Don Hale Blog

Ian Turner completes his Virtual London Marathon charity run on Llandudno prom. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by John Hatton. Master veteran runner Ian Turner completed his Virtual London Marathon charity challenge on Llandudno promenade last Sunday morning supported by a host of NWRRC club members, who either ran part of the course with him, or were available as a back-up team with drinks and refreshments. Ian, who was running in support of “Breast Cancer Now,” was aiming to try and raise at least £1,000 for this charity, eventually completed his gruelling attempt by running numerous laps up and down Llandudno promenade.  And to help pace him throughout his marathon, which included the full 26.2 distance, Ian was joined by club colleagues and friends, Don Hale, Richard Scamans, Helen Hannam, Steve McCarten, and Kay Hatton, who completed varied distance legs. *Ian Turner crosses the finishing line on the prom after completing his marathon. John Hatton took some excellent commemor...

*A great London Marathon debut and a new PB for Steve Bozier. North Wales marathon runners provide welcome boost for charities...report from London, Chester and Chester Metric, Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery, John Hatton, and others.   Marathon mania affected a host of North Wales runners last weekend with some superb performances at the London Marathon, and at both the Chester Metric and Chester Marathon events, with many athletes recording personal best times over the full 26.2-mile distance. NWRRC had two runners in the mass London Marathon race, and one master veteran member who completed the event virtually on Llandudno promenade.  Steve Bozier  (*pictured above) ran an incredible time on his debut in the capital and claimed a massive 41-minute PB to finish in the official time of 3 hours 2 minutes and 4 seconds amongst more than 40,000 runners, with so many obviously delighted to be able to run in London and were fundraising for essential char...

*Harry Driscoll and Kay Hatton at the Abersoch 10k. Podium finish for Kay Hatton at challenging Abersoch 10k. Report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton.   Harry Driscoll and Kay Hatton represented NWRRC at the challenging Abersoch HR Anchor 10k last Saturday, with both enjoying superb performances despite the atrocious weather and difficult course. *A great performance from Harry Driscoll at the Abersoch 10k. Harry  had a remarkable run finishing 14th overall out of 341 finishers and recorded a chip time of 42 minutes 2 seconds, with  Kay Hatton  114th overall, and the 23rd female runner in 52.31. Kay also won a prestigious podium place after claiming 2nd spot in her F50 age category. Kay's husband John, who watched the event and took several photographs at the race, confirmed. ‘ It was very wet, windy, and hilly at Abersoch. The course was, road, track, grass, with sandy beach to finish hurdling the groynes.’ *Kay Hatton had to dig deep to claim silve...

Success in the wind and rain for North Wales athletes at Conwy Parkrun - plus Gethin becomes a tourist again.   Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery.   Ten members of North Wales Road Runners took part in the Conwy parkrun last Saturday and despite cool, wet and windy conditions, with plenty of puddles underfoot, five members still claimed age category wins, including two runners in the top-ten finishers. Josh Keogh  was the first club man home finishing 2nd overall but he was the 1st SM30-34 age cat winner in 17 minutes 56 seconds, and  Carla Green  was the 1st female finisher again, and the 1st VW45-49 cat winner in 21.04. *Josh Keogh finished 2nd at the Conwy parkrun but won his age category. *Carla Green claimed another age cat win and she was also the 1st female runner at Conwy despite the wet and windy weather. With many other top runners missing due to other commitments including the London Marathon and Chester Metric and marathon ra...

Ian Turner’s virtual London Marathon charity run for "Breast Cancer Now" on Llandudno promenade this Sunday October 3rd… Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runner Ian Turner will be running his charity marathon challenge of 26.2 miles along Llandudno Promenade this Sunday October 3rd - beginning at about 8.30am onwards – and welcomes any donations and support. The master veteran athlete is running this incredible distance as part of the Virtual London Marathon 2021 - and he is fundraising for  Breast Cancer Now. Ian (*pictured above) has set a potential target of £1,000 and donations can be made via his JustGiving page. He says he has undertaken this challenge in support of his partner Anna, who is a survivor of  Breast Cancer Now , admits the charity needs urgent funding. He confirmed: ‘Income for “ Breast Cancer Now ” has suffered greatly because of the pandemic, and they need to raise vital funds if they are to continue to help and support people with breast cancer...

