Double trouble for Mal and chatty Sarah at Abingdon Marathon.

By Don Hale

*Mal Preece (*pictured above) was going well until he collected a hip injury during the Abingdon Marathon.

Double trouble for Mal and Sarah at Abingdon Marathon.

Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk

Two members of NWRRC took part in the Abingdon Marathon last weekend with Mal Preece running the full distance despite suffering a hip injury shortly after passing the half-way point, which scuppered any hopes of recording a new PB, and Sarah Ferguson Hudson, who ran the last half just to help support her friend but was later reprimanded by an official for chatting too much!

After the race, Mal confirmed: “I ran the Abingdon Marathon ran but alas no PB for me today. It was a fantastic flat course. I was on for a massive PB at halfway 3.17, but my hip gave way. I recommend this course however, for anyone chasing a new PB time.”


Sarah (*pictured right), added: “I think everyone is aware that I may talk too much, but I think I excelled myself today by being told off by a race marshal for chatting too much whilst running. I only ran the second half to keep my friend Emma Vadhesha company, as I am doing Marathon Eryri next Sat. I would definitely love to do the whole thing, and such a great atmosphere! 

Don Hale is a former award winning investigative journalist and now a best-selling author who has created a very popular blog post linked to numerous social media sites. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025.

Comments

Post a Comment

Your comments are welcomed

Most recent posts

Cold and windy but well attended New Year’s Day parkruns.

By Don Hale
Image
*Father and son, Stuart and Joe Culverhouse (*above) ran well at Conwy. Cold and windy but well attended New Year’s Day parkruns. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   It was another very cold and very windy morning at most of the New Year’s Day parkruns, yet the conditions still failed to deter hundreds of hardy and determined athletes from travelling a long way just to start their 2026 events in style. Known parkrun events took place at  Conwy, Llangollen, and Newborough Forest , to name but a few, and all reported good attendances, and were well supported by generous teams of enthusiastic volunteers. At Conwy,  the organisers welcomed 242 entrants including numerous first timers, and the first finisher was Wrexham AAC star  James Yarwood  in 17 minutes and 45 seconds.  Iain Burgess  ran a good second place in 18.10, and visitor  Thomas Watkiss  took the third spot in 18.44. Anna Drinkwater  (Eryri Harriers) (*pictured ri...
Read more

Another attendance record smashed at Rhos despite Arctic conditions...plu other parkrun results.

By Don Hale
Image
*Will Evans (*above) made a successful debut at the Rhos parkrun Another attendance record smashed at Rhos despite Arctic conditions...plus other parkrun results. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael Finnie and others. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   The Llandrillo y Rhos parkrun set another amazing attendance record of 629 last Saturday despite a strong and bitter-cold Arctic headwind and a rather sandy 5k course. This popular new event attracted hundreds of visitors at the end of the festive holidays,  and it was also boosted by numerous runners travelling along the coast due to several early parkrun postponements, due to freezing conditions elsewhere with plenty of ice and snow, and Rhos also  recorded  an exceptional minus 8 degree wind chill via Strava! Visitor  Jacob Hiom  (Cuth’s RC) made a successful course debut at Rhos, finishing in only 17 minutes and 21 seconds, yet incredibly, he shared the exact same finishing time as  Simon Cole  (...
Read more

Midnight 10k in Shrewsbury and an early 5k parkrun at Llangollen for Ben and Sarah.

By Don Hale
Image
*Ben and Sarah Hudson are pictured above (*and below) on the start/finish line after their Midnight 10k dash at Shrewsbury on New Year's Eve. Midnight 10k in Shrewsbury and an early 5k parkrun at Llangollen for Ben and Sarah. Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.bogspot.com/2025   North Wales Road Running couple Ben and Sarah Hudson hit 2026 running, quite literally, as they competed in the unique Midnight 10k in Shrewsbury on New Year’s Eve. Ben celebrated a great result finishing in 7th place overall with a good time of 51 minutes and one second, and Sarah shared their success as the second female finisher with another excellent time of 45.21. However, not content with resting on their laurels, and despite a late-night race and a long drive home, the pair made their course debuts, early the following morning – New Year’s Day – at the Llangollen parkrun on the Old Railway Track.  Ben finished in 15th place overall, and he won his VM45 age cat in a very fast time of 22.24, wh...
Read more

Appeal for a life saving drone to help search for injured, orphaned or distressed animals - Wilfred and Friends animal rescue service,

By Don Hale
Image
Crowdfunding Plan for an urgent life-saving thermal drone for Animal Rescue operations. This is Emma Weir's story:  Investing in Life-Saving Thermal Drone Technology - £3,000 Campaign... donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 About Wilfred and Friends Animal Rescue operations. Wilfred and Friends Animal Rescue stands as a pillar of compassion and expertise within our community's animal welfare landscape. Founded on the principle that every creature deserves a chance at life and freedom, our organization has built a reputation for excellence in wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release programs.  Our comprehensive approach to animal welfare encompasses the rescue and medical treatment of injured, orphaned, and distressed wild animals, followed by specialized rehabilitation designed to prepare them for successful reintegration into their natural habitats. As a not-for-profit organization currently navigating the formal charity registration process, we operate with complete transparenc...
Read more

CALLING ALL AUTHORS - Everyone has a book in them - Let yours be read! Book publishing and self publishing.

