Don Hale Blog

                             Lesley Goodson in top form again in the Welsh relay challenge   Welsh Athletics virtual 5-mile road relay challenge NWRRC members win podium places in Welsh relay challenge   Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery. Four members of North Wales Road Running Club won age-related podium placings within a high-quality field of national athletes during last weekend’s Welsh Athletics virtual 5-mile relay challenge. With almost nine-hundred-entrants competing overall, including twenty-six teams of eight runners, the NWRRC team finished 15 th  overall, with the top four male and female finishers from each club counting towards team scores.  Due to strict Covid-19 restrictions, social distancing regulations, and recent freezing temperatures, the event was staged as a time-trial over four days, with all athletes having to complete their runs individually, and on their own preferred courses. This prestigious event attracted some superb performances and some v

                                          Images (above) and (lower page) from the Conwy Parkrun Welsh Athletics time trials and road relays Entries remain open until February 11 th  for junior and senior club runners from North Wales to enter a selection of virtual and varied time trials, and/or road relay events for Welsh Athletics, with the winning seniors able to qualify for an International Home Nations challenge. For junior athletes, the schedule includes time trials for U11 boys and girls over a mile distance, an U13 boys and girls 2km time trial, plus an U15 boys and girls 3km time trial. And for the seniors, there is a great opportunity to take part in a virtual Welsh championship road relay competition during the same period.  The challenges must to be completed as individuals on a course of their choosing close to home and remain subject to Covid-19 restrictions and run between 12-15th February. Clubs must enter mixed teams, including four men and four women, and can enter a

North Wales runner wins gold in Welsh Championships Two NWRRC athletes braved freezing temperatures last weekend to compete in the Welsh Athletics Virtual Winter 10k challenge, with one runner claiming gold in his age category, whilst the other just missed out on a bronze award by 22 seconds.                                                                                        Don Hale Club veteran Don Hale finished as a surprise M65 category winner, and was 57 th  overall in 51 mins 5 seconds, claiming his age cat prize for the second time in four years, although the previous win was run as a live event. Helen Hannam unfortunately faced disappointment in her F45 age category when pipped to the bronze medal position by the finest of margins after holding a podium place for a couple of days. Helen ran extremely well though and finished in 65 th  place overall in 52.09.                                                                                    Helen Hannam All the runs had to be

                                          Jonathan Kettle - fastest 10k time for North Wales team North Wales runners complete Spanish 10k challenge Despite the bitter cold winter weather over the past two weekends some 39 athletes from North Wales Road Runners and the Spanish athletic club Fondistes Penedes, from near Barcelona, brought a welcome bit of sunshine and light relief into a second friendship virtual challenge. Staged over a week-long period, due first to snow and ice in Llandudno, and then strong winds in Spain, some thirteen teams of three runners finally completed the 10k road event last Sunday, with each athlete guided by strict Covid-19 restrictions, and having to complete their runs individually. The teams included a mixture of male and female runners from each club with the results based on the fastest finishing times, and the best age percentage performances. The Welsh squad entered 22 athletes with the Spanish club represented by 17 runners. This was the second com

                                                                       Stuart Culverhouse Two North Wales runners claim age category wins North Wales Road Runners claimed several age-related podium places in last weekend’s Kidsgrove virtual 10k and 5k races, which attracted over 500 athletes, despite an extended spell of icy weather and extensive Covid-19 restrictions. Stuart Culverhouse and Kevin Slattery both won their individual age categories in the 10k challenge, with Stuart having a fine run to finish 7 th  overall and 1 st  M45 cat winner in 42 mins 43 secs, and Kevin completing a fantastic performance to win his M65 cat in 17 th  place overall in 45.21. In addition, charity fundraiser Llinos Davies from GOG Triathlon finished in 163 rd  place overall and was the 7 th  F60 runner in 68.19. The overall race was won by Scott Zikmanis from Newcastle (Staffs), 1 st  M40 cat runner in 36.25.                                Kevin Slattery   Exciting family finishes in 5k race   It wa

Spanish runners claim North Wales vests during club challenge They say the camera never lies, and at first glance it would appear that several members of North Wales Road Running Club have abandoned the current freezing temperatures to enjoy some welcome Spanish sunshine…but rest assured Covid restrictions have NOT been ignored, and the photographs simply relates to members of the Fondistes Running Club, near Barcelona, who proudly wear the vests of their rivals after claiming prizes from the recent International relay challenge. Pictured (above and below), members of the Fondistes Running club in Spain. Members of the Spanish athletic club should have come to Wales last summer for a friendship exchange, but plans were suddenly curtailed due to the worldwide pandemic.   NWRRC club chairman Kevin Slattery therefore organised a 5k inter-club relay at the end of last year, with mixed gender and ability teams representing both clubs. The event proved a huge success with forty athletes taki

  Martin Green - a new Welsh marathon record holder   Two NWRRC runners in Welsh record books   North Wales Road Runners have celebrated the welcome end-of-year news that two club runners have achieved notable records for Welsh Masters Athletics in 2020, despite a very problematic year due to Covid-19 problems. Martin Green proved his high-calibre yet again, this time winning a prestigious Welsh marathon record, with a new PB time of 2 hrs 28 mins 11 secs as the MV45 champion. He ran this superb time during the Running Grand Prix at the Bedford Autodrome but seems determined to try to improve on this time whenever we return to live racing again. And veteran runner Don Hale says he was both fortunate and rather surprised to claim 3 rd  place overall in the Welsh Masters record books for his placing in the MV65 age category over 60 metres.  He set a record for his performance last January at the Welsh indoor meeting at Connah’s Quay, where he won gold in 1 st place, running 11.32 secs ov

When Charlie' lost' his mind - By Don Hale  IT was on the number 6 bus back from Eccles, near Manchester, on a bitterly cold, wet day, one November, that my friend Charlie first mentioned something about his amazing mind-reading claims.  We had been playing football against St Joseph's School at Monton - and won 3-2, - thanks to our centre forward Brian (Sniffer) Harris scoring a last minute penalty. The home side accused their goalkeeper of 'sleeping,' and of being 'nobbled,' as Sniffer struck home the winner.  Certainly the lad appeared to freeze, and made little or no effort to save the shot.  Charlie Cressbrook played on the left wing for our school team. On the journey home, as we celebrated a sweet victory with a packet of salt and vinegar crisps, some toffee cigarettes and a can of pop, he tried to tell the boys' about a dangerous trick he claimed to have mastered.  Charlie was a bit of a 'swank,' always boasting about something or other.