Ben and Sarah’s ultra 14-mile Coastal Challenge.

By Don Hale

*Pictured above Ben and Sarah Ferguson Hudson at their ultra coastal run.

Ben and Sarah’s ultra 14-mile Coastal Challenge.

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

North Wales ultra-distance couple Ben and Sarah Hudson competed in the challenging 14-mile Northumberland Coast Trail Run last Sunday, which closely followed the coastal path from Beadnell Harbour to the Alnmouth Estuary through an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The route started on sand, then onto road, sand, trail, road, and finished on sand again at Alnmouth. This dynamic duo ran the race whilst on holiday and after the event Sarah explained: “We are away with Ben’s family in Northumberland and did a 14-mile trail race along the coast. 

“It was tough going but stunning, with lots of delightful sandy miles. Ben snuck under two hours, and I did around 2.24. It was certainly a challenge that’s for sure. A good turn out and it was really well organised!”

*The final results confirmed that Ben finished well in 97th place out of 370 entrants, in a time of 1.58.18, and Sarah was 258th in 2.24.19.






 

 

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

THE MAGNIFICENT JAPANESE J-LEAGUE - Paul Stroud's exciting new book about Japanese football.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - author Paul R Stroud with his wife Marie at a Japanese match. Special NW Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature Welcome to another new author feature in conjunction with Amazon. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026   ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Paul R Stroud.    MAGNIFICENT J-LEAGUE: From the tribal warfare of England’s terraces to the respectful exuberance of the beautiful game in Japan. An English fan’s ... what sets the J-League apart from the rest. Paperback – 24 June 2025. J リーグ    サッカ グサッカ *This is an Amazon link to Paul Stroud’s new paperback book - MAGNIFICENT J-LEAGUE:   https://amzn.to/428zEBI *This the Amazon link to  Paul Stroud's new ebook link to the MAGNIFIECEN J-LEAGUE :   https://amzn.to/45OvfH2 *This is the link to Paul Stroud's other books on Amazon:   https://amzn.to/3HWPSab   The author of Magnificent J-League, Paul Stroud, provides us with a fascinating insight into what it has been like fol...
Read more

Hot and hilly for runners in Nick Beer Memorial 10k race

By Don Hale
Image
*Martin Green in the colours of North Wales finished 7th overall. Hot and hilly for runners in Nick Beer 10k race Report by Don Hale. Photographs by Steve Jeffery. Athletes from across the country descended on Llandudno last Sunday morning and battled soaring temperatures to compete in the re-scheduled Nick Beer Memorial 10k race, which had to be delayed for several months due to covid-19 restrictions. This ever-popular challenge, which started on Llandudno promenade, before climbing steeply around the scenic Great Orme and back, attracted over 400 runners of varied ages and abilities. The event also included a large contingent of elite athletes, and several teams for a combined Inter-County race. And in addition, there was also a highly successful 1k fun-run for children in aid of St David’s Hospice, which attracted over 70 entrants. With the club busy hosting and organising this spectacular race, most club members were involved in some way with marshalling or supervisory duties, ther...
Read more

Great performance by Welsh Master Ifan Lloyd in the Comrades Ultra-Marathon.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - Welsh Master and Swansea Harrier Ifan Lloyd. Great performance by Welsh Master Ifan Lloyd in the South African Comrades Ultra-Marathon... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Welsh Master and Swansea Harrier Ifan Lloyd bravely completed the gruelling Comrades Ultra-Marathon in South Africa last month, which is said to be one of the world’s largest and oldest ultra-marathon events. This year, and described as an ‘up-run,’ this prestigious annual race was held in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa and started in waves from 5.30am by the City Hall in Durban, and eventually finished 88kms (55 miles), away in  Pietermaritzburg. The organisers claimed it is ‘ The Ultimate Human Challenge ,’ and said it’s the ‘ Unofficial World Championships of ultra-running. ’ Ifan was one of about 22,522 entrants with some 17,304 finishers and amazingly, he completed his own epic performance in a superb time of just 8 hours...
Read more

English for Daily Conversation in Japan: Author Paul Stroud's being book promoted by Coast and Country online magazine

