Don Hale Blog

*Ben and Sarah Hudson celebrated their wedding anniversary at the Reading half-marathon. Report by Don Hale.   Ben and Sarah-Ferguson Hudson celebrated their wedding anniversary in style last Sunday by running in the Reading half-marathon, with Ben claiming a new personal best time over this distance, whilst Sarah was just one second adrift of her target. The popular NWRRC husband and wife duo tackled an undulating course, which left Sarah slightly frustrated at just missing out on her own PB, and of completing a unique family double. Despite the challenging route and the conditions, both athletes competed well amongst more than 6,000 runners, with Ben finishing 620th overall in a new PB of 1 hour 33 minutes and 44 seconds. Sarah too was so close to glory and just missed out by a second on claiming her own PB, finishing in 1,329th place in 1.46.00. After the race, Sarah admitted: ‘Reading half for me and Ben this morning and gutted to miss sub 1:45 yet again, but there were a couple of

*Another great run by Richard Eccles at the Conwy  Parkrun. Seven age cat wins for Road Runners at blustery Conwy Parkrun - plus Jamie on tour. Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery.   Despite cool and blustery conditions at last Saturday’s Conwy parkrun, seven North Wales Road Runners still managed to win their respective age categories, with another three members claiming additional cat podium placings. Simon Cole  (Gog Triathlon) was the first runner home over the challenging 5k course in 17 minutes 15 seconds, finishing more than a minute ahead of his second placed rival  Chris Turner  (Eryri Harriers) in 18.36, with NWRRC athlete  Richard Eccles  3rd in 18.45. The inclement weather probably helped to reduce the number of starters to just 244, but the late restart of some other local parkruns’ may have also played a part, yet this event still attracted a generous mixture of club and fun runners from as far afield as London, Truro, Stoke, Todmorden, Holmfirth, Ilkest

*The NWRRC team who ran in the Bangor 10k race last Sunday. (*pictured l-r), Cai Roberts, Kelly-Marie Alford, Kevin Higgins, Rob Fryer and Steve Roberts. Wild, wet, and windy for Bangor 10k and half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery.   Just over four-hundred determined runners took part in the Bangor 10k and half-marathon events last Sunday morning amidst wild, wet, and windy conditions which followed a very hilly, muddy, and rain saturated course. North Wales Road Runners entered five athletes in the 10k event with another two members in the half-marathon. Despite this challenging weather, the club still celebrated two podium placings in their respective age categories in the shorter race, and  Helen Hannam  snatched 3rd spot in her age cat in the half-marathon. *Helen Hannam gained a podium place in her age cat in the half-marathon. Steve Roberts  performed well again to finish 27th in the 10k run, and he was also 2nd in his VM55-59 age cat in 44 minutes

*Richard Eccles (left) with Jonathan Kettle and Steve Forsyth. Fast finishing at revised Porth Eirias Halloween 10k race. Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery. Steve Forsyth stormed to victory in the Halloween 10k at Porth Eirias last Saturday morning, which followed a revised route from Colwyn Bay to Penrhyn Bay and back, due to ongoing construction work on the coastal path to Llandullas. The Prestatyn athlete had a comfortable run winning his VM40-49 age category in just 34 minutes. North Wales Road Runner  Jonathan Kettle  gave chase and ran extremely well to finish 2nd overall and 2nd in his age cat in 34.41, with Steve’s club colleague  Andrew Bromley  claiming 3rd place a minute adrift in 35.41. The race, which attracted 139 runners, proved a success for several other NWRRC members with  Richard Eccles  finishing 7th overall and winning his VM50-59 age cat in 36.49. And  Carla Green  continued her superb run of form as the 1st female finisher, and 1st VW40-49 cat winn

*Harry Driscoll was the pick of the team at the Conwy  Parkrun. Wet weekend for North Wales athletes at parkruns. Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery.   It was another busy but very wet Halloween weekend for numerous North Wales athletes, with several members taking part in a variety of parkruns across the UK, in addition to a series of re-arranged 10k and half marathon events. Seven NWRRC athletes ran in the near waterlogged Conwy parkrun completing a challenging course, battered by near monsoon conditions the previous day, yet despite the problems, more than two-hundred mixed ability runners and tourists still turned out, with two club members even claiming deserved age category wins.  Another seven members hit the road again as parkrun tourists during the half-term break and recorded some good results at Penrith, Swansea Bay, Newent Park, Shrewsbury, and Henley-on-Thames. Harry Driscoll  was the pick of the team at Conwy finishing 9th overall and 2nd in his SM20-24

*The NWRRC team on tour at Newborough Forest, Anglesey, (*pictured l-r), Harry Driscoll, John Hatton, Mike Hayton, Carla  Green  and Liz Driscoll. North Wales athletes on the run as tourists. Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery.   The start of the half-term break saw many North Wales athletes travelling far afield this week to sample a variety of races at Liverpool, Leeds, Bangor, Newborough, and Newent Park in the Forest of Dean. Five NWRRC members ran in the Newborough Forest parkrun on Anglesey last Saturday, and a further twenty tackled the muddy and windswept Conwy parkrun, with two more at Newent Park. Carla Green  celebrated her performance along the challenging trails at Newborough by claiming the 1st lady spot, an age category victory, and a parkrun PB, finishing 11th overall from 141 entrants in 20 minutes 24 seconds. *Carla Green (*above) was the 1st Lady at Newborough and claimed a new PB, and (*below) Harry Driscoll continues to improve with a positive pe

*Helen Hannam and her family celebrated an extraordinary race day.   Helen Hannam and two of her brothers won podium positions in the Middlesbrough Race for Life 5k and 10k events last Sunday.   The popular NWRRC athlete finished 2nd overall and she was the 1st female in the 5k race with a time of 24 minutes 31 seconds, but her brother  Thomas Rapson  won this event in 22.40.  And on a remarkable, if not extraordinary day, Helen’s other brother   David   also finished 1st in the 10k race, running home in 45 minutes 1 second, whilst her sister, mother, and nieces walked the 5k course and finished in 45-minutes. She was obviously thrilled by their efforts and said: ‘It was a proper winning family day at Race for Life at Albert Park in Middlesbrough, with my brother Thomas and me finishing first and second in the 5k Race for Life, and my other brother David won the 10k event, and my sister, mum and nieces walked the 5k.’ *Pictured (above)  Helen  Hannam and her brother Thomas Rapson, who

* Kevin Slattery (*above) and Gethin Wyn Jones (*below) struck gold at Mold during last weekend's Welsh championships at the Flintshire 10k race. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   NWRRC club chairman and veteran athlete Kevin Slattery together with fast improving Gethin Wyn Jones both struck gold at Mold last Sunday as the North Wales champions, with Kevin also winning his MV65-69 age category during the Flintshire 10k race. Kevin put in a tremendous performance to tackle the hard and hilly course, which included two tough laps along a twisty route and around the windy streets of Mold.  He quickly showed his rivals a clean pair of heels and was 35th overall out of 235 finishers and claimed his double success in a fast time of 44 minutes 49 seconds. Four club runners including Kevin entered the race and additionally ran in the North Wales 10k championships. *Another great gold-gong for Gethin Wyn Jones at Mold. Gethin Wyn Jones  was another runner in good form after sha