Road Runners trio smash records, set new PBs, and win top medals at North Wales Indoor Championships

Report by Don Hale

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

Nearly 100 top male and female competitors aged from 11 to 80 took part in the North Wales Regional Indoor Track & Field Championships held at Deeside Stadium, Connah’s Quay.

Three North Wales Road Runners (NWRRC), smashed records, set new PB times, and won prestigious age category medals.

The championships attracted a generous mixture of junior, senior, and veteran track and field athletes from clubs around the region, with gold, silver, and bronze medals awarded to the first three finishers in the varied age categories, with over 50 mixed track and field events offered.

Events ranged from the long jump, high jump, triple jump, hurdles, pole vault, and shot put, to the popular 60 dash, with several records smashed, and numerous fast finishing times recorded.

NWRRC entered three athletes, and they all set new T&F records, and claimed two gold medals, and one silver, with each member additionally recording some outstanding new PBs, and age category wins.

Super-vet Dave Gardner competed in the Male Masters shot-put and repeated his amazing victory from last month’s Open Competition to win his MV80 age cat with a new PB throw of 7.04, a vast improvement from his previous 6.36.

Master vet Don Hale and veteran Michael Finnie ran in the 60m Male Masters final dash, and both won their respective age categories, recorded new PB times, set new Welsh Masters records, and claimed top medals.

Michael, in particular, enjoyed another tremendous sprint run of just 10.97 seconds and confirmed his rapid improvement at these indoor track events, with another new PB, and age track record, and he also won his MV65 age cat, but unfortunately had to settle for a silver medal overall, as the competition only offered 10-year age bands based on his MV60-69.

Don, meanwhile, struck gold for winning his MV70 cat in the MV70-79 band, with a new and improved age cat PB of 12.33 seconds, to retain his top national ranking, and set a new track record in his masters age group.

Both veteran track athletes have now set new records at these championships in their respective age categories, over this same distance, for successive races.

*A special mention should also go to Male Master veteran Paul Brooks (Wrexham AAC), a popular and long-serving official with the North Wales Regional Athletics Council, who won a gold medal in his MV75 age cat after throwing 7.32 in the shot-put competition.

The 60m sprint final results included:
*MM55-75 age cat final: 1, Martin Weetman (Cannock & Staffs), 1st MV60, 8.64 seconds; 2nd Joe Horner (Menai T&F), 1st MV55, 9.03 secs, 3rd Michael Finnie (NWRRC), 2nd M60 overall cat, but 1st M65, with a new PB of 10.97; and 4th Don Hale (NWRRC), 1st MV70 cat with a new age cat PB of 12.33.
*MM35-50 age cat final: 1. Owen Chesher (Maldwyn Harriers), 1st MV40, 8.08 seconds; 2. Matthew Harding (Deeside AAC), 2nd MV40, 8.09 secs; 3. Glyn Wise (Wrexham AAC), 1st MV35, 8.60 secs; and 4th Luke Earnshaw (Meirionnydd RC), 1st MV45, 9.11 secs.

*Plaudits were later given to all the Welsh Athletics and T&F officials and to all the hard-working volunteers. This is the link to the provisional results from the NW Indoor championships at Connah’s Quay:
https://wales.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2024/GBR/nwind/event/

Mud, wind and rain at Dolgellau cross-country race

Report by Don Hale. Photos by Lesley Goodson

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

Three Road Runners braved the strong blustery winds, rain and heavy mud at Dolgellau during the latest fixture within the Grand Prix Express, North Wales XC league.

Will Williams ran well in the Senior Men’s race and finished well in 38th place overall amongst 125 starters, and he was 3rd in his MV50 age cat in 36 minutes and 19 seconds.

The race was won by Matthew Collins (Oswestry Olympians) in 30.11 and he won his SM age cat. Janos Vranek (Aberystwyth University) was 2nd in 30.22, with Rhodri Owen (Meirionnydd) 3rd in 31.11. Emyr Davies competed in the over 65’s race and won his M80 age cat in 29.25, finishing 15th overall, with Roger Harrison Jones top M85 in 44.03.

