Don Hale Blog

*Will Williams (*above left) with Steve  Forsyth. Five Road Runners in top ten at Conwy parkrun - plus other race results... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Conwy parkrunners enjoyed a good run in the sun last Saturday where five Road Runners finished within the top-ten, and seven members claimed age category wins.  Steve Forsyth  marked his return from Gambia with another positive run to finish in 2nd place overall in 17 minutes 39 seconds and won his MV40-44 age cat, but he was unable to catch the runaway leader Hamish Morton (Cambridge & Coleridge AC), who celebrated a new PB in 17.27 and won his SM25-29 age cat. Meanwhile, Colwyn Bay youngster Alfie Shirland claimed the 3rd spot and won his JM11-14 age cat in 17.50. Martin Green  finished 4th overall and he was 1st in his MV45-49 cat in 18.11, with  Steve Mason  just two-seconds off his previous best in 5th spot, and 2nd in the same cat as Martin in 18.50.  *Pictured above -  Martin  and Carla Green at Conwy  Par

*Richard Eccles (*above left) with Jon Evans. Both athletes claimed great new PBs last Friday night at the very fast and high calibre Mid Cheshire 5k race. Road running duo hit top form at Mid Cheshire 5k race. Report by Don Hale.   Two North Wales Road Runners competed in the Mid Cheshire 5k Spring race last Friday night and both claimed incredible new PB times within a quality field of top athletes. This star-spangled event attracted 747 international, elite, and club runners from across the UK, with many simply intent on recording personal best times over this exceptionally fast course. And the race pedigree was proven by the first twenty-seven runners all dipping under 15-minutes. Just one second separated the first three finishers, with  David Devine  (Liverpool Harriers) the race winner in 14.19, with  Cameron Bell  (Hallamshire Harriers) 2nd in 14.20, and  James Knockton  (Trafford AC) 3rd in the same chip time of 14.20. NWRRC members  Richard Eccles  and  Jon Evans  enjoyed sup

*Jamie Tharme (*pictured above) completed 100k North Wales Ultra challenge. Report by Don Hale.   Endurance runner Jamie Tharme must be a glutton for punishment as he took part in the gruelling new 100k North Wales Path Ultra race last Saturday just a week or two after competing in a tough marathon event. Jamie eventually completed this tremendous challenge of running from Nova at Prestatyn to Bangor - with a good many hills thrown in - in a magnificent time of 15 hours and 2 minutes, covering a Strava distance of 101.95 kms including 2,044m of elevation. Feeling utterly exhausted, Jamie later admitted: “I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my time, but this is definitely up there. Wow! That was so hard!” *NWRRC athlete Jamie Tharme (*pictured above) in another recent race. Two other well-known local runners also took part including,  Amanda Durber  and  Bethan Wyn Roberts.  The pair ran together throughout and completed the course in an amazing time of 15 hours 7 minutes.  Amanda later

Josh Keogh (*pictured above) led the team to success at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery. North Wales Road Runners had three athletes within the top four finishers at Conwy parkrun last Saturday and claimed six age category wins during another well attended and sun-drenched event. This popular 5k event again attracted numerous Bank Holiday runners from across the UK to sample the delights of this spectacular riverside course with many of the 216 finishers also recording PBs. Josh Keogh  led the club team, and he was the first runner home overall, and celebrated victory as the 1st SM30 cat winner in just 17 minutes and 19 seconds. He was closely followed by club colleagues  Jonathan Kettle  in 2nd place and 1st MV45 in 18.03, and  Steve Mason  4th, and 2nd in his MV45 age cat in 18.55. *Jonathan Kettle (*above) finished 2nd at the Conwy Parkrun. Steve Roberts  won his MV55 cat finishing 21st overall in 21.26, with  Sean Butler  continuing his good form to

*John Dalzell *(above) put in a tremendous effort during his ultra challenge and not only recorded a great new PB time but he was also the 1st Welsh runner. John Dalzell completed 53-mile Highland Fling Ultra Race for the Welsh Air Ambulance charity appeal. Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runner John Dalzell was celebrating last weekend after completing a gruelling 53-mile international challenge race, including an amazing new PB, whilst also helping to raise vital funds for the Welsh Air Ambulance appeal. *The Welsh air Ambulance team in action (*above). The experienced endurance athlete was the 1st Welshman to finish amongst a top-quality international field of 450 starters – with only 315 finishers – during the Highland Fling Ultra Marathon in Scotland. John was 116th overall and completed this extremely tough course, with 7,187 ft of elevation, in just 11 hours 47 minutes and 52 seconds, knocking a massive 37 minutes of his previous best time.  *John Dalzell (*above) recorde

*Martin Green (*above) pictured at a previous race. Great result for Martin Green at Wrexham Elite Marathon. Report by Don Hale. Martin Green confirmed his pedigree once again as a top marathon runner and a keen competitor with another tremendous performance at the Wrexham Elite Marathon last Sunday. The NWRRC member finished the tough 7-lap course in a great time of 2 hours 31 minutes and 19 seconds in a race that attracted numerous elite athletes who were all capable of running a Sub 3-hour marathon on a new world accredited fast course along closed roads. The provisional results confirm that Martin finished 15th out of 167 finishers, and he came 2nd in his MV45 age cat. The overall marathon was won by Hugh Armstrong (Ballina AC) who set a new Welsh all comers record of 2.14.02. Afterwards Martin said: “These marathons don’t get any easier, at half-way in 74:00, then got slower……pleased to finish, no complaints, onto the next one!” *This is the link to the  provisional  results: http

*Steve Mason (*above) was the first NWRRC member at Conwy. Fun in the sun for Conwy parkrunners. Report by Don Hale.   Conwy parkrunners were greeted by bright, warm sunshine, and a light breeze, as they tackled the spectacular out and back 5k course along the river estuary last Saturday morning. The event attracted over two-hundred finishers with the first twelve runners all dipping under the magic twenty-minute barrier. And runners of all ages and abilities from across the UK were again well represented, including club members from as far afield as York, Forest of Dean, Salford, Accrington, Telford, Wigan, and Bingley, amongst others, with one runner even travelling over from New Zealand! Teenager  James Smith  (Menai T&F) was the first runner back in a fast time of 17 minutes and 39 seconds, and he also won his SM18-19 age cat, with  Guy Roberts  (Mossley Hill AC) 2nd overall, and 1st in his VM35-39 cat in 18.09, whilst well-known local athlete  Chris Yorke  finished 3rd, but wo

*Martin Green (*above in white vest) leads the pack at a previous Pier to Pier race. MESSAGE FROM ORGANISER OF PIER TO PIER 10K RACE - EVENT POSTPONED TILL NEXT JANUARY 2023. It is with regret we will have to postpone this year’s race. We have tried numerous different weekends and simply just cannot co-ordinate First Aid and transport with so many events back in the calendar following the lifting of Covid -19 restrictions. This time of year is worsened with the promenade being so busy at Llandudno, Rhos and Colwyn Bay it has been made even more difficult as we approach the summer period. For those that have entered we will postpone the race to January 2023 and entries will automatically be deferred. The date will either be the 14th  or 21st  January 2023 and will confirm as soon as the tide information has been revealed. If you wish to receive a full refund please click  here  before April  30th 2022, after this we will transfer any entries to the 2023 event. Thank you for your patienc

* 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