Don Hale Blog

Fancy a challenge this Saturday in the Welsh hills for Tenovus Cancer Care? Helen Shuttleworth has just  forwarded  an appeal for anyone to run on Saturday and to  help  fundraise for a very good  cause, Tenovus Cancer Care .  She asks: -  Fancy a challenge this Saturday Ras Moel Eilio Race is an iconic 8 mile fell race set in the heart of Snowdonia climbing out of Llanberis and taking in the summits of Moel Eilio Foel Gron, Foel Goch and Moel Cynghorion, before descending back in to the village. On line entries are open on and cost £6. All of this money will go to Tenovus Cancer Care. Entries on the day will be available at £8 - this will also all go to Tenovus. https://register.enthuse.com/ps/event/RasMoelEilio2023 Mae cofnodion ar-lein nawr ar agor ag yn costio £6. Mae’r pres i gyd yn mynd i Tenovus Cancer Care. Bydd mynediadau ar y dydd ar gael am £8 - fydd hyn hefyd yn mynd i Tenovus. https://register.enthuse.com/ps/event/RasMoelEilio2023 See translation

SCI Junior Football Tournament at Kinmel Bay was a great success... Introduction by Don Hale. Photos and event report courtesy of Barry Griffiths.   Barry Griffiths of KBFC Media has confirmed that the SCI Junior Football Tournament held last weekend was a great success and attracted a bumper attendance of young players, team coaches, parents, and supporters.  During the event, he said: “We are having a great sports event here in Kinmel Bay as we again host the SCI Junior Football Tournament. Many teams from the region and from further away are playing junior teams – including Rhyl Commandos. “Some 1,200 players plus team coaches, parents, and supporters. It was fabulous and well done to all the local volunteers who have prepared the six junior pitches, managed car parking, attendance, and any unplanned events.   “I took photos from just as few of the many matches on Saturday to give people some idea of the scale and quality of the event held regularly at Y Morfa.” Barry has also forwa

*Dave Watson (*above) has achieved s ome incredible international success following his heart attack about 18-months ago, and (*below) Dave is pictured last week at the Cardiff Victory 5k race where he finished 2nd in his MV65 age cat. Welsh Master Dave Watson remains on track for further international success following his amazing recovery from a debilitating heart attack. Special Report by Don Hale.   Dave Watson, a new board member of Welsh Masters’ Athletics, tells of his survival from a debilitating heart attack just over 18-months ago, and his gradual recovery and rather incredible, return to success on the track culminating in an appearance at the recent Masters’ World Championships in Torun, Poland. *Dave Watson (*above left) on the podium after track success for Wales. The MV65 middle distance athlete has somehow defied a host of major health problems over the past couple of seasons to finally enjoy medal glory in various 800m, 1,500m, 5k, and cross-country events. He explaine

Conwy parkrunner, and football doctor, Simon Leeson has written a new light-hearted fundraising book about his life, career, and passion for running, football and even skiing! Special report by Don Hale. Photo by  John  Hatton.   Conwy parkrun volunteer and regular entrant Dr Simon Leeson is a semi-retired gynaecologist, who has published a new book about being a football doctor, which he hopes will help to raise funds for his favourite local soccer club. Simon has been a familiar and friendly face at the Conwy event for many years, and regularly takes part in the 5k challenge, when he is not volunteering, or offering his services as a marshal around this popular and picturesque course. His book is entitled  –  Don’t Call Me Doc  – Tales of a football medic in a league of his own - and is now available online via  Amazon.co.uk : https://amzn.to/3NxDaiQ   and admits, “It is a light-hearted account of  the bonkers world of club football in deepest Wales. ”  It includes an interesting acc

