Don Hale Blog

Positive news about award winning mountain racer Mark Davies following a devastating hit and run incident last January… *Special report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Thankfully, there has been some positive news this week about the award-winning mountain racer and fell runner Mark Davies who was seriously injured during a devastating hit and run incident close to his home near Llandudno last January. *Mark in yellow vest (*above) pictured with fellow competitors in the Swiss Mountain 360 race. Mark (48), who is a member of the North Wales Road Running club, and is also a top Welsh Master ultra-distance competitor, has faced extensive medical treatment at a specialist injury hospital in Stoke following the incident on 28th January, when he was in collision with a VW Polo. This led to a lengthy period in a coma, and an operation on his legs, and during this period, Mark’s friend Darrel Lewis launched a special fundraising appeal via a GoFundMe page which raised over £2

*Kay Hatton (*above) won her veteran's FV60 age cat at the Liverpool half-marathon. Other results:   NW Road Runners on the move...by Don Hale. Top photo by John Hatton. This has been another bumper weekend of excellent results by several NWRRC members on the road.  This is a summary of their exploits: - this includes Kay Hatton winning her age cat at the Liverpool half-marathon, Richard Eccles winning his age cat at the Welshpool 10k, and newcomer Beth Williams competing in the World's Steepest Street Race in Harlech. *Liverpool:  Three NWRRC members travelled to Merseyside last Sunday to take part in the  Liverpool Skyline half-marathon , where veteran  Kay Hatton  deservedly won her F60 age cat with a superb run finishing as the 69th female, and 726th overall out of nearly 3,929 entrants in 1.42.39. Kay was supported at the race by  Kelly Marie Alford  and her partner  Cai Roberts.  Kelly ran well in 1,763rd place in 1.49.44, but sprained her ankle on the last 100 metres, wi

*Teenage GOG athlete Caitlin Owen (*above) has won her age cat at Conwy parkrun twice in recent weeks during a break from her studies. GOG Triathlon members ran their luck with 7 podium places, including five age cat wins! Report by Don Hale. (*Conwy parkrun 25/3/23).   GOG Triathlon entered thirteen members at Conwy but contrary to belief, this number proved very lucky as they claimed seven podium places including five age category victories! Victoria Cole  was the first club athlete home, and she was also the 1st female finisher, with a new PB of 21.20, to also win her VW40 age cat, finishing 10th overall .  Andy Brazier  was 2nd in his MV55 cat in 23rd place in 23.04, with  Steven Owen  finishing 29th in 23.15, and  Merf Jones  was in close pursuit in 32nd place in 23.30. Tom Simpson  finished 64th in 25.35, and  Stephen Dutton  was 70th in 25.52, with  Claire Parsley  enjoying another good run in 71st place, and she was only three seconds behind Stephen but won her VW45 age cat in

*Martin Green (*above) had a good run but had to settle for 2nd place. It was a breeze for teenager Morgan Kendall in blustery conditions at Conwy parkrun with Martin Green 2nd. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   North Wales based student Morgan Kendall, representing  Durham City Harriers , made light of the rather cool and blustery conditions at Conwy parkrun last Saturday to record a great new course PB of just 16 minutes and 30 seconds as the first male runner home. The teenage prospect aka  Banana man , from a previous fancy dress dash at this same parkrun, finished nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest rival, veteran Road Runner  Martin Green , in 19.25, with debutant veteran  John Brogan  3rd in 19.49. The first female runner was  Victoria Cole  (GOG Triathlon) 10th overall in 21.20, with  Alice Johnston  (Les Croupiers) just ten-seconds behind in 2nd place, and 13th overall, in 21.30, whilst teenager  Ella Grundy  (Colwyn Bay AC) finished well in 37th place in 23.5

  New dates for midweek series of fell races confirmed. Report by Don Hale.  *North Wales ladies on the town (above l-r) Elizabeth Driscoll, Hannah Griffith, Tessa Bushnell and Gwennan Charlton. Four female members of NWRRC recently took part in a unique Urban Orienteering event around Llandudno as part of a new and exciting series of races organised by Eryri Harriers. Gwennan Charlton , who was a member of this talented quartet confirmed: “You are given a map and set of checkpoints, then you visit as many of these as possible within a one-hour time limit. Hannah Griffith, Tessa Bushnell, Elizabeth Driscoll , and me, teamed up, and finished as the second team, a close 10 points off the winning team. *Hannah Griffith has also confirmed the dates for the forthcoming mid-week urban fell race series of races: See poster (*below): -

  The World’s Steepest Street Run - in Harlech! Saturday 25th March 2023. Preview by Don Hale. Tomorrow (Sat) marks the start of a really tough Welsh challenge on the streets of Harlech, where hundreds of athletes will attempt to run the steepest street in the country. Race organisers Always Aim High now provide the background to this extraordinary event and we happy to confirm the following details: - There are ten criteria a street must meet to be in contention with being named the steepest, including having to be a public thoroughfare and being fully surfaced, as well having buildings alongside the road. The awarding of the Guinness World Record to Ffordd Pen Llech, and the battle from the previous holders in New Zealand to take the title back has captured imaginations worldwide and people have flocked to Harlech to walk, cycle, or even roll down the street - you just can't beat a bit of Welsh pride mixed with a sprinkling of the eccentric. With Harlech already on the Always Aim

*Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts pictured in the lead in his GB vest during the Duathlon. Llyr claims worthy top-ten finish for Great Britain at European Sprint Duathlon in Italy. Report by Don Hale. North Wales Road Running veteran Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts enjoyed a superb run for Great Britain last weekend in the Veteran’s MV50 European Sprint Duathlon Championships in Italy, and claimed an excellent Top-Ten finish. The international all-rounder was even leading the pack at one stage but admitted to a slight mishap during transition which pushed him back, but he recovered well to eventually claim a prestigious 8th place overall. Held in Carole, which is about 50km from Venice, his split times included 16 minutes and 35 seconds for the first run of about 5k, and 36.20 for the cycle ride, with 11 minutes for the second run. After the event Llyr confirmed: “I was really pleased, but it could have been higher if I hadn’t had trouble getting my feet into my bike shoes during T1 transition, but I’ll