Don Hale Blog

* North Wales Road Runners at the start of the Llandudno Easter 5k Dash. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Kevin Slattery and Steve Jeffery.   North Wales Road Runners had two athletes in the top three placings, in addition to winning both the male and female team prizes and claimed five age category wins at the popular Easter 5k Dash on Llandudno prom last Saturday. Martin Green  led home a large club entry of some twenty-eight athletes for this revived race which has not been held since 2019 due to Covid-19 restrictions and postponements. The overall race was won by  Scott Nixon  (Cardiff AC) in 16 minutes 23 seconds, with Martin just 12-seconds adrift in 2nd place, despite a gallant effort, and  Mark Jessett  finished 3rd in 16.48, and he deserves extra credit after competing at the Conwy parkrun earlier that morning where he was the top club finisher in 18.50. *Pictured (*above left) Martin Green, and (*above right) Will Williams with Harry Driscoll at the start of the Easter 5k Dash o

*Mark Jessett (*above) was the first NWRRC runner back at the Conwy Parkrun. Bumper holiday entry at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos Steve Jeffrey.   Nearly 300 entrants of all ages and abilities were welcomed to an unusually sun-drenched Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning for the traditional bumper holiday event. With many local club athletes including NWRRC runners busy preparing for the later Easter 5k Dash on the prom, the top placings went to visitors  Craig Derbyshire  M30,   in 1st place in 17 minutes 35 seconds, with  Oliver Bernstein  M30, (Chorlton Runners) 2nd in 17.51, and junior athlete  Sam Gunning  JM15-17, finishing 3rd in 17.58. Only three Road Runners took part in the warm 5k challenge this week with  Mark Jessett  finishing 6th overall and 2nd in his MV35 age cat in 18.50, with  Steve Mason  27th and 4th in his MV 45-49 cat in 22.16, and  Dave Spofforth 172nd in 29.38.  *Steve Mason (*above) with another fine run at Conwy last Saturday. Dave however ran wi

*Cheryl Frost (*above left) with NWRRC club colleague Kay Hatton and a Cybi fundraising official at the Treborth track last Saturday. Special 24-hour track challenge success by Cybi Striders for Ukraine appeal: latest news £3,320 raised by 4,537 laps. Report by Don Hale.   Dozens of local runners of all ages and abilities took part in a special 24-hour track ‘Run for Ukraine’ fundraising appeal, organised by Cybi Striders last weekend. Staged on the Treborth 400-metre athletic track, near Bangor, event organisers welcomed  anyone and everyone to take part, with entrants invited to run as many, or as few laps as possible for a donation, and as part of a unique challenge, which began at 9 am on Saturday morning and continued until the same time on Sunday. A club official confirmed:  “We are a small Anglesey based running club who like so many have been appalled to see the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine unfold. This 24-hour run is our way of showing support and raising much needed funds f

* Some of the many young benefactors (*pictured above) of Steve Forsyth's Gambian kit appeal. Steve's kit appeal for Gambia proves a huge success. Report by Don Hale.   Steve Forysth’s appeal for any unwanted running shoes and kit has proved a huge success with the first batch of donations delivered to underprivileged young sportsmen and women last week. The North Wales Road Runner also helped organise the delivery of several carloads and boxes of kit to the Gambian Police Athletic Team who began an urgent distribution to youngsters in readiness for a series of races in their country. *NWRRC athlete Steve Forsyth (*above left) with colleagues Don Hale and Will Williams as they helped collect unwanted trainers and sports kit for Gambia at Conwy parkrun. Steve was also able to send back these  exclusive  photographs from different groups who were absolutely thrilled to receive this kit from hundreds of North Wales supporters which included running clubs at Llandudno, Prestatyn, D

*Harry Driscoll (above) with another good run to lead the club runners home. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   North Wales Road Runner Harry Driscoll was the first club runner back at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning and he led home a strong team of fourteen seniors and two juniors amongst a holiday crowd of some two-hundred finishers. The talented team of mixed ages and abilities also claimed six age category wins and five second places in addition to recording several personal best (PB) times. Harry  finished 5th overall and won his SM20-24 age cat in just 20 minutes and 6 seconds, and he was nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest rival, veteran  Sean Butler  who also won his MV60-64 cat in 21.56 and he was 18th overall. *Jamie Tharme (*above) produced a good result despite a lack of sleep. Jamie Tharme  battled a lack of sleep due to work commitments, but still enjoyed a dream run to finish 22nd and 2nd in his MV40-44 cat in 22.13, and he was just six seconds ahead

*Jonathan Kettle (*above) braved injury to finish well at Manchester Seven Road Runners tackled the Manchester Marathon. Report by Don Hale.   A team of seven Road Runners travelled North last weekend for the Manchester Marathon, which also included an elite race, and a trial for top English runners aiming to represent their country in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. Claimed to be one of the largest Marathon’s in Europe, this event attracted over 24,000 entrants and provided a stern test for a variety of club and general runners of mixed abilities. Jonathan Kettle  was the impressive first NWRRC member home in just 2 hours 48 minutes and 45 seconds for 468th place overall, despite a late injury scare, with  Josh Keogh  also running well in 850th place in 2.56.00, and  Stuart Culverhouse  performed well again in 4,496th place in 3.39.47.   *Josh Keogh (*above left) with Stuart Culverhouse (*right). Steve Roberts  was pleased to finish 7,248th in 4.02.22, and partners  Cai Roberts  a