Don Hale Blog

Course record broken at Conwy Fell Race. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   It proved to be a very fast finish for the first two Welsh International runners at last Saturday’s Conwy Fell Race with Matthew Roberts breaking the 2019 course record to win in 41 minutes 30 seconds, and he was just one second ahead of the previous course record holder Gavin Roberts in 41.31. *(Pictured above) A good run from Josh Keogh at the Conwy fell Race. Matthew (CUPR) also won his MV40 age cat, with Gavin (Calder Valley Fell Runners) winning his MO class, and Joel Gomes (Wrexham) finishing in 3rd place and 2nd in his M40 cat in 43.53. The first female was Katie Davies (Staffordshire Moorlands), 24th overall in 43.53. *A determined effort from Karl Morris (*above) at Conwy. North Wales Road Runners  entered two athletes with  Josh Keogh  finishing 10th in 48.33, with  Karl Morris  38th in 58.44. The event was run over a challenging 5-mile course with 1650ft of elevation and attracted seventy

Five age cat wins for Road Runners at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Numbers were down for regulars at Conwy parkrun last Saturday due to the rough weather and several fixture clashes, yet this popular 5k run still attracted tourists from as far afield as Davenport, Rochdale, Stockport, Lancaster, Newbury, and Pontypridd, amongst others. North Wales Road Runners  entered seven athletes this week and five claimed age category wins, with two others finishing in third places. And both the male and female first finishers positions were won by  Martin and Carla Green. *Pictured (*above), wearing black and looking just like a couple from a Milk Tray advert - Carla and  Martin  Green who both won at Saturday's Conwy  Parkrun. The wet and very blustery conditions, however, didn’t seem to affect  Martin Green  who was the first runner back again to record a hat-trick of successive victories, and he also won his MV45-49 age cat in 18 minutes 56 seconds.  *Dave

*Steve Mason (Above) enjoyed another good run at Conwy despite the conditions Wild, wet, and windy at popular Conwy Parkrun...and success for Charlie Owen. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   It was another wild, wet, and very windy day at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning at the RSPB site, yet this popular event still attracted over two hundred determined runners. Martin Green  was the first man home again over this puddled-filled course and knocked eighteen seconds off his winning time from last week, but he was made to work hard throughout his run by promising local junior athlete Alfie Shiland, who eventually finished just seven seconds adrift. North Wales Road Runners  had twelve members in action and recorded nine age cat podium results including five outright victories, two second, and three third places. Martin Green  additionally won his MV45-49 age cat in a fast time of 18 minutes 48 seconds, whilst  Steve Mason  also enjoyed another great performance to finish 5

*Martin Green recorded another superb victory at a windswept Conwy Parkrun. Storm Malik provided a stern challenge for Conwy parkrunners as Martin Green claims victory... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Storm Malik provided an extra element of strong gale force winds to Conwy parkrun’s already challenging 5k course last Saturday, thereby reducing many hopes of obtaining personal best times for 176 brave souls. Facing powerful head and side winds and with the tide racing in on the RSPB estuary, the runners were forced to battle unusually buffeting conditions as they completed this picturesque “out and back” course, which probably reduced all finishing times by at least a minute. North Wales Road Runners  entered eleven athletes and claimed nine age category podium placings, including  Martin Green , who returned to parkrun and easily won the event despite including his run as part of his tough ongoing training schedule.  Martin  finished well in 19 minutes 4 seconds to wi

Fundraising 1k Fun Run for St David’s Hospice on Llandudno prom at Nick Beer 10k memorial race. Report by Don Hale.    St David’s Hospice will be staging a fundraising 1k fun run for children just before the start of the Nick Beer 10k race on Sunday 13th February. The event will be run along Llandudno promenade and all  participants will also receive a medal. This event is part of the Nick Beer 10K road race which now commemorates its 30th year. The fun run is open to all age groups, and entry is just £5 which is payable on the day at the race HQ within Venue Cymru or via St David’s fundraising office (*see details below). All proceeds from the event will go towards St David’s Hospice. The Fun run start 11.30am in conjunction with the North Wales Road Runners. Registration starts from 10.30am at Venue Cymru. And all entrants will receive their Fun Run medal at the finish line.   Enter now, either by calling St David’s Hospice Fundraising Office on 01492 873674 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm or

*Road Runner Josh Keogh was the first athlete back at the Conwy Parkrun. Familiar faces returned to boost Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve  Jeffery and John  Hatton.   Conwy parkrun welcomed back numerous familiar faces for the second week on the trot as the popular 5k event returned to near normal again following several problematic weeks due to pandemic restrictions. The event was also boosted by an increased attendance of 234 runners on a very cold Saturday morning, but this time it was run over a bone-hard course instead of the usual puddle filled route and included many first timers and travelling tourists in addition to the usual group of elite athletes. North Wales Road Runner  Josh Keogh  was one such returnee and celebrated his first-ever victory at Conwy, together with a superb new course PB, and a deserved age category win.  He was nearly a minute ahead of the talented 2nd placed local youngster  Alfie Shiland , who easily who won his JM11-14 cat, in 18.17,

NICK BEER 10K ANNIVERSARY RACE FINALLY GIVEN GREEN LIGHT Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery. Organisers of the ever-popular Nick Beer 10k race around Llandudno’s famous Great Orme have finally been given the green light by the Welsh Government and Welsh Athletics and are now back on track to stage their commemorative 30th anniversary race on Sunday February 13th. This latest news came as a welcome boost to race directors John and Kay Hatton from event hosts North Wales Road Running club, following the lifting last weekend of Covid-19 restrictions, which now permits up to 500 people to attend outdoor activities. It will also come as a huge relief for runners of all ages and abilities, and from all parts of the UK and abroad, to accept that they will be able to take part and share in the excitement of competing in this scenic, yet challenging race.  *Martin Green (*above) in the colours of the North Wales County team was 7th in the Nick Beer race last year and shown fi

*Mark Jessett (*above) was the  first NWRRC athlete back at the Conwy  Parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. Conwy parkrun finally returned as predicted last Saturday following another unfortunate break from action due to harsh Welsh Government and Covid-19 restrictions and even ended up on TV! The parkrun events were only approved by the Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford the day before, after the ruling for people attending outdoor events was suddenly increased from 50 to 500! This meant a slightly belated 7th anniversary birthday bash celebration at the RSPB starting point for just short of two-hundred enthusiastic runners on a cold morning that was also filmed by ITV Wales. It turned out to be a rather fast and furious event that attracted numerous elite athletes in addition to a host of fun runners, including nineteen first timers, and numerous local athletic club members.  The quality at the top end of the run included seven out of the first eight finishers recor