Welsh Masters Athletics Photo special from the Inter-area indoor champs by Roger Garland.

By Don Hale

Welsh Master and photographer Roger Garland captures some of the action from the recent Inter-Area Indoor championships at Lee Valley...

 
 


  

 
 
 





 






 


 

 

 















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.

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Welsh Masters at the Indoor Inter-Area track & field Championships at Lee Valley on 14th March

By Don Hale
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*Pictured above - some of the many talented Welsh Masters athletes at Lee Valley. Welsh Masters at the Indoor Inter-Area track & field Championships at Lee Valley on 14th March 2026. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Joe Horner reports from last weekend's events. Well done to our athletes who competed last weekend: W70 Nicky B - HJSB, Shot 60m SB W55 Juliet S - 60m  Age PB 200m  M40 Samson C - 60m  4 x 200m  W40 Rhiannon J - 4 x 200m  W40 Eleri J - 200m 4 x 200m  M55 Jim M - LJ  W55 Lou K - 1500m  800m  M60 Paul Y - HJ PV    Special event report and photos courtesy of Joe Horner .     *Some exciting action photos courtesy of Joe Horner. First  of all, my heartfelt thanks for making Adrian and my job so straight forward! We had no idea what we were signing up for and all your efforts made it run a lot smoother than we expected (or feared!)  If you haven't see...
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Plenty of visitors at blustery North Wales parkruns.

By Don Hale
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*Pictured above - some of the many volunteers at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun who commemorated the WWF and nature theme. Plenty of visitors at blustery North Wales parkruns. Report by Don Hale. Conwy photos by Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog It was cold and blustery for many hundreds of parkrunners across North Wales last Saturday morning, but many events still reported good attendances and fast times. At  Llandrillo yn Rhos,  where they commemorated WWF and a nature theme, they again celebrated with a generous number of 443 participants, including plenty of visitors from across the UK. The first finisher was debutant  Aidan Thomas,  who was the runaway leader, finishing in just 17 minutes and 22 seconds. The second placed athlete remained unknown, but  Jeremy Pena  took the second spot in 18.41.  *The first female was visitor  Emma Knowles  (9th overall) who enjoyed a great debut run in 19.10, with  ...
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Success for Welsh Masters at the BMAF championships at Bangor...

By Don Hale
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*Ifan Lloyd (Swansea Harriers) - above left - with David Warren (Cardigan AC) and (*below) Ifan, David, and Mike Whyatt (Eryri Harriers). Success for Welsh Masters at the BMAF championships at Bangor... donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Ifan Lloyd reports on the BMAF cross-country championships at Bangor The BMAF (British Masters Athletics Federation) cross country championships was held at the Faenol Estate, Bangor on 21st March.  A glorious course of undulating grassland (with occasional surprise!) on a gloriously warm spring day. Competing in the Male Masters 65-69 age category I finished just in front of the in-form David Warren, Cardigan AC. West Wales first and second…and both finishing ahead of the winner of the women 35+yo race.  The field set off at a sharp pace to take advantage of the downhill sweep before hitting the first long hill on the first of the 4 laps of 1500m. The first three finishers immediately took the initiative to head the field....
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COWFEST 2026 comes to North Wales in June 2026.

By Don Hale
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donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Dave Munday from parkrun North Wales has provided details of a unique series of events including one that's available in North Wales in June! Cowfest 2026 We are delighted to announce the four locations for Cowfest 2026 on 20th June. What is a Cowfest?! It's an annual gathering for UK tourists.  Curious to learn more? Search this page for highlights and details from previous years!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2193251831088739 Scotland - Crathes Castle South - Dinton Pastures Wales - Erddig North - Ushaw Historic House You will find each event listed in the events section, where we will be sharing the latest updates and information for every location. We look forward to seeing you at Cowfest on 20th June 2026. Dave Munday:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2193251831088739/user/1239379759
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Victory for Steve Gardner at the Scottish Sprint Duathlon

By Don Hale
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*Pictured above - track champion and Welsh International athlete Steve Gardner. Victory for Steve Gardner at the Scottish Sprint Duathlon Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   Welsh International track athlete Steve Gardner won his age category in a prestigious Duathlon Sprint event in Edinburgh last weekend. The Team GB athlete, and  NWRRC  member, who was representing his second claim club  GOG Triathlon , improved on his previous impressive result - and a silver medal - at the recent Welsh Sprint Duathlon Championships just a fortnight ago, to win his MV60-64 cat following a strong overall performance. Steve later said:  “I competed for  GOG Triathlon Club  in the East Fortune Sprint Duathlon, located on a racetrack to the East of Edinburgh. The events consisted of 5k run, a 20k cycle, and a final 2.5k run.  “Finishing in 1st place in my veteran age group was an improvement on my 2nd place at the Welsh Champs ...
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Karl and Rachel Morris hit top gear at the Oulton Park Metric Marathon.

