Don Hale Blog

Another fast finish for Jonathan Kettle at Conwy Parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery.   Conwy parkrun returned to near normality last Saturday morning with its usual mix of tourists, fun-runners, and numerous top-quality club athletes from various parts of the UK. Despite fierce competition at the sharp end of this popular 5k event, which recorded 278 finishers, three local runners still took the plaudits, and claimed two of the main podium positions. Colwyn Bay’s extraordinary talented teenager  Bryn Woodall  also registered a unique hat-trick of exceptional wins during consecutive weeks. And for North Wales Road Runner  Jonathan Kettle (*pictured above top)  it was a case of same again, as almost identical to last week, and despite a fast finish, he eventually finished as runner-up to Bryn, who still proved unbeatable in his determination for further success over this distance. *Mark  Jessett claimed a great new parkrun PB at Conwy finishing 3rd overall. Bryn wa

CARLA GREEN CELEBRATED QUADRUPLE SUCCESS AFTER HOLIDAY DASH. Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery. Carla Green celebrated an amazing quadruple achievement at the Conwy Parkrun last Saturday, which attracted a bumper Bank Holiday attendance, and saw last week’s overall course record-breaker winner Bryn Woodall, just miss another stunning attempt by a mere four-seconds. North Wales Road Runner Carla (*pictured top of page), who had only just unpacked her suitcase after arriving back from holiday, blitzed around the hard, sun-baked course, and was the 1st female finisher, recording a superb new parkrun PB of exactly 20 minutes in her 100 th  Conwy parkrun, and she easily won her VW45-49 age category, finishing 21st overall. The event again attracted much interest and excitement from a host of top club runners, who were representing many varied parts of the UK, together with a generous sprinkling of tourists enjoying a summer break, which boosted the number of finishers to

*Llyr improved his running times at the Try on the Tyne Duathlon. Top-ten finish for Llyr at Newcastle Duathlon. Report by Don Hale. North Wales Road Runner, and top rugby referee Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts, continued his love of duathlons last weekend and finished 10th overall in the “Try on the Tyne” sprint race in Newcastle. For Llyr, he admitted that it’s still a learning process for him, by combining two road races, interspersed with a four lap, 5k cycle circuit on closed roads.  He also had to negotiate challenging transitions and a slippery cycle dash on wet road surfaces but said he was pleased to clinch a top-ten finish. The three events covered a distance of about 25k and Llyr improved his running PB, and finished 10th overall in a time of 1 hour 7 minutes and 51 seconds. *Llyr had to deal with slippery roads due to the wet weather last weekend. Llyr later explained : ‘It was something different for me today. It was a brilliantly organised event, apart from constant rain from sta

Five club runners tackled tough Snowdonia half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Jonathan Kettle.   NWRRC had five intrepid athletes competing in the gruelling Snowdonia half-marathon last Sunday, which is said to offer one of the toughest challenges in the country. Run along a very scenic route and set in the beautiful Snowdonia National Park, the race included wild, and rocky-mountains, hidden valleys, and deep forests, and it both started and finished at Llanrwst, which hosted the World Trail running championships in 2013.  Previous feedback from runners suggested the course should be a little more challenging, so event organisers took out a section of the course to and from Trefriw, and re-routed it straight up to Llyn Geirionydd, before travelling up and over Llyn Crafnant. Stuart Culverhouse  (*pictured top of page) was the first club runner back in 30th place overall in a very impressive time of 1 hour 44 minutes 41 seconds, and he later described the event as ‘brutal

Richard Eccles wins senior   challenge race at Endurance Eliminator in Wrexham: - and Cai and Kelly at Shrewsbury 10k event. Report by Don Hale.   NWRRC athlete Richard Eccles became the senior men’s champion at last weekend’s unusual North Wales Endurance Eliminator challenge held at the Queensway Stadium in Wrexham. Richard finished ahead of rival  Daniel Weston  from the host club to claim the top spot on the podium at this Welsh  Athletics  event to win a prestigious senior trophy.  After the race,  Richard  confirmed: ‘ We ended up running two 400-metre laps, and then on then on the third lap, it was basically a first over the line. I just sat on Daniel’s shoulder for around 250, and then sprinted for the line.’ *Welsh champion Richard Eccles (*right) with runner-up Daniel Weston. This eliminator contest attracted competitors from clubs at Colwyn Bay, Llandudno, Deeside, Eryri, Menai, Prestatyn and Wrexham, with athletes taking part in races from U13 and U15 Boys and Girls events,

Parkrun finally returned to North Wales and Bryn smashed course record. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery.   Parkrun finally returned to Wales, and to the Conwy RSPB site on Saturday for the first time in about seventeen months due to Covid-19 restrictions, and despite light rain and a puddle-ridden course, the event was welcomed by 310 muddy finishers, including many tourists, and several athletes from top clubs across the UK. Colwyn Bay AC’s teenage athlete  Bryn Woodall  (*pictured top of page) stole the show however, and recorded a tremendous new course record of just 15 minutes 16 seconds over this picturesque 5k route, which was voted ‘runner-up’ last year in the Parkrun “World Cup” contest. The SM18-19 runner knocked more than two minutes off his own previous personal best time at Conwy, set in January last year, and he also smashed the previous course record set more than six years ago by Andi Jones of 15.52 in August 2015. Bryn, who is about to leave Wales short

  THE 2022 NICK BEER MEMORIAL RACE WILL COMMEMORATE THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY. The race will be held on Sunday 13th February 2022, with a start time of 12-noon. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffrey. *Entries will be going LIVE very soon so watch this space for further updates. It is also likely to attract a very large entry due this particular anniversary and already the organisers confirm they have received inquiries from abroad. *Martin Green in the colours of North Wales finished 7th in the 2021 Nick Beer race This popular annual event always attracts many hundreds of runners of mixed ages and abilities from across the UK, and beyond, to enjoy the scenic splendours of a hilly but picturesque course around the Great Orme. Starting and finishing on Llandudno promenade, opposite the Imperial Hotel, this next race will be the 30th annual run to help commemorate the life of a well-known former local athlete, Nick Beer, who sadly passed away in 1992, aged just 27, after eventually

*Kelly-Marie Alford and Mandy Owen on Blackpool prom. NORTH WALES RUNNERS DAZZLED AT BLACKPOOL LIGHTS 10K - and course PB for Kelly-Marie. Report by Don Hale.   Four North Wales athletes dazzled in the glare of the Blackpool Illuminations last Saturday night during the live “Run the Lights” 10k race, which attracted over seven-hundred entrants. The team effort involved husband and wife duo  Charlie and Mandy Owen , with  Kelly-Marie Alford  and her partner  Cai Roberts , together with their young son  Noah  in his buggy. Kelly, who has performed well in several recent endurance events, was again the pick of the club members in 146th place overall, and 28th female runner with a deserved course PB of 49 mins 49 seconds. And she only just missed out on a podium position, finishing 4th in her F35 age cat.  After the race  Kelly-Marie  said: ‘ Blackpool Run the Lights 10k done and dusted (and Noah).’  *The North Wales team who competed in the 'Run the Lights' 10k (*pictured l-r) Ca