By Don Hale
Image
   *Prolific Northern Ireland author Eileen McCourt (*above) has written and published well over 50 books with bookpublishing4u.co.uk, and now sells her books online via Amazon to a host of regular readers worldwide. About two years ago, Eileen also featured her work on a special Amazon promotion in America. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Calling All Authors! Everyone has a book in them! Isn't it time yours was read?  Turn your story into a best seller! As Self-Publishing Specialists  We Can Turn Your Book Into A Reality!                                         What is self-publishing?  Call now on 01745 832211. https://www.facebook.com/bookpublishing4u Quite simply,  it's a way of quickly and cheaply getting a book published without the need for a traditional publisher (publishing house). More and more authors...
Read more

Visitors set a hot pace on a cold, frosty morning at the Rhos parkrun – plus other results and reports from the region.

By Don Hale
Image
*Runners listen to the briefing at the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun. Visitors set a hot pace on a cold, frosty morning at the Rhos parkrun – plus other results and reports from the region... Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Pictured above and below - the mass start of the Rhos parkrun. It was another jam-packed and fun-filled occasion on Saturday morning at the new Llandrillo yn Rhos (Y Promenade) parkrun last Saturday following a record-breaking attendance on Christmas Day. Despite the freezing temperatures and a generous covering of heavy frost around the region, with the icy conditions causing the cancellation of rival events at  Conwy  and at  Nova , the Rhos parkrun, possibly aided by a light layer of sand at key points, was given the green light, much to the delight of 576 eager entrants. And many runners later expressed their gratitude to the run director  Dougie Graham  and his RD colleagues,...
Read more

Longest Day for NW athletes who ran ten different parkruns in a day for Cancer charity.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above left - Daniel Huws and Dave Munday - after completing their incredible 50k charity challenge to help fundraise for Cancer charities, and (*below), the start of their campaign. Longest Day for NW athletes who ran ten different parkruns in a day for Cancer charity... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   On the longest day of the year, last Saturday 21st June, two athletes completed a tough Cancer Charity challenge, by completing ten 5k runs on ten different parkrun courses within fourteen hours! Daniel Huws  and  Dave Munday  first began their incredible marathon fundraising event for  MOVE Against Cancer  on Yns Mon, at Newborough Forest at 6am, and they finally finished their gruelling day on home soil at the Nova Prestatyn course at about 8pm.   They were all run on genuine, varied and undulating 5k parkrun routes within North Wales, but as all the events started at 9am, obviously they could only run in one live ...
Read more

Arthur Bebbington Twin Piers 10k 2026 - entries now open

By Don Hale
Image
 *Pictured above - Helen Hannam at the finish of the 2025 T win Piers 10k race Arthur Bebbington Twin Piers 10k 2026 Held under UK Athletic Rules. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Race Headquarters:  Race Finish Near Porth Eirias towards Old Colwyn on Promenade LL29 8HH Transport to start @ 12.15pm prompt from Race HQ on Promenade for 1pm start from Llandudno Pier. Medals to all finishers CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES 10th JANUARY 2026 NO ENTRIES ACCEPTED ON THE DAY): Entries can be made via the link below: https://colwynbayac.niftyentries.com/Arthur-Bebbington-Twin-Piers-10k-2026?fbclid=IwY2xjawOMDshleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBVc0xSbkEzaDdhaVo3WHEwc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHm4CmICiaMknR3YcQonjcy7QdN20xBkZp-xnDT-ybOy8jHz6UOmgInu5szD7_aem_ySSqcdIZUuEms1tJUnsqvA#entryoptions PRIZE CATEGORIES Male - 1xU20,3xSM,3xV35,3xV40,3xV45,3xV50,3xV55,3xV60,1xV65,1xV70,1xV75,1xV80 Female- 1xU20,3xSF,3xV35,3xV40,3xV45,3xV50,3xV55,3xV60,1xV65,1xV70,1xV75,1xV80 The Tom Watson Memorial Tr...
Read more

Cronkle and the Hedgehog is the latest illustrated children’s adventure book by Sebastian Stumblebum,

By Don Hale
Image
Coast and Country spotlight book feature:    Cronkle and the Hedgehog   – another new p aperback by Sebastian Stumblebum with some superb illustrations by Cerys Edwards.   donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Now available from Amazon:   https://amzn.to/3Meh9qG   Cronkle and the Hedgehog is the latest book from established children’s author Sebastian Stumblebum, and forms part of the ‘Cronkle’ series of books.    Illustrated throughout with colour artwork created by talented artist Cerys Edwards. Follow Cronkle and his friends as they hurry to rescue Spike the Hedgehog, who has become trapped in a dangerous net. Suitable for children of all ages. Coast and Country spotlight book feature: The Adventures of Skye and Other Tales of Enchantment  -  exciting  new children's p aperback by Sebastian Stumblebum - with some superb illustrations by Cerys Edwards. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   The Adventures of Skye and Other Tales of E...
Read more

Full marks for new parkrun following a successful trial event...plus other results...

By Don Hale
Image
  *Pictured above - runners and officials receive instructions before the test event, and (*below), Steven Owen (GOG Triathlon), was the first finisher overall at the trial run. Full marks for new parkrun following a very successful trial event...plus other  results... Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 A brand-new parkrun is set begin this Saturday at  Llandrillo-yn-Rhos,  which will offer keen  parkrunners  another exciting and varied choice of  events throughout North Wales.   This venue is one of several new parkrun initiatives and additional locations planned over the coming months in this region that could help further support this popular activity and  will also help to spread the number of entrants  amongst  many other current locations.   A very successful test run was organised last Saturday by run director Richard Peevor,  and his hard working team of volunteers and marshals , with invited runners ...
Read more