By Don Hale
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*Great performances from Karl and Rachel Morris (*pictured above). Karl and Rachel Morris hit top gear  at the Oulton Park Metric Marathon... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   North Wales couple Karl and Rachel Morris competed in the Oulton Park Metric Marathon last Sunday and they both recorded some excellent finishing times around this iconic motor racing circuit. Karl, who represented NWRC, came 17th overall out of 58 finishers in a very good time of 2 hours 20 minutes and 18 seconds around six laps of the racetrack, and he was fourth in his M45 age category.  And Rachel also hit top gear and celebrated in style following an amazing new PB, which smashed her previous metric marathon results, mainly due to her intense marathon training. Rachel finished second in her W45 age cat in 3.10.30, and she was the 13th female, in 52nd place overall. After her race, Rachel confirmed:  “The TCS London Marathon is only eleven weeks t...
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Please support SPORT in Conwy...John Hatton appeals for urgent support for top sports event

By Don Hale
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*John Hatton above - with Dame Laura Kenny - at last year's awards. Please support SPORT in Conwy...  John Hatton appeals for urgent support for top sports event... special report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog The well-known, award-winning athletics coach and charity fundraiser John Hatton is appealing for urgent  help and new ideas to both  save and support Sport Conwy. With all the current cost of living problems to contend with, and a succession of funding reductions, especially in relation to sport, he has come up with an innovative idea that might appeal to local businesses, support groups, and community organisations to help keep Sport Conwy going! John explained: “I am on the committee for Sport Conwy, and we have been supporting local sports for 30 years, this year. However, financial cutbacks and grants that we usually apply for have been dramatically cut,  I have come up with a new scheme to fill our void in finances,...
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Artist Elizabeth Haines confirms her Open Studio dates over the Easter holidays with some exciting new paintings and pastels.

By Don Hale
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*Headland Moon (*above) by Elizabeth Haines. Artist Elizabeth Haines confirms her Open Studio dates over the Easter holidays with some exciting new paintings and pastels. Special Coast and Country arts spotlight. coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog.blogspot.com The much admired Pembrokeshire artist Elizabeth Haines will be staging an Open Studio event on Easter Saturday, Sunday, and Monday with a showing of many of her exciting new works created during the snow towards the end of last year. *Pictured above left - Shrubs in Snow, and High Moon. Elizabeth explained:  “Many of my paintings are based on the Preselis, where I’ve lived for 50 years. They may evolve from studies of a particular place - my sketchbooks are full of drawings of the landscape both at home and abroad, as well as anything else which seizes my attention. I draw all the time. “My picture subjects evolve from things which I have seen and contemplated: often I start again on top of a discarded image, some of which may ...
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Easter Bonnet Competion on the promenade organised by Llandudno Lions Club - Saturday 4th April at 2pm.

By Don Hale
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Easter Bonnet Competion on the promenade organised by Llandudno Lions Club - Saturday 4th April at 2pm. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Llandudno Lions will be holding their Annual Easter Bonnet completion on the promenade in Llandudno on Saturday 4th April at 2pm. There is NO entry fee and anyone of any age can enter with various prizes including Easter Eggs available. This event will provide fun for all the family. *Full details are shown on the poster above.
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Bright and beautiful for parkrunners at Rhos – plus NW round-up of results

By Don Hale
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*GOG Triathlon athletes Simon and Vicky Cole Bright and beautiful for parkrunners at Rhos – plus NW round-up of results Report by Don Hale. Conwy photos by Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com coastandcountry.blog   It was another bright and beautiful Saturday morning at the Llandrillo yn Rhos 5k parkrun, which again attracted numerous first timers and visitors, with many recording some excellent finishing times along this picturesque promenade route. Armon Williams  was the first finisher overall with an outstanding performance and a new course PB in just 17 minutes and 15 seconds, with  Jeremy Pena  second in 1814, and JM15-17 athlete  Eban Jones  third with a new course PB in 18.28. The ladies results quite amazingly confirmed that nine out of the first ten finishers all recorded new course PBs, with international athlete and top coach  Rhian Roxburgh  (GOG Triathlon) leading her rivals home (in 8th place overall) with a new PB in 19.37, an...
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