Meanwhile, NWRRC ladies Cheryl Frost and Kay Hatton competed in the Senior Women’s race with Cheryl running home in 65th place in 28.35, and she was 6th in her W55 age cat, whilst Kay finished 74th in 29.22, and she was 4th in her W60 age cat.

The SW race was won by Joanne Henderson (Denbigh Harriers) in 21.49, and she also won her W40 age cat. There were 137 starters, and there were some other notable results, which also included Ann D’Alburquerque (GOG Triathlon), who won her W70 age cat in 35.36, in 124th place.

NWCCL secretary and race referee Bernie Jones later confirmed: “A big thank you to Tom Roberts and all his helpers from Meirionnydd RC for putting on yet another good course. It was good to come back to Dolgellau after a few years gap and the changes to the course was welcomed by most, even if a few didn’t like the removal of the water splash!”
*The final North Wales Cross Country League fixture is as usual at the Marches School, Oswestry, SY11 2AP on Saturday 10th February 2024.

Fast finishers at Conwy Parkrun despite the blustery conditions

Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

It was wild, windy and very wet underfoot at Conwy Parkrun on January 20 for nearly t200 mixed ability entrants who braved the cold and the challenging 5k course to record some superb times despite the unpredictable conditions.

North Wales Road Runner Jonathan Kettle was the first man home in just 17 minutes and 49 seconds, to win his VM45 age cat, but he was made to fight all the way following a determined run by Harty Woodford, who finished just one place, and 11 seconds behind in 18.01, to win his SM30 cat.

And Stephen Skates (Prestatyn RC) deservedly claimed the 3rd spot overall with another fast finish in 18.26, and 2nd place in the same cat as Jonathan, whilst also holding off a stern effort from his club rivals Andrew Bromley, 4th in 18.57, and promising junior Oliver Birch-Jones, 5th in 19.11 and 1st JM15-17.

Anna Mathew (Lindley RC) was the 1st female finisher (15th overall), with a new course PB of 21.16, and she also won her SW20 age cat, with junior runner Eira Owen 2nd (and 22nd overall), with another PB of 22.11, to win her JW11-14 age cat, and Laura McKenzie (Betsi Runaways), ran well as the 3rd female finisher in 23.50, and she won her VW40 cat.

A large contingent of NW Road Runners returned from other duties this week and entered 12 athletes who claimed two age victories, one second placing, and one third, with Jonathan Kettle finishing as the 1st runner overall.

Steve Roberts enjoyed an excellent run in 28th place in 22.54, and he won his VM55 cat in 22.54, with Josh Keogh in hot pursuit finishing 30th in 23.14, and Tony Price-Jones gave Josh a hard chase and finished just one place and one-second behind and claimed the 3rd spot in his VM40 age cat.

Karl Morris continued his improvement at shorter distance runs with another strong performance in 37th place in 23.55, and Jamie Tharme was 48th in 24.43. Sion Thomas enjoyed a steady run finishing 59th in 25.33.

Kelly Marie Alford made a rare, second-ever parkrun appearance, but claimed a new PB by over 30-seconds in 25.51, finishing 61st overall, and 2nd in her VW40 cat.

And Gethin Wyn Jones continued his comeback with another positive run in 78th place in 27.22, with Ceri Jones 83rd in 27.35, whist veteran John O’Shea was 107th in 29.15, and Rachel Morris finished well in 142nd place in 33.48.

*Praise was given to the Conwy run director and to all the volunteers and marshals, plus their regular hard working MC and volunteer John Hatton: This is a link to the provisional results: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/conwy/results/latestresults/

Other results:

*Bala. Road running and endurance couple Ben and Sarah Hudson made their debuts in the Pont y Bala Park with both athletes recording excellent times and top-ten finishing positions. Ben was 5th and claimed the 2nd spot in his VM45 age cat in 22.05, whilst Sarah was the 1st female finisher in 6th place overall and 1st VW45 in 23.17.

*Glasgow: Steve Mason took part in the Queen’s Park Parkrun and finished 2nd in his VM45 age cat on his course debut in 22.22. He later confirmed: “It’s a city centre one, quite hilly, and very friendly.”