Don Hale Blog

  North Wales, SSSART Trawsfynydd Multi Terrain 8 Mile race. Sunday 7th April 2024.    Event Details ****Cymraeg isod**** https://sssart.niftyentries.com/North-Wales-SSSART-Trawsfynydd-Multi-Terrain-8-Mile Beautiful multi terrain 8.6 mile race around Trawsfynydd lake in Eryri/Snowdonia national park. A mostly fast course with one challenging hill on a mixed tarmac and fast trail course. The Race will be under the Welsh Athletics / UK Athletics Rules. All proceeds are in aid of the South Snowdonia Search and Rescue Team. The team is run entirely by volunteers, who are on callout 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help those in need in the local area. The team is a charity, dependent on donations from the public, and the proceeds of the race will provide vital funds. Starting by the Magnox Power Station Car Park at 12:00 on Sunday, 7th April 2024. Grid reference SH69052 37960, post code LL41 4DT; what3words ///siblings.gain.performed Open to athletes 17 and over First 100 entries £16 UK

LATEST T&F RANKINGS FOR WELSH MASTERS ATHLETICS UP TO THE END OF JANUARY 2024. Welsh Masters Athletics record and rankings officer Chris Pruski has just published the latest T&F rankings for men and women up to and including the end of January 2024.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk

*Organisers from the Ty Hapus food bank (*above) with the generous donations received from members of NWRRC last week in Llandudno. North Wales Road Runners donate generous gifts to the Ty Hapus Foodbank after club's Christmas handicap race. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Road Runners Martin and Carla Green visited a popular local foodbank last week to deliver some generous donations following the NWRRC festive handicap race from West Shore, and up to the former WW2 gun sites and back. Following the event, members donated a variety of food items to a popular local foodbank, and Martin later confirmed: “Another donation gratefully received by Ty Hapus Community Resource Centre & Foodbank from  North Wales Road Runners Club after our annual Christmas handicap  race. “Huge thanks to all that donated, and also a big thank you for all the volunteers at Ty Hapus for their invaluable help for the community. ” *This is my blog report from the NWRRC

*Pictured above - Ben and Sarah  Hudson after their Spanish marathon. Ben and Sarah’s marathon run in the Spanish sun...plus other  major race results. Report by Don Hale. Ben and Sarah Hudson  travelled to Spain this week to compete in the sun-drenched Malaga Marathon, and 4k breakfast run.  And, in complete contrast to the terrible and  stormy  weather at home, the pair had to contend with very warm conditions, and in Sarah’s case, she also had to deal with some cracked and bruised ribs after a recent fall in her garden.  Ben recorded a good time of 3 hours 38 minutes and 40 seconds, with Sarah literally hot on his heels, despite her injury problems, she still finished well in 3.42.45. After the race, Sarah said: “I was  aiming for a PB, but I slipped over in our garden the day after the Conwy half, and cracked and badly bruised several ribs, and have only just become comfortable enough to run over the last few days.  “ I’m over the moon to even finish it, let alone in that time. My

Roger Garland reviews the performances of Welsh Masters Athletes Masters T&F champs at Pescara... Special report by Roger Garland. Welsh Masters were so incredibly well represented as part of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team at the European Masters Track & Field Championships in Pescara, Italy (21st September - 1st October 2023). Here is a copy of the report I've produced in relation to the Welsh Masters athletes who performed at the recent European Championships as part of the GB & NI team. When I started this report, I had no idea there would be so many WM athletes - 23 of them! Even now there is no guarantee that I've picked up everyone, but it's certainly all I can identify, even with help from friends and colleagues. *Please feel free to publish, circulate or whatever in order to get the report out there and in so doing help promote Welsh Masters Athletics. This is the link below to Roger's detailed report together with photographs. https://w

*Pictured above - Road Runner (*centre), Dave Jones with the leading pack at the very wet start of the  Conwy parkrun. Wild, wet, and windy at a waterlogged Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was wild, wet, and windy for nearly two-hundred entrants at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday as they braved hailstones and driving rain at the start, and then faced a challenging waterlogged course full of puddles. This seemed in stark contrast to the previous week when unusually barmy temperatures led to a very dry, bumpy, yet enjoyable route for a variety of mixed ability runners.  And an extra special mention should go to all the volunteers (*some pictured below) who turned out on such a horrible day, plus our regular photographer Steve Jeffery. The first two finishers this week included travelling club runners, with  Steven Sims  (East Cornwall Harriers) taking the plaudits, and dominating the event,

* Gwennan Charlton (*above) on the finish line after her Torchlight Trail race. Gwennan enjoyed her night race in the woods. Report by Don Hale.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   NWRRC athlete Gwennan Charlton took part in the Sandman Black Diamond Torchlight Trail 5k plus event last Saturday night which was set amidst the pine trees and sand dunes of Newborough Forest, Anglesey.  Staged during the Sandman Triathlon weekend, the events offered either a 5.3k, or a 10.6k trail race option, promising a very special experience for all those taking part.  The trail races started and finished in the village and took runners around the forest trails before welcoming them back at the end of their adventure. It was primarily a fun-run for all abilities, and for people who love trail running but perhaps wanted to try something different. Gwennan certainly enjoyed her night-out and finished 8th overall, and she was also the 4th female finisher in 37 minutes 29 s

*Pictured above - Martin Green who enjoyed another solid international performance for the Welsh Masters team v England at the Mid-Cheshire 5k. Fast and furious for elite NW athletes at Mid-Cheshire International 5k challenge. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was another fast and furious encounter at last Friday night’s Mid-Cheshire Summer 5k Dash with the first 43 runners all dipping under 15-minutes, and just 5-seconds separating the top three male finishers. This very popular event, staged on an established ultra-quick course, also included an exciting international match between Welsh Masters and England Masters, with two North Wales Road Runners in  Martin Green  and  Kay Hatton  selected to proudly wear the red vests of Wales. *Kay Hatton (*above left) ran well for the Welsh Masters team, and (*right) Will Williams claimed another 5k PB at the Mid-Cheshire 5k. The overall race was won by  James West  (Tonbridge AC) in a ve

*Jonathan Kettle (*above) won a NW Regional 10k gold medal. Five gold medals for the Road Runners at Caernarfon 10k during the Regional Championships. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was bright and breezy last Sunday for just over two-hundred runners at the Caernarfon 10k race, which also included the North Wales Regional Championships, where NWRRC collected five prestigious gold medals. The conditions allowed for a fast encounter with many runners recording personal best (PB) or much improved chip times, with the event eventually won by  Scott Nixon  (Wrexham AAC) in 33 minutes 31 seconds, with  Gavin Stuart  (Cybi Striders) 2nd in 33.53, and  James Yarwood  (Wrexham AAC) 3rd in 34.05. The first female athlete was  Alison Campbell  in 36.43, and she was followed by  Amie Smith  (Cheshire Dragons) in 38.47, with 3rd place,  Anna Drinkwater  (Eryri Harriers) finishing well in 39.48. North Wales Road