Colwyn Bay AC student Bryn Woodall wins national 1500m title in America with great new PB.

By Don Hale

Colwyn Bay AC student Bryn Woodall wins national 1500m title in America with new PB...

Report by Don Hale. 

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

 

Colwyn Bay AC member and student Bryn Woodall set a superb personal best time to win a national 1500m track championship title at the NAIA track finals in America last weekend.

The promising North Wales athlete, and a former regular at the Conwy parkrun, who still holds the course record holder over their 5k route, is currently overseas on a student scholarship scheme, has been busy studying at Milligan University in the USA.  

And last week he recorded a great new PB of just 3.41.93 over this distance to claim a prestigious title victory against quality opposition at the end of a busy season of athletics.




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

Most recent posts

Visitors boosted the numbers at North Wales parkruns

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - the busy start at the Rhos on Sea parkrun. Visitors boosted the numbers at North Wales parkruns Report by Don Hale. Rhos photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com coastandcountry. blog It was perfect weather for the start of the school holidays, and at Rhos parkrun, as at most other North Wales events last Saturday, the superb conditions attracted a wealth of debutant runners, visitors and walkers. Local footballer  Aaron Dodwell  recorded a new course PB at the  Llandrillo yn Rhos  parkrun in just 16 minutes and 36 seconds, but visitor  Colin Latham  (Dragons RC Sale) gave chase all the way to finish in second place in 16.57, with promising JM1-14 athlete  Lucas Burgess  third with a new course PB in 17.25. *Gemma Moore  (Eryri Harriers) was the first female finisher with another outstanding performance in 18.18, and she was followed by  Emma Alofs  on her debut in 19.36, with  Alex Aldous...
Read more

James and the twins starred again at a busy Rhos parkrun - plus a results round-up from other NW events.

By Don Hale
Image
James and the twins starred again at a busy Rhos parkrun - plus a results round up from other NW events. Report by Don Hale. Conwy photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   There was another bumper attendance at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun and at mist other NW parkruns last Saturday, with over 500 runners and walkers enjoying the warm sunshine and the picturesque 5k promenade course. The almost ever-present athlete and his twin buggy in  James Yarwood  (Wrexham AAC) - pictured right  - was the first finisher yet again at Rhos with a determined performance in just 17 minutes and 4 seconds, and he was only just ahead of  Mark Pemberton , who recorded a new course PB in 17.11, with JM15-17 athlete  Eben Jones  third in 17.52. The first female was well-known athlete  Laura McKenzie  (Betsi Runaways) in 64th place in 22.12, but it was a very close finish with Laura just one-second and one place ahead ...
Read more

URGENT CANCELLATION - Fizzy Friday event now postponed till next year - originally planned for 4th Sept.

By Don Hale
Image
donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog URGENT - EVENT NOW CANCELLED! Unfortunately, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone the Fizzy 5K planned for 4th September. After speaking with Ruth, who originally organised these events, we feel postponing until April next year, to coincide with Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, will be a much better opportunity. Enjoy a Fizzy Friday courtesy of Porth Eirias charity run, jog or walk.   The Fizzy Friday 5K is back! Friday 4th September | 6:30pm | Llandudno Run, jog, walk or sparkle your way around Llandudno Promenade in support of the Ruth vs Billy Fund, supporting people & families at war with bowel cancer. EVERYONE WELCOME! Fancy dress encouraged Fizz stops along the route After-party included Fun first. Finish times second. Book your place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../friday-fizzy-5k-fun-run...
Read more

Proud moment for athletics coach John Hatton and a popular former midwife Sharon Buckley.

By Don Hale
Image
*John Hatton (*above left), with Sharon Buckley at the Conwy half-marathon. Proud moment for athletics coach John Hatton and a popular former community midwife Sharon Buckley. It was a proud moment this weekend for athletics coach, MC and promoter, John Hatton as he saw his new running protegee  Sharon Buckley – a well-known former North Wales midwife - cross the finish line at the challenging Conwy half-marathon with a remarkable time. John, who is heavily involved with North Wales Road Runners , Conwy parkrun , and is also a keen supporter and promoter of a host of charity events, confirmed: “Over the last 6 months I have been training Sharon, who is 60, to run her first half-marathon which she did today in 2.34.17, which is a fantastic achievement. “Sharon was a highly respected midwife in North Wales, and at one time she received an award as the top midwife in the Betsi Cadwalader Health Board for her dedicated service to the community.” *John Hatton was on hand last ...
Read more

RNLI Llandudno 5K & 1K Fun Run - Sunday 20th September 2026 -last few places available.

By Don Hale
Image
  *Flashback to last year's RNLI 5k race on Llandudno prom. RNLI Llandudno 5K & 1K Fun Run 2026 Sunday 20th September 2026   donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 Race organiser John Hatton challenges runners to be part of something special and help save lives at sea by signing up for charity runs, hosted by Llandudno RNLI! But if you want to run, you need to hurry and sig up asap as places are now limited to popular demand! And John also added: " Just working on a race for next year 5k RSPB.  I came up with the idea, when I was invited to a site visit by the Contractors, Jennings.   "I have spoken to Helen the manager and she is really keen, we can have cafe as race HQ plus of course the toilets, it will help put back what they have lost over the time with the new course at Conwy." 💙 Sign up today and be a lifesaver! https://rnli.niftyentries.com/RLNI-Llandudno-5K-1K-Fun-Run-2026   *Just giving link if you want  to donate only https://www.justgiving.com/...
Read more

Dave Jordan’s nostalgic book about 1970s schooldays.

