Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above - runners from the Back Cloak runners, Dalzell runners, and a variety of other local running clubs at the start of the Nick Beer 10k race on Llandudno promenade. Bumper entry for Nick Beer 10k race, and a fast pace by the lead runners... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathetics.co.uk   North Wales Road Runners had eight club members involved in the popular Nick Beer 10k race last Sunday and celebrated with two veteran age category victories amongst a bumper entry of 627 club and social runners. The event, named in honour of a former NWRRC athlete, was well organised by  Always Aim High , and followed a picturesque but very challenging course, which started from Llandudno promenade and around the Great Orme and back, and included over forty club members acting as marshalls and willing volunteers. *Harry Driscoll (*above left) with Steve Gardner. Harry Driscoll  was the first club runner home with an excellent run finishing in 26th pla

*Stuart Culverhouse and his son Joe (*above) competed well at Conwy parkrun. Two-hundred parkrunners tackled the challenging  and waterlogged 5k course at Conwy. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmasters.co.uk Over two-hundred entrants, including two-dozen North Wales Road Runners, tackled the waterlogged conditions at Conwy parkrun last Saturday, before discussing a controversial decision taken by the organisation’s HQ this week to remove all male, female, and age category records. The dreadful puddle-filled, muddy, and challenging 5k course took quite a beating during the previous few days, with strong winds, and torrential rain making everyone wish they had been wearing flippers, or wellies, rather than expensive training shoes. Stuart Culverhouse  though led home a team of twelve NWRRC athletes home, who secured four age cat wins, and four second placings, and he finished 6th overall, and claimed 2nd place in his VM50 age cat in a fast time of 20 minutes

  Welsh Masters Athletics set to hold Summer T&F championships at Yate again this year. Brett Davis, a director of Welsh Masters Athletics, has confirmed an  important  update this week regarding the WMAL championships. He said: "WMAL will be holding our Summer Athletics T&F championships in Yate again! We are combining with Avon Athletics Association and Yate AC, who are hosting the Masters Open Track and Field Event   on Sunday 21st July.   This is a week before the BMAF Championships in Derby on 27/28th July." *Further details to follow.

Is the end of the road in sight for local parkruns? https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk The problems behind the scenes at Parkrun HQ finally hit boiling point this week following a highly controversial decision to delete speed and course records from the regular Saturday morning results data. This unjustified and totally unnecessary action could eventually spell the beginning of the end for hundreds of thousands of runners if further restrictions, omissions, and deletions/adjustments to finishing times, records, and age category results are implemented. This is the latest update from the BBC which has left hundreds of parkrun organisers and volunteers completely baffled...and it seems that Parkrun  HQ''s bizarre  decision  is just based on a small survey. PARKRUN WILL NO LONGER PUBLISH DATA ABOUT FIRST AND FAST FINISHERS, AGE GRADE, OR CATEGORY RECORDS... Report from the BBC online. 8/2/24. Parkrun says it has removed data such as speed records from

RECORDS WIPED FROM PARKRUN HQ:  It seems that parkrun have decided to wipe out all the records for the first finishers and all age cat record holders at all parkruns with immediate effect.  TV news reader and keen park runner  Sophie Raworth is trying to gauge some reaction from parkrunners. Today she said: " Any parkrun record holders out there who have just had their records wiped and want to talk about it on the news? Why it matters to you - if it does - that your record is no longer there etc?" So what is the  reasoning behind this action? I have not seen any notification from my local parkrun, or their HQ. Are they likely to stop recording finishing times and age cat results too? I can't understand the logic of this decision, and their failure to consult with runners etc. What do  park runners feel about this. No official notification given!

BRITISH MASTERS ATHLETIC FEDERATION BRITISH MASTERS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS 2024  Under UKA Rules:  Saturday 16th March  2024: RHUG FARM, CORWEN, DENBIGHSHIRE, NORTH WALES LL21 0EH (courtesy of Lord Newborough). https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Event organiser Gareth Hughes, on behalf of Prestatyn RC, and Welsh Masters, is urgently appealing for runners to enter the British Masters’ cross-country champs at Rhug, Corwen, on Saturday, March 16th, 2024. He explained: "Just flagging up that entries are now open and all details are now on the BMAF website:  https://bmaf.org.uk/ "At the moment entries are very slow and it has been proved in the past that team medals are achievable just by turning out three runners in an age-group. Four years ago we in Prestatyn RC won three team medals. "It’s not often that we have the chance to compete in British championships in North Wales, and for tor those of you who haven’t run in Rhug before, I can as

Nearly £7k raised for Conwy Mind following special Seal Splash Sea Dip event... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Gareth Southworth. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   There was a massive turn-out for a special cold water ‘Seal Splash’ Sea Dip from Colwyn Bay promenade, last Sunday afternoon, which helped to raise nearly £7k for Conwy Mind. Despite the cool and blustery conditions, dozens of brave entrants supported this unusual fundraising event, with many people wearing colourful fancy dress outfits, or bright swimming costumes, before entering the chilly waters. John Hatton , one of the hard-working charity promoters, confirmed:  “We had a great event at Colwyn Bay yesterday, the Seal Splash, a Sea Dip organised by Conwy Mind to raise funds. I was asked to help with the event, and it was a tremendous success with the intention of raising a few thousand pounds. “We eventually made £6,900. It was a really great atmosphere, and even the weather was kind to us, and Gareth Southworth, from C

*Kelly Marie Alford (*pictured above), enjoyed a good run in Manchester. Kelly on form at the Manchester Winter Warmer 10k - plus other race results... Kelly Marie Alford  and her partner  Cai Roberts  took part in the breezy  Manchester Winter Warmer 10k  race last Sunday, with Kelly finishing 2nd in her F40 age cat in 49th place overall in a chip time of 50.12, whilst Cai was 77th in 53.18. *local athlete Gee Outen made her half-marathon debut in the Manchester Winter Warmer race and finished 2nd in her SW age cat in 1.44.30. She was 45th overall and the 4th female runner, and her partner Val also claimed a new PB in the 10k race.   *Pictured (*above left), Cai Roberts, who ran well at Heaton Park, with Lesley Goodson and Anthony Paul Davies at Cardiff, with (*above right), Richard Scamans, who enjoyed a canine parkrun at Newborough. *Cardiff:  Lesley Goodson   made her debut at the  Cardiff parkrun  last Saturday and claimed 3rd place in her VW55 age cat in 25.28. Afterwards, she co

*The NWRRC team at the tough Conwy fell race (l-r): Helen Hannam, Nia Lister, Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones, Nicola Wylie and Adam Lemalle. Tough challenge for brave runners at the Conwy Fell Race. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Five North Wales Road Club members braved the tough challenge of the Conwy fell race last Saturday afternoon in cold, misty, and drizzly conditions which tested stamina to the limits. Amidst a quality field of 106 finishers, mainly of experienced fell runners from clubs across the country, they all battled well despite the testing conditions. Adam Lemalle was the first NWRRC man home in 71st place in 71 minutes and 15 seconds, with Charlotte Rose Wilton Jones 2nd in 87th place overall in 85.46. She was closely followed by  Nicola Wylie  in 94th place in 89.45, with  Nia Lister  104th in 123.38, and  Helen Hannam  105th in 130.05. *Nicola Wylie (*above left), with Nia Lister, and (*below), Charlotte Rose Wi