*Master veteran Peter Armstrong with teenager Mia Morris at Denbigh. Podium places for two North Wales Road Runners. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Rachel Morris.   Two North Wales Road Runners competed in the Denbigh Evening 5k race last Wednesday and both won deserved age-related podium place positions. Although there were considerable differences in the ages between young teenager  Mia Morris , and master veteran  Peter Armstrong , both athletes turned in highly creditable performances on a cool, windy, and very hilly course around Denbigh, to claim top finishing positions. Peter won his MV70-74 age category finishing 13th overall in 25 minutes 16 seconds, and 16-year-old Mia was 25th overall and 9th female runner, whilst also claiming 3rd place in an extended U21 age cat in 28.19. Peter Armstrong (*above) won his VM70-74 age cat and (below) teenager Mia Morris was 3rd in her respective age category at the Denbigh Evening 5k race. This final evening race of the season a...

*Karl Morris overcame numerous problems at the Peris Horseshoe race. Brace chef Karl nearly in stew at Peris Horseshoe fell race. Report by Don Hale. Brave local chef Karl Morris nearly ended up in a stew on Saturday when he became lost and slightly disorientated in thick fog during the highly challenging Peris Horseshoe fell race.  The NWRRC athlete bravely persevered however, and despite taking a couple of wrong turns, running a considerable extra distance, and helping a damsel in distress, he still managed to complete the race in style.  Karl however, had the  courage  and  determination to eventually conquer the tough Full Peris event, running more than twenty miles, and nearly 9,000m of ascent in total from Llanberis, to finish 49th overall in a time 6 hours 35 minutes and 38 seconds On reaching the finish line,  Karl  admitted: ‘A great day out running my first Peris Horseshoe fell race. The route is as tough as they come, and with heav...

*Martin Green (above) was the 1st male runner home at the Conwy Parkrun, and his wife Carla (pictured below) was the 1st female athlete to finish. Six age cat wins and three PBs for North Wales runners at Conwy Parkrun...plus parkrun tourist successes. Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery.   North Wales Road Runners collected six age category wins and celebrated three personal best times at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday, in addition to claiming three additional cat wins and a top female placing as tourists at other parkruns. With an entry of thirteen athletes amidst the two-hundred and forty finishers at Conwy,  Martin Green  was the first man home overall to win his VM45-49 age cat in 17 minutes and 7 seconds, with club rival  Josh Keogh  a close second in 17.50 to win his own SM30-34 age cat.  *Steve Bozier won his age category and claimed a great new parkrun PB. Mark Jessett  also enjoyed another excellent performance in 4th place...

  NWRRC confirm that Nick Beer 10k and Fun-Run race raised £2,500 for St David’s Hospice and Lions charities... Report update by Don Hale. This year’s re-arranged Nick Beer 10k race in Llandudno helped to raise over £2,500 for local charitable causes. Event organisers North Wales Road Runners confirmed this week that donations including £900 from the 10k race income, and £500 from the children’s fun run have been handed over to St David’s Hospice, making a total of £1,400; with a further £1,100 donated to the Lions Club of Llandudno for their designated charities. *Pictured outside St David's Hospice with the cheque for £1,400 for the Hospice from the Nick Beer 10k and children's fun-run are (l-r) Carla Green, Kay Hatton and John Hatton.     

*Some of the NWRRC team at Chester last Sunday (pictured l-r) Cai Roberts,  Kelly-Marie Alford, Carla Green, Rachel Morris and Kay Hatton. Carla Green leads North Wales team at Chester half-marathon Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runners entered eight athletes at the Essa Chester half-marathon last Sunday and Carla Green was again the pick of the pack finishing as 2nd female in her respective age category and 7th lady in this prestigious race which attracted over 3,000 entrants. And it proved a hectic weekend for the local club now that most parkruns are back to near normal, and the fact the Chester race clashed with the new Caernarfon half-marathon. Carla Green  however, confirmed her top form and celebrated a superb run at Chester in 92nd place overall with a chip time of 1 hour 25 minutes and 55 seconds, and she was also 2nd in her F45-49 age cat.                  *Carla Green finished 2nd in her age category at...