Don Hale Blog

*Harry Driscoll (*pictured above) from Meirionnydd RC was second at Conwy. Some fast times and good attendances at many North Wales parkruns - full results round-up... Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Sam Griffiths  was the runaway first finisher at the  Conwy parkrun  last Saturday where they welcomed 209 club and social athletes, including many visitors from around the UK. Sam had an outstanding run in just 16 minutes and 42 seconds, with  Harry Driscoll  (Meirionnydd RC) second with a great new PB of 17.51, and visitor  John Brogan  (RC Warriors) took the third spot on his debut in 18.06. *Vicky Cole  (GOG Triathlon) was the first female finisher (16th overall), and she ran the course with her husband  Simon Cole , and claimed a new PB in 20.38, with  Ellie Evans  (Cybi Striders) second (34th) with a PB in 22.10, and  Katherine Gregson  finished third (38th) in 22.26. *Pictured above - Husb...

*Some members of the NWRRC team at the Bangor City 10k - pictured left to right on the back row - Steve Roberts, Daniel  Henell and Mike Hayton, and (*front row), Not Lister, Helen Hannam, Kay Hatton, Cheryl Frost and Gwen Charlton. Bangor City 10k race saved by quick thinking to help defeat the weather. Special report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Over five hundred determined runners completed the weather-beaten Bangor City 10k on Sunday with many elite athletes recording some excellent times despite the challenging conditions. And praise was given to quick thinking by the race organiser  Chris Yorke  from  RunWales  for overcoming many problems with debris on parts of the half-marathon route, which unfortunately forced the late postponement of this associated race but allowed the 10k to continue. In this latter event, Bangor University AC student  Andrew Moore  was the first man home in just 32 minutes and 5...

*John Hatton (*above far right), who completed his 350th volunteering role last week is pictured with some of the many friendly volunteers at Penrhyn Castle parkrun. Young athletes star at North Wales parkruns: plus results round-up from around the region... There were some fast times and several top three finishes for young male and female athletes at various parkruns across North Wales last Saturday morning. With the fine weather and dry conditions continuing for the past few weeks, it was the turn of several promising youngsters to show their more experienced rivals a clean pair of heels. William Delamere  was perhaps the pick of the bunch, where the JM15-17 athlete was the first runner home at the  Newborough Forest parkrun  in just 17 minutes and 31 seconds, and his  sister Lucy Delamere  also ran well as the third female in the same event, with the JW11-14 athlete recording another good time of 21.55. Fred Reese  was another fine junior athlete on the...

*Pictured above - Stuart Culverhouse and Kevin Slattery - at the Snowdon race. North Wales duo tackled the tough Snowdon international race with the stars... Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Two North Wales Road Runners took to the great mountain at the weekend and competed in one of Europe’s toughest endurance challenges during the Castel Howell, 48th International Snowdon race. This extraordinary event included over 1,000m climb of Yr Wydda attracted an international array of stars, club runners, plus an elite list of top mountain and fell runners, with standard, international and elite events taking place. Master veteran and NWRRC chairman  Kevin Slattery , who is a VM70 athlete, completed his gruelling run up and down Mt Snowdon on Saturday afternoon in just 1 hour 53 minutes and 49 seconds, and he finished second in his age cat, with his club colleague  Stuart Culverhouse,  a very close seven-secon...

*Pictured above - some of the NWWRC team at the Felinheli 10k race. Good turn-out for the midweek Ras Gwyl Felin 10k race. Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Kevin Slattery and Martin Green. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   The midweek Ras Gwyl Felin 10k attracted over three-hundred quality and mixed ability athletes to this popular annual event held on a humid but breezy evening. The first finisher overall was  Ifan Dafydd  in 32 minutes and 49 seconds, but he was well ahead of rival  Llyr Ap Gruffydd  (Eryri Harriers) over this undulating but spectacular course in 35.04, with  Steffan Sayer  (Menai T&F) a close third in 35.22. The first female finisher was  Emma Alofs  (Cybi Striders) in 41.34, with  Rachel Shipley  (Abergele Harriers) 2nd in 42.36, and  Mali Hughes  3rd in 42.50. *There were 321 finishers. *Carla Green (*above left), with Stuart Culverhouse and Kevin Slatte...

*Pictured above - Will Williams celebrated a new 10k PB. North Wales Quartet performed well at the Colshaw 10k. Report by Don Hale https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Four members from North Wales Road Runners competed in the Colshaw Hall 10k race last Sunday in near perfect conditions and celebrated some excellent results. Will Williams  hit top form again and recorded a superb new PB, but he was just seven-seconds adrift of his estimated target, finishing in 95th place out of 1,137 entrants in 36 minutes and 7 seconds, and 5th in his VM50 age category. After his event, Wiil said:  “A massive PB, though I thought I had dipped under 36 minutes. Not quite, but next time, I think I will get it!” Carla Green  also enjoyed a good run as the 48th female finisher and 320th overall, with a good time of 43.07, whilst  Kay Hatton  claimed the 5th spot in her VW60 cat in 47.51, and master veteran  Mike Hayton  was 852nd and 5th in his VM70 cat in 1.07.32. ...

*Pictured above - Jonathan Kettle one top form at Chester. Superb PB for Jonathan Kettle at the Chester half-marathon. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   North Wales Road Runner Jonathan Kettle returned to action at the weekend with a superb performance and claimed a new course PB despite the heat at the Chester half-marathon, finishing 23rd out of 6.539 other runners. After his race he confirmed:  “The Chester half-marathon may have not been my fastest, but I was pleased with a course PB of around one minute, and I didn’t expect it at all.  “I said to someone before the race that you have to go hard enough to risk blowing up to know what you really have on the day, and today I did that, and I didn’t blow up, absolutely loved the pain of the race.”   *Stuart Culverhouse (*above left), with Helen Hannam and Adam Lemalle. Jonathan was one of eight NWRR members who faced the hot dash at Chester and master veteran  Kevin Slattery  was ...

*Stuart Culverhouse (*above left), with his son Joe and daughter Sophia at the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn last Saturday morning where they all won their cats. Unique family hat-trick of parkrun age cat wins at Nova...plus other results... Report by Don Hale. Penrhyn photos by Michael Finnie. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com     It was a unique family hat-trick of age category victories for NWRRC veteran Stuart Culverhouse, together with his son Joe, and daughter Sophia at the Nova parkrun at sun-drenched Prestatyn last Saturday. Junior  Joe  finished 10th overall and he won his JM11-14 age cat with an impressive time of 20.38, whilst his dad  Stuart  just one place and seven-seconds behind Joe, and he won his VM50 age cat in 20.46, with  Sophia  also enjoying another good performance in 109th place in 30.05, and she won her JW15-17 age cat. After the parkrun Stuart admitted:  “My f irst run post marathon and my legs still felt heavy. Great to ...