By Don Hale
Image
Special Coast and Country online magazine feature. coastandcountry.blog English for Daily Conversation:  Paul Stroud's latest books on AMAZON: Special Amazon deals:  *This is a link to all Paul Stroud's books on Amazon:   https://amzn.to/462ly6g donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 Paul Stroud is an English teacher in Japan and he has written numerous very interesting books about his life and work in Tokyo...and his passion for Japanese football... English for Daily Conversation: 50 topics and over 700 questions for conversation practice in the EFL classroom. About the author: Paul Stroud: My name is Paul Stroud, the author of the recently released EFL conversation text 'English for Daily Conversation', and the preceeding 'English Forum' series of materials for oral communication practice.  Additionally, I authored a couple of books on my experiences living and teaching for the past 20 years in the land of the rising sun titled 'Living in Japan: The Good, Bad, and ...
Read more

MUCKERS by Eamon Kavanagh: Special book review:

By Don Hale
Image
 Sp ecial book review:  MUCKERS by Eamon Kavanagh: Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   *Now available on Amazon as a paperback print version, an ebook, and also as an audio book.  These are the links:    This is a very interesting book about a real local character and a former Man City player who has survived some tough times throughout his challenging career. *Paperback :  https://amzn.to/44qjVA9 *Ebook:  https://amzn.to/4d8ztup *Audio book on Amazon and Audible:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXTZJ9T7#   MUCKERS by Eamon Kavanagh:   This is the true and often dramatic life story about a very popular northern lad, Eamon Kavanagh, from the busy market town of Bury, and it follows his numerous ups and downs over many decades, including his early career as promising young footballer with Manchester City, which unfortunately became marred following abuse from a trusted football coach. MUCKERS highlights how he so...
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

Welsh Masters Athletics - Results and photos from the EMAA Inter-area indoor event Lee Valley.

By Don Hale
Image
*The Welsh Masters Athletics relay team -  Ian Broadhurst, Andy Weetman, Michael David Smith and Brett Davis. *Andy Rushbrook and Peter Hawney after their shot put comp etition. Welsh Masters Athletics - Results and photos from the EMAA Inter-area indoor event Lee Valley... https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Thanks to some members of Welsh Masters Athletics, I have included some photos and reports from last weekend's English Masters Athletic Association (EMAA) competition at the Lee Valley indoor stadium. This event included the Inter-area challenge championships. My thanks to Brett Davis and members of Newport Harriers for the contents. The results can be viewed on the following links.  https://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=673430 https://bmaf.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2025/GBR/emaa-inter-area-indoors/event/ Brett Davis, a top international competitor, and a director of Welsh Masters Athletics said: "The results are still provi...
Read more

Male and female course records smashed at the Mish Mash Bethal 5k.

By Don Hale
Male and female course records smashed at the Mish Mash Bethal 5k. Report by Don Hale. coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog,blogspot.com/2026   There was a good turn-out of some 102 athletes at the Mish Mash Bethal 5k race last Wednesday night, which attracted a large number of elite and club athletes, where both the male and female course records smashed! Dion Griffith  (Meirionnydd RC) was the overall winner and the record-breaker with an outstanding performance with a great chip time of just 15 minutes and 5 seconds, and his club claimed eight out of the first ten finishing places. This included  Owen Roberts , who finished second in 15.09, and  Adam Jones , third in 15.30. And quite amazingly in this crazy fast-dash event, the first eight finishers all dipped under 17-minutes, and the first thirteen under 18-minutes. Gemma Moore  (Eryri Harriers) was the female record-breaker with another outstanding run, finishing in 16th place overall, and she also won her F40...
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

Badger and Fox star in wildlife video

By Don Hale
Badger and Fox star in wildlife video Report and video by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Video No 3: Badger and Fox star in NW wildlife video. The unusually warm spring weather and more recent hot summer days and nights, has encouraged a host of rural wildlife to seek a regular supply of food and water, as they try to keep cool and look after partners and new youngsters. A large and popular private garden close to the Vardy and open fields in North Wales has therefore proved a welcome port of call for a variety of foxes, badgers, squirrels, hedgehogs and other visiting animals. And this recent spell of record-breaking hot and humid conditions seems to have enhanced the demand for urgent supplies, with several twilight attendees enjoying a regular feast of choice. Many animals though have already been callers over several years, despite battling against winter blizzards, just to seek an essential crust or two, and the property owners have been able to ...
Read more