsh rankings for 5k races and Track and Field. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   Several North Wales Road Runners have had their 2022 Welsh performance rankings updated following recent results in the Easter 5k Dash in Llandudno on 16th April, and the Mid Cheshire 5k race on 29th April, plus recent Track and Field events, and can now claim many top placings, plus some Welsh records! The nationally acclaimed Run Britain Rankings website, and the Power of 10 site, which both record race timings and performance details from thousands of club athletes competing in varied certified events across the country have updated the current Welsh rankings and include new details for eleven NWRRC athletes. They confirm that two top female club runners  Cheryl Frost  (22.36) and  Kay Hatton  (23.03) are ranked 3rd and 4th in their respective FV55 age cate

*Good to see Charlotte-Rose Wilton-Jones back in action on the trail. Charlotte-Rose ran well at Llyn Brenig trail race Report by Don Hale.   Charlotte-Rose Wilton-Jones was the only NWRRC member at the challenging Llyn Brenig 9.5-mile trail race on Sunday, yet she performed very well finishing as the 9th female athlete. The race route included a picturesque trail which circumnavigated Llyn Brenig via the adjoining forest and travelled along the shoreline of the lake, with most of it run off-road on rough tracks.  It was officially described as a long-terrain trail race around Llyn Brenig Reservoir, which started and finished at the Visitor Centre. The talented North Wales athlete, who particularly enjoys endurance runs and trail running, continued her return to form, and finished 27th overall, and she was the 9th female finisher in a good time of 1 hour 16 minutes and 3 seconds. She also   finished 5th in her F30-39 age category. *The race winners included: 1st  Rhodri Owen  (Un) 55.3

*Cai Roberts and Kelly-Marie Alford on the podium with their son Noah. Cai and Kelly-Marie on track at Oulton Park Report by Don Hale.   Cai Roberts  and his partner  Kelly-Marie Alford  raced around the track during a series of running events at the Oulton Park Grand prix last Sunday, with Cai completing the 10k challenge, and Kelly-Marie claiming 3rd place in her F35 age category in the 16-miler. The popular running couple, who are still recovering from last week’s North Wales half-marathon, sped along the brand-new traffic free course and around the famous motor racing circuit in different events, with Cai finishing 80th overall in his 10k race in 55 minutes 34 seconds; whilst Kelly battled a much longer and more undulating route, including the circuit, to finish 40th overall and 3rd F35 cat in 2 hours 42 minutes and 23 seconds. Later  Kelly-Marie  admitted: ‘ I had the worst stitch at mile 8.5, and it took ages to get rid of it. OMG it was so hard! The hills zapped the energy right

Announcement from Parkrun HQ (Wed 16th July) Start of Parkruns pushed back again... Following the announcement this week from the Prime Minister, confirming a delay to Step 4 of the Roadmap until Monday 19 July 2021, it is now our intention that 5k events in England will restart on   Saturday 24 July. A huge amount of work has been done in recent weeks to ensure we have permission to return from the large majority of landowners. Whilst this delay is disappointing, we respect the fact that a significant number of these permissions were contingent on the country moving into Step 4, and   we will therefore target a new reopening date of Saturday 24 July. *NOTE:   Last week Parkrun UK suggested a date of 10th July for Parkruns in Wales to possibly re-start on 10th July. In view of this latest update relating to Parkruns in England, it looks as though it will now be pushed back to a similar start date of 24th July. We will just have to wait and see whether the Welsh Government make any furt

Latest Parkrun updates globally - from Parkrun HQ Provisional date of 10th July set for Wales Last weekend saw 700 events take place across seven countries, with more than 62,000 participants enjoying the magic of free, community-led, outdoor, social physical activity opportunities. It is so encouraging to see these events welcomed back by local communities, and to see our  COVID-19 Framework  in action and working well. This COVID-specific framework sits alongside individual local risk assessments, and was developed last year to document the necessary changes and mitigations volunteers at a local level need to be aware of and follow when delivering parkrun events whilst Coronavirus is still in circulation.   Reassuringly, more than 14,000 events at over 800 locations have now been delivered in accordance with this framework, with over 250,000 different people walking, jogging, running and volunteering more than 1.5 million times. We support track and trace in every region we operate i

An open letter from World Athletics President Sebastian Coe in support of Parkrun. As much as I have always felt that sport is an incredible force for good, I know that it also provides an opportunity to heal: to make us better. Coronavirus has left us with deep physical and emotional scars. I have been inspired by the ingenuity and creativity of so many people over the course of the pandemic. Individuals and communities finding hope, laughter and positivity in the darkest of times. But there is no escaping the fact that the events of the past twelve months have been devastating in so many ways. Of particular concern to me is the fact that inequalities in health and wellbeing have been exacerbated. We desperately need to find ways of getting fitter, stronger and more resilient. And we need to do it in a way that embraces and includes as much of the population as possible. As we tentatively look forward, and take those first steps back to normality, grassroots sport can, if we let it, o

                                          Images (above) and (lower page) from the Conwy Parkrun Welsh Athletics time trials and road relays Entries remain open until February 11 th  for junior and senior club runners from North Wales to enter a selection of virtual and varied time trials, and/or road relay events for Welsh Athletics, with the winning seniors able to qualify for an International Home Nations challenge. For junior athletes, the schedule includes time trials for U11 boys and girls over a mile distance, an U13 boys and girls 2km time trial, plus an U15 boys and girls 3km time trial. And for the seniors, there is a great opportunity to take part in a virtual Welsh championship road relay competition during the same period.  The challenges must to be completed as individuals on a course of their choosing close to home and remain subject to Covid-19 restrictions and run between 12-15th February. Clubs must enter mixed teams, including four men and four women, and can enter a