Don Hale Blog

GRAND PRIX EXPRESS:  “David Alun Williams”  NORTH WALES CROSS COUNTRY SENIOR LEAGUE.  Special report  courtesy  of Bernie Jones, the secretary/referee from the meeting at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay on Saturday 21st  January 2023.  (*Bernie Jones is pictured below).     A big thank you to Russell Godwin, Crispin Backshall, and to all of the Colwyn Bay marshalls and volunteers who helped set up the course in difficult conditions, and put on a great penultimate  David Alun Williams  North Wales Senior Cross Country League for 2022/23.  Whilst the youngsters were back at Eirias Park last year, it was fantastic to see the senior league back in Eirias Park, and I have a few special memories of my own running on the fantastic course.  Yes, it may have been a slightly different course (and a bit longer than indicated on the course maps!!) but for those with good memories the senior league was last at Eirias Park on  10th October 2010,  but Eirias Park will always be a testing course regardless of

*Some members of the NWRRC team at Eirias Park (l-r) Gwennan Charlton, Tessa Bushnell, Mike Hayton, Kay Hatton, Helen Hannam and Nicola Wylie. Two podium places for the Road Runners at rare NW cross-country fixture...plus 3rd place cat win for Kelly at Heaton Park half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery. The Road Runners claimed two excellent podium places at the North Wales cross-country league meeting at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, last Saturday, despite a very muddy and challenging course. It’s the first time since October 2010 that this senior league fixture has been staged at this venue, and the tough course certainly brought back many mixed memories for experienced athletes. The event probably attracted a few more local club runners than expected due to Conwy parkrun being cancelled due to heavy frost just a few hours before. NWRRC entered eleven members and  Josh Keogh  was the pick of the team in the Senior Men’s race, finishing 5th overall out of 122 quali

Simon Cole leads the field and the GOGs home at Conwy parkrun's soggy birthday dash. Report by Don Hale.    Talented athlete Simon Cole was the first GOG Triathlon member - and the first male runner home - at last Saturday’s Conwy parkrun despite some atrocious conditions underfoot and a dark drizzly morning. He led a large contingent of club and social runners back along a waterlogged 5k course with seventeen GOG’s also helping the parkrun to celebrate its 8th anniversary. The club later recorded six podium places including three age category victories. Simon also won his MV40 age cat in 18 minutes and 23 seconds and finished some 25 seconds ahead of his 4th placed club rival  Alun Brown  who was 2nd in the same age cat in 18.48.  Graeme Tunstall  was 22nd in 22.29, with  Andy Jones  26th in 22.35. Lizzie Irvine  was the first GOG female runner finishing 33rd overall, the 2nd female runner, and she was 1st in her VW35 cat in 23.41; whilst  Merf Jones  also finished well in 47th pl

*Pictured above - the NWRRC prize winners at last Saturday's awards night. Glittering trophy night for North Wales Road Runners. Report by Don Hale. Group photo by Ian Turner.   There was a large turn-out of club members, officials, and guests at the North Wales Road Running Club’s presentation evening, held last Saturday night, at the North Wales Golf Club in Llandudno. This was the first time in a several years that the club has been able to celebrate such a glittering occasion due to pandemic restrictions, and this time many newcomers, and much improved club athletes, became the recipients of numerous impressive awards. The evening included a special dinner at the 19th Hole restaurant followed by the presentation and a disco. The awards were handed out by the hard-working NWRRC club chairman Kevin Slattery, with praise also given to Martin Green, who was the results and points co-ordinator, in addition to many club officials, and fellow members, who had all helped to make this e

Pat Finnie wins silver sprint medal at the North Wales Indoor championships at Deeside... Report by Don Hale.   NWRRC member Pat Finnie won a deserved silver medal last Sunday at the North Wales Indoor Track and Field championships held at the Deeside Leisure Centre.  Pat also claimed a great new PB of just 11.02 seconds for his 60m dash, finished 2nd overall and he also won his age MV65 age category. The race was won by MV60 athlete  Martin Weetman  (Menai T&F) in 8.56, with MV75 master veteran  Robin  Frost  3rd in 15.60.  This improved Pat’s time from 11.35 seconds at Sport City last year. After the race a jubilant Pat admitted: “I wasn’t going to go because I had a slight hamstring strain from my last day of training day on Thursday, but I thought I would have a complete rest until Sunday and hope for the best. “I did a gentle warm up and a few stretches before the race. The race went really smooth and my leg did pull, but I just ignored it and concentrated on getting over the

  *Steve Mason led the NWRRC team home at the Conwy parkrun. Anniversary parkrun success at Conwy despite tough weather conditions and challenging course... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   There was a tremendous turn-out of some 200 mixed ability entrants at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning, and they all helped to celebrate their 8th anniversary, despite very wet and blustery conditions. Many runners additionally wore unique themed costumes for this special birthday event but later probably wished they had also taken their wellies to help cope with this challenging and puddle-filled 5k course. GOG Triathlete  Simon Cole  was the first runner home overall, and won his MV40 age cat in just 18 minutes and 23 seconds, with  Aled Hughes  2nd, and just twelve seconds behind Simon in 18.35. NWRRC’s  Carla Green  was the 1st female runner and the VW50 cat winner in 22.33, with  Lizzie Irvine  (GOG Triathlon) 2nd in 23.41, and  Katie Cotton (Long Eaton) 3rd in 23.54.  *Ste