*Will Williams (*above) at the Mid Cheshire 5k race last Friday. Unique double in two very different but fast 5k races for Will Williams...plus other race results... Report by Don Hale.    North Wales Road Runner Will Williams completed a unique double last weekend by competing in two very different and extremely fast 5k races and claimed two sub-18-minute finishes. Last Friday night  Will   Williams  competed in the Mid Cheshire 5k dash and was delighted with another course PB in an amazing time of just 17 minutes and 33 seconds.  Despite this superb result, however, Will still finished in 327th place out of nearly 700 elite athletes with the first thirty-seven runners incredibly dipping under fifteen minutes in an ultra-fast race. Quite remarkably,  Jack Gray  (Cambridge & Coleridge) won the race in 13.58 ,  and  Nic Brook  (Eryri Harriers) also competed, and finished 258th in 16.56. Following his Cheshire race,  Will remarked: “A slight PB improvement, so small steps in a very f

*Mark Jessett (*above) was the first NWRRC member home. Great Bank Holiday turn-out in the sun at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   There was a large turn-out of mixed ability club and social runners at the Bank Holiday weekend parkrun at Conwy last Saturday with sixteen North Wales Road Runners returning from their recent marathon exploits to claim eight podium places including four age category wins. Visiting athlete  Aaron Hoyle  (Corstorphine AC) was the first runner home on his debut in just 18 minutes and 7 seconds. And at the time of writing the 2nd placed runner’s identity remained unknown, but NWRRC member  Mark Jessett  claimed the 3rd spot in 18.30, and he also won his MV35 cat. There were 287 finishers. The 1st female athlete was  Gemma Moore , a former NWRRC member now with Eryri Harriers, who finished in 12th place overall in 20.17, but she had a real tussle with club colleague  Anna Drinkwater , who was just one place and three seconds be

Endurance Open Meeting inc. Welsh 3000m & 5000m Championships - 31st May 2023. WEDNESDAY 31 MAY:  Venue:  Newport Start Time 18:00:  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com WELSH CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR 3000m & 5000m Closing date for entries Tuesday 23rd 23:59 3000m AGE GROUPS:  SENM-SENW 5000m AGE GROUPS:  U20M-U20W-SENM-SENW 3000m are open to U15 & U17 athletes but not as the Welsh championships U15 3000m Welsh Championships are 24th/25th June U17 & U20 Welsh Championships are 12th/13th August NB: Welsh Championship entrants must be Welsh by A-birth, B-Parents and or C-residence. B & C conditions must have been ratified by WA before entry. The above events are open to non-Welsh athletes who are in the U15, U17 age groups and will not be part of the Welsh Championships Non-Welsh U20 and older age groups will be included into the Welsh Championships and must indicate on entry they are not Welsh. ADDITIONAL MEETING EVENTS Closing date for entries Tuesday 23rd 23:59 TRACK 1500m, U

  WELSH MASTERS 2023 TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS SATURDAY 29th July:  Aberdare https://www.welshathletics.org/en/competition/current/view/welsh-masters-2023-track-field-championships Entry Fees: one event - £10.00, two events - £14.00, 3 events - £18.00 plus £4 for additional events Closing Date: Sunday 16th July, 23:59 Auto Close Final Timetable and event information issued w/c 23rd July. Times on current timetable are provisional and will change with entry numbers after entries close so please do not use these times to select events. Medals for first three WMAL members in each age-group. Guests winning their age group will receive a gold medal. ALL members of the Welsh Masters Association must answer the conditional question when making their entry. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

*Mal Preece (*above) had a great run at London Mixed emotions for Road Runners at the London Marathon..plus other race results. Report by Don Hale.   There were mixed emotions for several members of the North Wales Road Running team who tackled the varied challenges of the ever-popular London Marathon last Sunday as heavy rain and damp conditions caused a few problems for the 49,000 mixed ability entrants. Cramp and fatigue unfortunately played a role in the performances of several key athletes, and yet most still enjoyed the occasion, and the tremendous atmosphere and support provided by tens of thousands of supporters who cheered on the runners around some of London’s most famous landmarks. Martin Green  celebrated his hard preparatory work for this race with a tremendous run finishing in 152nd place in 2 hours 30 minutes and 43 seconds, and he also claimed the 3rd spot in his MV45 age category, leading home a team of nine fellow club runners. *Martin Green (*above) put in another tr