Don Hale Blog

*Jonathan Kettle (*above right) as the race runner-up is pictured on the podium with the winner at the Niagara Falls half-marathon. Jonathan Kettle finished second in Niagara Falls half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Jonathan Kettle flew the flag for Wales with pride last Sunday (22nd Oct) as he finished in second place overall at the Niagara Falls half-marathon following another stunning performance with an excellent time. The veteran North Wales Road Runner, who has been working away in Canada recently, celebrated a great effort in some very challenging weather conditions, but he was pleased to secure 2nd place and won his MV45 age cat in 1 hour 16 minutes and 55 seconds, in a top quality event that attracted 1,154 entrants.  Jonathan ran hard throughout and finished about two-minutes behind the winner, a local athlete, Jonathan Bradnam in 1.14.51, but he was almost four-minutes ahead of the 3rd placed finisher B Yang

Roger Garland reviews the performances of Welsh Masters Athletes Masters T&F champs at Pescara... Special report by Roger Garland. Welsh Masters were so incredibly well represented as part of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team at the European Masters Track & Field Championships in Pescara, Italy (21st September - 1st October 2023). Here is a copy of the report I've produced in relation to the Welsh Masters athletes who performed at the recent European Championships as part of the GB & NI team. When I started this report, I had no idea there would be so many WM athletes - 23 of them! Even now there is no guarantee that I've picked up everyone, but it's certainly all I can identify, even with help from friends and colleagues. *Please feel free to publish, circulate or whatever in order to get the report out there and in so doing help promote Welsh Masters Athletics. This is the link below to Roger's detailed report together with photographs. https://w

*Mark Jessett (*above) had a good run in 2nd place at Conwy parkrun. Athletes beat the Storm Babet aftermath at Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Following the aftermath of Storm Babet numbers were well-down at Conwy parkrun last Saturday morning as 135 hardy runners battled a challenging and waterlogged 5k riverside course that was riddled with numerous large and unavoidable puddles. Despite the soggy conditions underfoot most of the mixed ability, and varied aged entrants, still seemed relieved just to get out and run after a week of fluctuating heavy weather including torrential rain and strong blustery winds. Osian Griffiths  eventually took the plaudits for a determined effort as the first male runner home in 18 minutes and 39 seconds, and he additionally won his SM30 age cat, but he was pushed all the way by NWRRC athlete  Mark Jessett  who was only 12-seconds adrift, and won his MV35 cat

  WMAL T&F rankings from 1st May - 5th October 2023. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Chris Pruski, the records coordinator of WMAL, has published the combined masters final T&F rankings for 2023 from 1st May – 5th October 2023. He also confirmed: “These rankings are in addition to the indoor rankings already on the website.” This is a blog link to the PDF contains the latest rankings list: https://www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk/post/chris-pruski-from-wmal-produces-the-final-t-f-rankings-from-1st-may-to-5th-october-2023 Certificates of merit for records achieved to two top WMAL members. Chris Pruski , also confirmedthat WMAL certificates of record merit have been sent to two notable Welsh Masters athletes in James Thie and Russell Whiting. He acknowledged : “ James , on behalf of Welsh Masters Athletics Limited, please find attached certificates in recognition of the M35 and M40 record times you set [2014 and 2019] at 800m 1500m and 3000m. “ An

  Praise to Darran Williams (*pictured above) at Welsh Athletics for adding WMAL records to the WA site...message from Chris Pruski.... Welsh Masters recognise the support that Darran Williams at Welsh Athletics (competitions Delivery Officer) is providing Welsh Masters Athletes by firstly adding WMAL T&F records to the Welsh Athletics website in 2022, and now for regularly updating records as they are set. This season has seen many records set and others updated retrospectively. Welsh Masters Athletics Limited is very grateful for the time Darran takes to do this. Whilst not everyone will set records it is important for WMAL to publish these in recognition of our members achievements and make the wider Masters community aware. Many thanks Darran, Chris Pruski. On Behalf of the WMAL Board. WMAL Records coordinator.'

  **URGENT NOTICE **CANCELLATION** NORTH WALES CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE - COLWYN BAY Note from Bernie  Jones- secretary of the NW XC league. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay is flooded and with the rain and storms forecast to continue until tomorrow morning (Sat 21st October), Conwy Council have taken the decision to cancel our fixture tomorrow. The car parks are already flooded and as most of you know the park itself is one of our wettest courses so with all the rain its not surprising that the course, car parks and surrounding areas are flooded. I can only apologise to everyone for the cancellation, but hope you understand. We are reliant on the goodwill of landowners and we have to work with them to ensure the safety of everyone. **PLEASE CAN YOU LET YOUR CLUBMATES AND EVERYONE KNOW

*Jonathan Kettle crosses the finish line to claim 10th place at Oswestry. Jonathan Kettle 10th at Oswestry 10k race for NW Regional team. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk North Wales  Road Runner Jonathan Kettle  had a great run at the Oswestry 10k on Sunday as he represented the North Wales Regional Athletics team against Shropshire.  Jonathan finished in 10th place overall and he also won his MV45 age cat in 35.09. Afterwards he confirmed: “I was very happy with my run, but the course was not very flat at all.”  North Wales men finished 1st and the Ladies 2nd.  Team manager Paul Brooks added : “ Our times from Sunday: Men:  Scott Nixon  33:00 (third overall);  Connor Rogers  33:01 (fourth overall);  Luke Northall  34:17 (sixth overall);  Jonathan Kettle  35:09 (10th overall and 1st M45).  Ladies: Rachel Shipley  39:17 (second overall);  Gemma Brown (Moore) 39:47 (fourth overall and 1st F40);  Jane Doughton  (42:28);  Melissa Turnbu

*The NWRRC ladies team at Bangor (*l-r) Cheryl Frost, Gwennan Charlton and Kay Hatton. Back to the mud and hills for the first cross-country fixture of the season at Treborth, Bangor. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery and Lesley Goodson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Five members of North Wales Road Runners entered the first North Wales Cross-Country League fixture of the season, well-organised by hosts Eryri Harriers at Treborth, near Bangor, last Saturday, and staged over a rather muddy, hilly, and challenging series of varied courses. With different distance routes offered in respect of ages, and male and female races, ranging from juniors to masters, the general feedback was most encouraging with many runners welcoming a positive return to some sort of normality following an enforced period of uncertainty. NWRRC members ran in either the senior women’s race, or the senior men’s event, over approximate distances of 3.5-miles, or 5.5-mil

*Pictured above - Road Runner (*centre), Dave Jones with the leading pack at the very wet start of the  Conwy parkrun. Wild, wet, and windy at a waterlogged Conwy parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was wild, wet, and windy for nearly two-hundred entrants at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday as they braved hailstones and driving rain at the start, and then faced a challenging waterlogged course full of puddles. This seemed in stark contrast to the previous week when unusually barmy temperatures led to a very dry, bumpy, yet enjoyable route for a variety of mixed ability runners.  And an extra special mention should go to all the volunteers (*some pictured below) who turned out on such a horrible day, plus our regular photographer Steve Jeffery. The first two finishers this week included travelling club runners, with  Steven Sims  (East Cornwall Harriers) taking the plaudits, and dominating the event,