*Ann  D'Alburquerque (*pictured above) won a gold medal at Wrexham. Gold for Ann D'Albuquerque as GOG members celebrated a hat-trick of cross-country medals at North Wales champs...plus a hat-trick of age cat wins at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale.   Three GOG triathlon members celebrated last Saturday with a hat-trick of prestigious cross-country medals at the North Wales championships held at Wrexham. Competing in the Senior/Master Women’s event on a cold blustery day,  Helen MacArthur  led the team home finishing 26th overall and collected a silver medal in her W50 age cat.  Helen was followed by  Michelle Farrell  who was 34th in 30.58, and she won a bronze medal in her W40 cat. The main plaudits, however, went to club veteran athlete  Ann d’Albuquerque , who won a deserved gold medal after finishing 1st in her W70 age cat in 34.45.   *This is the link to the provisional results from the North Wales cross country championships at Wrexham:  https://view.officeapps.live.co

*GOG Triathlete Andy Brazier (*above) at Conwy parkrun. Six podium places for the GOGs at a very wet and waterlogged Conwy parkrun... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   GOG Triathlon members claimed six podium places at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning including four age category wins and two second places despite a very wet and waterlogged 5k course. Nine club members entered, and  Andy Brazier  led the team back in 22nd place and he was 2nd in his MV55 cat in 22.45. He was closely followed by  Lizzie Irvine  who was the second female finisher, and she won her VW35 cat in 26th place in 23.47, with  Paul Algieri  giving Lizzie a good chase before finishing 27th in 23.56. *Lizzie Irvine (*above left) with Paul Algieri. Andrea Cody  was 46th overall and claimed 2nd place in her VW35 cat in 26.00, with  Nicola Tomlinson  just four seconds behind in 48th place, but she won her VW40 age cat in 26.04.  Liz Evans  was another cat winner in 63rd place overall but finished 1st in

*Carla Green (*pictured above) enjoyed a great win at Tatton Park. Carla Green beat Tyson Fury to the punch with a great victory at Tatton Park 10k race. Report by Don Hale.   North Wales Road Runner Carla Green stormed home to claim the prestigious 1st female prize at the Tatton Park 10k last Saturday and finished almost a minute and a half ahead of her nearest rival – and over eleven minutes ahead of World heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury! Carla, who battled with injury problems last season, put in a gritty, and determined performance in very wet and rainy conditions around this spectacular course, and was delighted by her win and her VW50 age category victory in a fast time of 41 minutes and 9 seconds. She finished 23rd overall and didn’t pull any punches, competing against some 550 quality entrants, which included the World heavyweight champion  Tyson Fury , who is 6 feet 9 inches tall, and weighs about 19 stone, together with his boxing brother  Tommy . The celebrity duo use

 *The NWRRC men's team pictured at Wrexham (l-r) Iwan Evans, Josh Keogh, Will Williams, Martin Green, Steve Gardner and Stuart Culverhouse. Martin Green struck gold at North Wales cross country champs, and NWRRC won four top medals.  Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Ten Road Runners took part in the North Wales cross country championships at Wrexham last Saturday where the combined male and female teams won four impressive medals including one gold, two silver, and one bronze, but just missed out on a few other awards with four close fourth place finishers. Josh Keogh  was the first club man home in the  Senior/Master Men’s race , finishing 5th overall out of 69 quality entrants, and despite recording an excellent time of 31.01, he just failed to collect a medal in 4th place in his SM cat.  Martin Green,  however, was in top form and won a gold medal in his MV45 age cat in 10th place overall in 32.00. His win also marked another unique family double with his wife  Car

* Bryn Woodall  (*in white vest) just ahead of Steve Mason. Top marks to American student Bryn Woodall as he celebrated his 100th parkrun on a very heavy Conwy course... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   Colwyn Bay athlete Bryn Woodall was the first runner back at a very heavy Conwy parkrun on Saturday, where the talented teenager celebrated another superb result and his 100th parkrun, during a break from his studies and running adventures in America. Bryn also won his SM18 age cat and incredibly, he dashed around this saturated course in just 15 minutes and 38 seconds - which is the third fastest time ever - and he finished the best part of three minutes ahead of his nearest senior rival  Jonathan Kettle  from  NWRRC , who finished 2nd overall in 18.21, with JM15-17 runner  Ciaran Keyworth , 3rd in 18.59.  *Bryn Woodall (*above left) with Jonathan Kettle, who ran very well but had to settle for second place to Bryn. The first female runner was  Kirsty Stevenson  (Stone Ma