Don Hale Blog

*Josh Keogh (*above) ran a great new PB at Conwy for 2nd place overall. Bright and breezy but a fast finish at Conwy parkun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   It was bright and breezy at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday where over two-hundred finishers enjoyed the exceptional conditions and picturesque route to record a host of PBs and fast times, with the first nine finishers all dipping under the twenty-minute barrier. Road Runner  Josh Keogh  ran his socks off and claimed a deserved new PB, but he still finished a few seconds adrift of the overall winner, teenager James Smith, who also recorded a PB in 17.00, with another young runner Peter Cotterell, finishing 3rd in 17.28. Josh  was one of three NWRRC members who won their age categories, and yet, amazingly a further eight club runners all finished second in their cats! He led home a team of eleven seniors and one junior in 17.13, and was 1st in his SM30-34 age cat.  Jonathan Kettle (*above left) with Will Williams (*a

URGENT APPEAL TO HELP YOUNG SPORTSMEN AND WOMEN IN GAMBIA. Spare trainers, and sports kit urgently wanted for underprivileged athletes... Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runner Steve Forsyth is appealing for any unwanted sports items including trainers, running t-shirts, vests, socks, shorts, unused gels, gloves, hats, and scarfs etc for use by underprivileged young athletes in Gambia. *Steve Forsyth (above) is appealing for trainers and kit for Gambia. Steve, who recently travelled to visit family and relatives in that country is urgently trying to fill a barrel load of equipment to send out there as soon as possible, and especially in time for potential participants in the local Banjul marathon. He confirmed: ‘Wanted please, your unwanted, or no longer used, men’s and women’s trainers, together with any other unwanted sports gear.  ‘I am sending them to Gambia for people who can’t afford trainers. I am happy to collect from any corner of the UK and note that we already have re

Ben and Sarah (*above) completed gruelling Chester Ultra 50-mile charity challenge. Report by Don Hale.   Husband and wife athletes Ben and Sarah Ferguson Hudson completed the gruelling Chester Ultra 50-mile challenge last weekend. Hosted by GB Ultras, this major endurance event completed its 6th edition this year and allowed supporters to track individual runners online with a live GB race tracker via six key checkpoints and along some of the very best and most beautiful natural trails in the region, including 849m of ascent. The route was said to involve well-marked ultra-marathon linked trails along the North Cheshire Way, and the Sandstone Trail, taking in Helsby Hill, Delamere Forest and Frodsham. The experienced and intrepid endurance team-duo, who are both members of North Wales Road Runners, were amongst nearly three-hundred hardy athletes who tackled this incredible race, which tested physical and mental abilities to the limit.  Ben and Sarah both ran and finished together in

Martin Green won his age cat and shared finish time at Trimpell 20-mile race. Report by Don Hale.   Martin Green put in a tremendous performance at the Trimpell 20-mile race on Sunday and shared 2nd place out of more than 300 quality athletes,  recording  the exact same time as rival Mark Emmerson from Border Harriers. The event was billed as ‘The Pre-London Road Race,’ and included a traffic-free course though the historic City of Lancaster and the stunning Lancashire Lune Valley countryside.  It was claimed to be a friendly race organised by runners who are dedicated to delivering a superb event for every type of runner and was promoted as the ideal race before any chosen marathon. Top North Wales Road Runner Martin fought an epic battle throughout the race with his challenger Mark, and both shared the same excellent finishing time of just 1 hour 54 minutes, with the pair just over a minute adrift of final race winner Chris Pownall from Knowsley Harriers AC. After the race, Martin co

*Richard Eccles finished 5th and won his age cat at Conwy Parkrun. Plenty of visiting club runners at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Club athletes from as far afield as Truro, Littleborough, the Fylde Coast, Chiltern, and Trentham, had to battle a strong breeze and large puddles amidst the challenging 5k course at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning. North Wales Road Runners entered ten members this week following numerous fixture clashes over recent weeks with  Richard Eccles  and  Steve Mason  competing neck and neck with just four seconds separating the talented duo. *Steve Mason (*above) had a close finish with Richard Eccles. Richard  eventually finished in 5th place overall in 19 minutes 13 seconds, and he also won his MV55-59 age category, with  Steve  6th, and the winner of his MV45-49 cat in 19.17.  *Pictured (*above left) Gethin Wyn Jones, and (*right) Stuart Culverhouse. Gethin Wyn Jones  continued his rapid progress of late, to finish 16th ove

The Road Relay Championships return to Llandudno Promenade in April 2022. Report by Don Hale. Photo by Steve Jeffery. The North Wales Regional Road Relay Championships will be back in action again this year on Llandudno promenade, offering unique race opportunities for local athletic clubs and mixed ability runners aged from under 11s to seniors, including master veterans aged 70 plus. Organised by race directors John and Kay Hatton from NWRRC, in conjunction with  Paul  Brooks and the North Wales Regional Athletics Council, this exciting event will be held on Saturday 23rd April, following a two-year absence due to Covid-19 restrictions. The first race will start at 11am and will follow a 1km outward route starting along the promenade opposite Venue Cymru to the Cenotaph, and for the majority of runners as identified below, it will involve individual athletes running laps back and forth of either 2k or 4k, dependent upon their respective age categories, as part of a three-person relay

  *Martin Green (*above) on the start line at the Anglesey half-marathon Medals galore for NWRRC runners in Regional Championships at Anglesey half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton and Steve Jeffrey. North Wales Road Runners collected ten Regional Championship medals at the tough Anglesey half-marathon last Sunday, including four gold, two silver and four bronze. And top club man  Martin Green  put in another tremendous performance and recorded a new PB to eventually secure 2nd place, despite severe pressure from keen rivals, and additionally collected a deserved gold medal in the NW championships. The NWRRC athlete was the first club man home from eleven colleagues, and he also won his MV45 age cat with a fast time of 1 hour 12 minutes and 10 seconds over this challenging course.  *Pictured (*above and below) some of the male and female NWRRC runners at the Anglesey half-marathon and 10k races. Martin was joined on the virtual podium by fellow NW GOLD medal winners 

Third place and a superb new PB for Steve Bozier (*above) at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos Steve Jeffery.   Steve Bozier claimed a new personal best time at last Saturday’s Conwy parkrun, which this week was completed in bright sunshine in stark contrast to recent events. The NWRRC member finished 3rd overall and he was 2nd in his MV40-44 age cat in 19 minutes and 10 seconds. Steve led home seven other team-mates, with six recording age cat podium places including three outright wins! Steve Mason  (*pictured above) was another runner in top-form, and he finished shortly behind Steve in 4th place overall but won his MV45-49 cat in 19.38, with  Harry Driscoll  going well again in 11th spot and finishing 1st in his SM20-24 cat in 20.50.  Gethin Wyn Jones  (*pictured above) was back to his best in 16th place and was 2nd in his MV35-39 cat in 21.23, with  Jamie Tharme  in 27th place in 22.54, and  Josh Keogh  finished 30th and 3rd in his SM30-34 cat in 23.23.  *Jamie Tharme (*pi