Don Hale Blog

Connor Rogers from Wrexham AC (*above) recorded a new PB and a winning debut for North Wales at Stafford 10k. North Wales Regional team claim 2nd place overall... Report by Don Hale . Photos Paul Brooks and  Steve  Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk The North Wales Regional athletics team competed at the Stone 10k in Staffordshire on Sunday and finished 2nd overall, with Connor Rogers winning the race on his debut with a great new PB of 32 minutes and 19 seconds. Team manager  Paul Brooks  praised all competing members for their excellent performances in this inter-county match, and confirmed: “Congratulations to  Connor Rogers  ( Wrexham  AC),  on his winning debut for North Wales and a PB, and thanks to  Darren Blazier  for ensuring that we would have a scoring team.  “And it was good to see  Elliot Cox  back in the team after several years. Unfortunately, with two ladies withdrawing on the day before the race, it left no time to find replacemen

NORTH WALES CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE 2023-24 SEASON. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk UPDATE:  NORTH WALES CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE Unfortunately due to issues beyond our control (bookings at Eirias Park) we have had to re-schedule the second North Wales Cross Country League fixture to Saturday 21st October. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. The revised fixture list is as follows: Saturday 14th October – Treborth Track, Bangor  Saturday 21st October – Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay  Saturday 25th November – Shrewsbury (venue to be confirmed) Saturday 20th January – Dolgellau  Saturday 10th February – Marches School, Oswestry. *Starting times:  Junior races at 10-30am. Women/65+men at 1-00pm; men 2-00pm. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The 39th Annual General Meeting of the " David Alun Williams " North Wales Cross Country League, in association with  Grand Prix Express  took place at  Ysgol Clywedog Leisure Centre , Ruthin Road, Wrexham, on Friday 5th May. An

*Steve Mason (*pictured above) was the first NWRRC member back at Conwy. Fast times and top placings for visiting athletes at Conwy parkrun...plus other results on the road... Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Steve Jeffery.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Conwy parkrun welcomed plenty of visitors to last Saturday’s event with the first male finisher, and the first three female placings, all recording some excellent times on their debuts. All three top female finishers were debutants, including  Nancy Connolly  (University of East Anglia Triathlon Club), who was the 1st lady (40th overall) in 22.50, and she also won her SW25 cat, with  Rebecca King,  2nd, (52nd overall),   and the winner of her VW35 cat in 23.54, whilst  Ellie Robinson  (West Cheshire AC) claimed the 3rd place in 24.20 (59th overall) in 24.20 and won her VW50 age cat. North Wales Road Runners  only entered nine members due to other commitments, but they still claimed four podium plac

Peter Robinson (Hornsea Harriers) pictured above - returned to running after retirement. More inspirational stories wanted about veteran runners...and this time we feature Peter Robinson from Hornsea Harriers... Report by Don Hale .  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Welsh Masters Athletics have been looking for some more inspirational stories about veteran athletes who, for whatever reasons, perhaps stopped running for a period of time, before returning to the sport, and are now enjoying both success and fitness in their later years. We welcome all your tales about the highs and lows of your running career, and this week we feature master veteran athlete  Peter Robinson  from  Hornsea Harriers. Peter explained : “As a teenager, I ran for a Northern UK club, Gateshead Harriers, and had some success. More important, I realised that I loved running. I stopped competing when I married in 1974 but kept 'jogging' to keep fit. “When I retired in 2018,

Steve Mason (*pictured above) ran in the very first Llangollen parkrun... plus Kelly and Cai tackle the heat at the PLS 10k race in Liverpool. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk NWRRC member Steve Mason competed in the very first Old Railway Trail parkrun at Llangollen last Saturday, which was well attended by 249 visiting athletes from all parts of the UK. Steve enjoyed a good run over this new course and finished 5th overall, and he also won his MV45 age cat, with an impressive time of just 18.55. The entrants included a good mix of club and social runners, and this inaugural North Wales event was won by  Jack Pickett  (Wolverhampton & Bilston AC) in 15 minutes and 12 seconds, and he also won his SM20 age cat.  Connor Rogers  (Wrexham AC) finished 2nd in 15.49, and he won his SM25 age cat, with  Ollie Sterne  (Davenport Runners) 3rd in 16.55, and he was runner-up in the same age cat as Connor. The 1st female runner was  Samantha

Popular Fairy Freckled Cow trail race cancelled. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk The popular Denbigh Harriers organised Fairy Freckled Cow Trail Race around the Alwen Reservoir for 2023 has sadly had to be cancelled at short notice!  An event official confirmed on Monday (19/6/23) that Natural Resources Wales (The leaseholder from Welsh Water of land around the Alwen) is not willing to issue a permit to use the tracks and footpaths used during the race.  Without this permission the race cannot be held this year and all participants who have already registered and paid for the race will be refunded their entry fee. This race was scheduled to be part of the regional North Wales trail championships. For next year Denbigh Harriers are confident of meeting Natural Resources Wales’ stricter criteria and that permission to run the race will be granted for 7th July 2024.  

* Nicola Wylie (*above) in blue top, leads the fun runners out of Llandudno. Beer 2 Beer supporters 10k social fun run to help promote local Tap Rooms. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk About forty people took part in an unusual Beer 2 Beer social fun run over the weekend to help promote local beer production and Tap Rooms.  Starting from the Wild Horse Brewery in Llandudno, via the Craft Beer Cave at Penrhyn Bay, to the finish at the Black Cloak Taproom at Colwyn Bay, runners were able to enjoy a welcome drink at each stop to help quench their thirst in the extreme heat. Two NWRRC members  Helen Hannam  and  Nichola Wylie  and their friend Nia, were amongst the group who ran the initial 10k route from start and finish, before later retracing their steps back to Llandudno to record a half-marathon distance. It was not a race as such but just for fun, Nicola Wylie was the first female finisher and Steve Roberts

Fast times for top three athletes at Conwy parkrun.   Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Teenage athlete Bryn Woodall was the first man home again at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday with another outstanding performance over this challenging 5k course and he finished more than two minutes ahead of his nearest senior rival - but missed setting a new course record by just six seconds! Bryn , who was representing Colwyn Bay AC, and is currently on home leave from his studies in America, dashed home in 15 minutes and 21 seconds, and won his SM20 age cat, but he narrowly missed beating his own course record of 15.16 set in August 2021.  Top club veteran  Simon Cole  (GOG Triathlon) finished 2nd in 17.46, and he was the winner of his MV40 cat, whilst  Josh Keogh  (NWRRC) ran hard for 3rd place and won his SM30 cat in 17.51.   *Bryn Woodall (*above left) with Simon Cole at Conwy parkrun. The first female athlete