Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above - Martin and Carla Green at Conwy parkrun. Cold, wet, and windy at Conwy parkrun - with tributes paid to fallen athlete Rob Porter. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was back to the cold wind, rain, and numerous puddles on the Conwy 5k parkrun course last Saturday as two-hundred mixed ability athletes returned following a few weeks of stop, starts, and cancellations due to various storms. This week’s event also paid tribute to former regular parkrunner Rob Porter , who sadly lost his life whilst taking part at a similar event at Conwy almost exactly 5-years ago. North Wales Road Runners  entered thirteen members with  Martin Green  leading the team home in 6th place overall, and he was 2nd in his VM50 age cat in 19.32, but it proved a real battle of Wills for the next placings with  Will Evans  and  Will Williams  in close pursuit, and they finished just a few seconds and in c...

*Pictured above - four Road Runners at the  Anglesey 10k Trail Race at Newborough last Sunday morning (l-r), Kay Hatton, Carol Moss, Rob Fryer and Philip Moss. Top podium places for Kay and Rob at the Anglesey 10k Trail Race at Newborough Forest. Report by Don Hale. Newborough photos courtesy of John Hatton. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   A quartet of Road Runners competed in the challenging Altra Anglesey 10k trail race last Sunday morning at Newborough with two members winning their respective age categories amongst more than two hundred entrants. Philip Moss  narrowly missed out on a podium place after finishing 4th in his M60 cat despite a good run in 40th place in 55.45, but both  Kay Hatton and Rob Fryer  were worthy winners. *Kay Hatton (*above left) on the podium at Newborough, with Philip Moss, and Rob master vet Rob Fryer Veteran  Kay  won her F60 cat with another excellent display in 57th place o...

  *Some of the NWRRC team (*above) on the prom at Abergele. Hundreds of runners beat the storm at the Abergele races. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Hundreds of runners tried to beat the weather at the Abergele 5k and 10k races last Sunday morning as the prelude to Storm Ashley battered North Wales with heavy rain and gale force winds. Fortunately, the worst of these conditions didn’t prevail until later in the day, but entrants for the earlier 5k faced driving rain and gusty winds, whilst 10k entrants more than an hour later, still had some strong winds to contend with, but welcomed a brief spell of bright sunshine. The elements though failed to dampen the spirit of nineteen Road Runners who bravely took part in either one or both events. Fifteen NWRRC members ran in the 5k race and claimed five age category victories and several podium places, including some fast times, and four members ran in the later 10k race. Will Williams  led the team home ...

*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), ...

*Steve Bozier (*above) was the first NWRRC finisher at Conwy parkrun Steady performances in dry conditions at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Nearly 300 mixed ability athletes took part in another welcome dry event at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning from the RSPB Nature Reserve, with many entrants taking it steady in preparation for other events the following day. North Wales Road Runners  had fifteen runners in action and  Steve Bozier  led the team home with a good performance in 11th place in 21.34, and he was 3rd in his VM45 age cat, whilst  Adam Lemalle  continued his fine form finishing 19th in 21.58, and he was 2nd in his VM40 cat. Steve Roberts  was 3rd in his VM55 cat in 31st place overall with an excellent performance in 23.03, and  Mal Preece returned to parkrun finishing 62nd in 24.48. Newcomer   Juana Hunter   was pleased with her club debut at Conwy w...

*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...

*Some of the NWRRC team pictured above at Colwyn  Bay (back row l-r): Dave Jones, Phil and Carol Moss, Rob Fryer, Rachel Morris, Sarah Jones, Daniel  Henley, and (*front row), Don Hale, Mike Hayton and Cheryl Frost. Medals galore and PBs for NW Road Runners at the Colwyn Bay Metric races... Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Lesley Goodson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmasterathletics.co.uk   Nearly three-hundred mixed ability runners took part in the challenging Colwyn Bay Metric Marathon, and Metric Half-Marathon races, run together last Sunday in cool and very breezy conditions. Well-organised by RunWales, and well supported by numerous volunteers and marshalls, including a generous number from Porth Eirias Runners, the entrants had to battle with very strong and blustery headwinds on the re-routed four-mile outward course towards Penrhyn Bay from the start on the running track at the Eirias Park Stadium. The Metric half-marathon  (13.1 kms/8.13 miles...