By Don Hale
Image
Special Coast and Country book review promotion. Dave Jordan’s nostalgic book about 1970s schooldays. donhaleblog.blogspot.com coastandcountry.blog LIFE AT BEDFORD DRIVE PRIMARY SCHOOL Now available on Amazon   Life at Bedford Drive Primary School   by Dave Jordan is a collection of stories and anecdotes of the author’s time at the school as a pupil during the 1970s, when life seemed perhaps less complicated than today. The school is on the Wirral, where Dave lived until 1990 before moving away to follow a chemistry-based career with Lever Brothers/Unilever in UK, Middle East and Eastern Europe.    Three local siblings and an unrequited love of Tranmere Rovers means that he has never lost touch with the area, and it remains a real pleasure to visit family and friends. The book has delightful illustrations by Jan Ewing, who is also a fellow pupil of the school. Past pupils will enjoy a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Present day pupils will enjoy the stories too - wh...
Read more

Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race...plus other race results.

By Don Hale
Image
*North Wales Road Runners are pictured (*above) just before the start of the festive handicap race on the promenade at Rhos on Sea. Christmas cracker at the NWRRC handicap race. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Twenty-four members of NWRRC took part in the annual Christmas club handicap race, which this year was staged from the Rhos on Sea clock tower to the renovated far end of the promenade and back over a 4.5-mile course. Well organised with times recorded and verified by  Carla Green  and  Elizabeth Driscoll , with support from other members, the handicap rules this time included each runner having to hand in their watches and mobile phones, and the need to predict their finishing times, so that no one knew their exact pace, or whether their estimated times were likely to be accurate, until they actually reached the finish line. The top three female winners , who were the closest to their times included the winner –  Kay Hatto...
Read more

Blustery conditions at Conwy parkrun and other results on the road..

By Don Hale
Image
*Martin Green (*above) had a good run but had to settle for 2nd place. It was a breeze for teenager Morgan Kendall in blustery conditions at Conwy parkrun with Martin Green 2nd. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery.   North Wales based student Morgan Kendall, representing  Durham City Harriers , made light of the rather cool and blustery conditions at Conwy parkrun last Saturday to record a great new course PB of just 16 minutes and 30 seconds as the first male runner home. The teenage prospect aka  Banana man , from a previous fancy dress dash at this same parkrun, finished nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest rival, veteran Road Runner  Martin Green , in 19.25, with debutant veteran  John Brogan  3rd in 19.49. The first female runner was  Victoria Cole  (GOG Triathlon) 10th overall in 21.20, with  Alice Johnston  (Les Croupiers) just ten-seconds behind in 2nd place, and 13th overall, in 21.30, whilst teenager  Ella Grund...
Read more

Urgent last minute course change for the windswept Holyhead 5-mile NW championship race

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - the NWRRC team at Holyhead (*above l-r): Will Williams, Steve Roberts, Mike Hayton, Nia Lister, and Rob Fryer; and (*bottom row): Hannah Griffith, Cheryl Frost and Kay Hatton. Urgent last minute course change for the windswept Holyhead 5-mile NW championship race Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   The course for the popular annual Holyhead Breakwater 5-mile race had to be changed last weekend at the last minute due to a high tide and strong blustery winds that were constantly battering waves against the outer defensive walls. This event, which was also part of the  North Wales 5-mile championships , was therefore quickly amended to just 4-miles, which at least allowed the run to continue for medals, despite a shorter, but safer route for the 171 runners. Samuel Gunning  (Cybi Striders) was the overall winner in 20 minutes and 36 seconds, but it proved to be an exciting tussle for honours with his rivals  Cai Llew...
Read more

INTER-AREA WELSH MASTERS ATHLETICS TEAMS FOR THE LATEST CHALLENGE AT YATE ON 2/8/26.

By Don Hale
Image
INTER-AREA WELSH MASTERS ATHLETICS TEAMS FOR THE LATEST CHALLENGE AT YATE ON 2/8/26. These are the male and female teams for the Inter Area Challenge at Yate on Sunday 2nd August 2026, as provided by Brett Davis, a director of WMAL. www.welshmastersathleteics.co.uk donhaleblog.blogspot.com coastandcountry.blog. Message from Brett Davis: Hi everybody, He re is the final team list after a couple of late injuries,  plus an update on the vests situation. Joe/Adrian - I am giving the vests to Rhiannon who will get them to Louise at the fixture.  I will message you about any online payments that happen after now but would help if I have a phone number (or 2`) to link you in via Whatsapp. Full MEN's and WOMEN's vest details below the team: Brett Davis.
Read more