Don Hale Blog

Special Appeal - Report by Don Hale. At Hope House Children’s Hospices we know that Final Moments Matter and that the last moments of a child’s life should be as precious as their first. That is why our mission is to make sure that no one faces the death of a child alone, so that every family facing the death of a child gets the very best care and support when and where they need it. We need your help To give children and families Final Moments that Matter we need to raise £500,000  - the annual cost of providing the best end of life care for every child and family in this region who turns to us. In this Moment we are asking our community to come together as one, to embrace local families whose hearts are breaking and make sure they are not isolated in their pain and grief. We've got 36 hours In the 36 hour period between  Sunday 20th November and Monday 21st November, 2022 , we need to raise £500,000 to meet the annual cost of providing the best end of life care for every child an

Welsh athletes starred at Dublin International cross-country champs. Report by Don Hale.   A large contingent of Welsh athletes travelled to Ireland last Saturday to take part in the 33rd British & Irish Open International Masters Cross-Country Championships which this year was held at Santry, near Dublin. Nearly four hundred elite athletes from five competing nations took part in this spectacular event which attracted entries from male and female club runners aged from 35 to 75 plus. North Wales was well represented with runners from NWRRC, GOG Triathlon, Prestatyn, Eryri Harriers, Wrexham, Buckley, and many other top local clubs involved in a series of very competitive races over varying distances. Road Runners   Martin Green  and his wife  Carla   Green both ran well, yet this dedicated duo appeared slightly disappointed by their results. Martin though finished a highly credible 26th in 30.13 in his M45 race, with Carla 14th in her W50 age cat race in 24.31. *Martin Green (*red

*GOG Triathlete (*above) Andy Brazier ran well at Conwy parkrun. Podium places and a cat win for GOG Triathlon members at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale   It must have been Ladies-Day for most GOG Triathlon members at Conwy parkrun last Saturday with six entrants in total, including five female athletes, and all performed well to claim three podium places, with one age cat victory, one second, and one third placing. Victoria Cole  was the first club runner home in 24th place overall, and the 4th female runner, winning her VW40 age cat in 22.42. She was followed by  Andy Brazier  who was 32nd in 23.24, and he finished 3rd in his MV55 cat. Lizzie Irvine  had a good run in 39th place and she was the 7th female finisher in 23.57.  Nicola Tomlinson  also   enjoyed her run and claimed   2nd place in her VW40 age cat, and she was 64th overall in 26.00, with  Katie Harvey  131st in 30.40, and  Sarah Ellwood  154th in 33.31. Mark Jessett  (NWRRC) was the first finisher overall, and he was ab

Road Runner Mark Jessett (*above) dazzled in the sun at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Road Runner Mark Jessett turned in another dazzling performance to match the bright sunshine at Conwy parkrun last Saturday and ran home as the first finisher overall, and he also won his MV35 age category in a fast-finishing time of 17 minutes and 54 seconds. Mark led home a team of nine club members, who collected six podium placings, including five age cat victories, and he finished about thirty-seconds ahead of his nearest rival  Dave Hughes  who was 2nd with a PB of 18.21, with  Osian Griffiths  3rd in 18.38. The 1st Lady was Ella Leonard , who was 13th overall in 21.53, with  Kristen Luke  (Eryri Harriers), 2nd female and 19th overall in 22.21, with Ffion Roberts the 3rd female runner in 22.35 and 22nd overall. This event attracted two-hundred finishers, including runners of all ages and abilities. Will Williams (*above)  was another NWRRC member in top form and h

Martin and Carla Green (*pictured left) have been selected to represent Wales at the BMAF international cross country race in Dublin next weekend. Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Running couple Martin and Carla Green have been selected to represent Wales in Dublin at the BMAF Master’s Cross Country International next Saturday 12th November.  This will be the 33rd running of this spectacular International cross-country event and returns after a two-year break due to Covid-19 restrictions. The selectors have also included many well-known and experienced runners including GOG Triathlon runners  Geran Hughes  and  Ann d'Alburqurque ,  Gemma Moore  and  Maggie Owen  from Eryri Harriers, together with Prestatyn AC athletes  Gordon Jones ,  Martin Corvriend, Steve Skates,  and  Gareth Hughes , in addition to many other very good club runners. There will be four races in total, in the following categories. Race 1: Men & Women 65+; Race 2: Women 35-64; Race 3: Men 50-64; Race 4:

*Simon Cole set a new course record at an American parkrun last week. GOG star  Simon Cole  set a new course record last week at the Merry Meeting parkrun at Maine in the USA with a superb time of just 16 minutes and 43 seconds. * Ann  d'Albuquerque (*above) has been selected to represent Wales this weekend. Two GOG runners selected for Wales at BMAF international cross country race in Dublin next weekend. Report by Don Hale.   Two GOG athletes have been selected to represent Wales in Dublin at the BMAF Master’s Cross Country International next Saturday 12th November.  Geran Hughes  will compete in his MV 50-54 age cat, whilst  Ann d’Alberquque  will run as a MV70-74 veteran. This will be the 33rd running of this spectacular International cross-country event and returns after a two-year break due to Covid-19 restrictions. The selectors have also included many well-known and experienced runners including Martin and Carla Green from NWRRC, Gemma Moore and Maggie Owen from Eryri Harri

*Richard Eccles is one of three NWRRC athletes selected for the Inter-Counties cross country championships at Monmouth. Reports by Don Hale. North Wales Road Runners now have three athletes selected for the Monmouth cross country championships later this month. Cheryl Frost will now join team-mates Kay Hatton and Richard Eccles for this Welsh Inter-Region challenge on 19th November. *Kay Hatton (*above left) with Cheryl Frost. One of the main event organisers  Bernie Jones  says he intends to send a very strong squad to these championships but says he is still waiting to hear from some other runners at other clubs as to whether they are still available after being selected.  He confirmed this week: “Just a polite reminder for those invited to run for North Wales in the Welsh Inter Regions to get in touch with their team managers asap to let them know whether you are running or not. We are trying to get full teams out, so we want the chance to give reserves an opportunity.” *Bernie Jone

*Kay and Cheryl (*pictured above) starred for the Road Runners at a blustery Conwy parkrun Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   It was a cool and blustery morning at the Conwy parkrun, yet the event still attracted two-hundred people of mixed ages and abilities, and from all parts of the UK for another exciting 5k community event. Traveling athlete  Robin Stacey  (York Acorn RC) was the first man home overall with a new PB on his course debut to win his MV30 age cat in just 17 minutes and 23 seconds. He was followed by Road Runner  Mark Jessett  who won his MV35 cat in 18.03, with local youngster  Alfie Shiland  (Colwyn Bay AC) 3rd, and once again impressing in 18.23.  *Mark Jessett (*above) finished in  second  place at Conwy. The Ladies race was won by another travelling athlete,  Lou Osborn  (Ambleside AC), who was 10th overall in 20.35, but Road Running duo  Kay Hatton  and  Cheryl Frost  took all the plaudits with  Kay  the 2nd female runner with a great new PB of 22.58,

*Runners on the road during the Snowdonia Marathon (l-r) Kelly Alford, Cai Roberts, Mandy Owen and Vicky Taylor. Road Runners battled the course and weather at Snowdonia Marathon....plus other race results & news. Report by Don Hale.   Ten members of North Wales Road Running Club completed the gruelling Snowdonia Marathon last Saturday despite battling a very tough course and some extremely challenging weather conditions that included driving rain and gusty winds, with two other runners forced to drop through injuries and sheer exhaustion. Ben Hudson was the first club man  home  and he   finished in 263rd place in 3.53.35, and  John Dalzell , also had an excellent run in 3 hours 56 minutes and 21 seconds. He was closely followed by Karl Morris in 303rd place in 3.57.56, and this was Karl's 7th running of this event. And colleague Sarah Ferguson Hudson, another top endurance and ultra- distance  athlete was  the 46th female finisher, and 326th overall, in 4.00.31.  Stuart Culv