Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above - some of the highly successful North Wales Road Running team at the Caernarfon half-marathon race. (l-r): Front row - Helen Hannam, Nia Lister, and Hannah Griffith; and (*back row l-r): Adam Lemalle, Steve Roberts, Kevin Slattery, Rob Fryer, Stuart  Culverhouse, Daniel Hennell and Will Evans. Podium places and ten regional medals for the Road Runners at the Caernarfon half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   There was a massive turnout of over five hundred runners at the Caernarfon half marathon event on Sunday which also featured the North Wales Regional Championships. The  Road Runners  entered a large contingent of fifteen members and celebrated with five prestigious podium places in the main race, including three age cat victories, plus ten championship medals, with six gold, one silver, and three bronze medals amidst the 504 finishers. *Jonathan Kettle (*above in the white vest), ...

*Some members of the NWRRC team (*above) at the Chester half-marathon. Three podium places for NW Road Runners at the Chester half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   There was a good turnout of NW Road Runners at the Essa Chester half-marathon race last Sunday morning, and they all competed well, and celebrated with three age cat podium places despite the hot and challenging conditions. Martin Green  looked back to his old self again and led home a team of fifteen members, to additionally win his MV45 age cat with a superb chip time of 1 hour 15 minutes and 10 seconds, finishing well in 13th place overall, out of nearly 6,000 entrants. He was one of three NWRRC members who celebrated podium positions, with Martin’s wife  Carla Green  finishing 3rd in her FV50 cat as the 20th female, whilst veteran  Rob Fryer  also took the 3rd spot overall, and the 2nd chip place position i...

Six of the best for GOG Triathlon members at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale.   Six GOG Triathlon members claimed podium places at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday with two first place age category wins, two second, and two third placings. Steven Owen  (*pictured right) finished 12th and he was the first club man home in in 21 minutes and 11 seconds. He was followed by  Simon Cole  in 16th place in 22.00, with  Gary Jones  26th in 23.11, and  Jack Buckley  ran well and claimed a new course PB in 34th place in 23.40. Super veteran athlete  Liz Evans  continued her excellent form to win her VW70 age cat in 71st place in 26.00, and  Nicola Tomlinson  finished in 113th place in 28.47, and another top super vet  Ann d’Albuquerque  finished just behind Nicola in 28.49, to claim the 2nd spot in her VW70 cat in 114th place. *Simon Cole (*above left) with veteran Liz Evans. Amanda Collins  enjoyed a good run in 139t...

*Some members of the NWRRC team at Eirias Park (l-r) Gwennan Charlton, Tessa Bushnell, Mike Hayton, Kay Hatton, Helen Hannam and Nicola Wylie. Two podium places for the Road Runners at rare NW cross-country fixture...plus 3rd place cat win for Kelly at Heaton Park half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery. The Road Runners claimed two excellent podium places at the North Wales cross-country league meeting at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, last Saturday, despite a very muddy and challenging course. It’s the first time since October 2010 that this senior league fixture has been staged at this venue, and the tough course certainly brought back many mixed memories for experienced athletes. The event probably attracted a few more local club runners than expected due to Conwy parkrun being cancelled due to heavy frost just a few hours before. NWRRC entered eleven members and  Josh Keogh  was the pick of the team in the Senior Men’s race, finishing 5th overall out of ...

*GOG Triathlon members Bryn Phillips (*left) and Steven Owen celebrated a dead-heat at Conwy parkrun with both athletes sharing the same finishing time. Hat-trick of age cat wins for the GOGs at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Twelve members of the GOG Triathlon Club claimed six podium places including a hat-trick of age category wins at a very damp Conwy parkrun, where the course was near waterlogged following a period of heavy rain. Victoria Cole  was the first club runner home in 21.50, and she also won her VW40 age cat finishing in 31st place overall, and just a second ahead of colleague  Andy Jones  who was 32nd in 21.51.  Andy Brazier  also won his MV55 cat in 44th place in 23.00, with  Billy Thomas  53rd in 23.39. Steven Owen  and  Bryn Phillips  celebrated a very close finish with both athletes sharing the exact same time of 25.27  with a dead-heat in 72nd and 73rd places respectively....

*Jonathan Kettle with another impressive run for 3rd place overall North Wales runners claim honours in Welsh Athletics 3-mile virtual championships Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery. Two North Wales runners finished in the top-three finishing positions in last weekend’s Welsh Athletics (WA) 3-mile virtual championships, with just 16-seconds separating the podium places. In the final 1 to 3 miles WA Winter series, some 244 quality runners completed their efforts in some very difficult weather conditions, often enduring blustery gale-force winds, on a course of their own choosing, and subject to strict Covid-19 restrictions. James Smith from Colwyn Bay AC followed up with his success at the 2-mile championships last week, with a fine victory in the 3-mile race, claiming the 1 st  U17m age category win, in addition to the overall title.  James ran home in just 15 mins 49 secs, and he was just 6 seconds ahead of 2 nd  placed runner Richard Jones from Llis...