Don Hale Blog

So What's Wrong With Dreaming?   Special Coast and Country book review:  Run in conjunction with:  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 *This is a direct link to Amazon books:   https://amzn.to/40LHDn7 Featuring author Richard John Campbell MBE, and his latest book - So What's Wrong with Dreaming? Born into a family struggling, like so many, from the after-effects of the Second World War; where the home was poor and shared by seven people, all packed into a small Victorian semi. With a father who had been in the Navy but having left our family home, permanently a month before I was born, I was ill-prepared for my future schooldays; days which were mostly very stressful, and at times traumatic.  A time when I, mostly, felt insecure at best and totally humiliated at worst; though, surprisingly, some good did come out of it. Once I had finished with school, I became determined to avoid the future expectations of my family and take every opportunity to, hopefully, build a ...

*Pictured above - Welsh championship half-marathon medal winners Kay Hatton and Cheryl Frost from NWRRC. Road Runners won several surprise championship medals in Anglesey races... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   It was wild, wet, and windy for over 1,000 athletes at the Anglesey 10k and half marathon events on St David’s Day, last Sunday morning, with the majority of entrants tackling the longer race distance over a challenging new course. In the 10k event which attracted 249 runners, this race was won by  Llyr Williams  in a very good time of 35 minutes and 10 seconds, and he was just 14-seconds ahead of rival  Shaun Hughes  in 35.24, and  Jack Hughes  in 35.40.     *Above left - Stuart and Joe  Culverhouse, with Gethin Wyn Jones, and Mike Hayton. *North Wales Road Runners  collected a number of prestigious age category honours and podium places.  Young Joe Culverhouse  led the team home in 29th place ...

Sarah’s solo surprise run on a very hilly and muddy flat course! Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   NWRRC endurance athlete Sarah Ferguson Hudson went solo on Sunday and competed in the Bromsberrow Speed Runway 10k, this time without her husband Ben, and thought it was going to be an easy and flattish type run…but how wrong was she! After her race she explained:  “Oh, my word. I should really read more carefully what I sign myself up to…   I thought it was a flat road race, and not 10k of hills, mud, fields, traps, and more. I was b ack in Gloucestershire where I grew up, and catching up with school friends.” *Despite all her challenges, Sarah (*pictured right) ran well and she finished 50th overall out of 159 entrants and the 16th female in 58.07.

*Pictured above - some of the Llandrillo yn Rhos Run Directors team at the St David's Day weekend event last Saturday, and (*below) the start at Rhos parkrun. Fast times without the sand at the popular St David’s Day weekend event at the Rhos parkrun... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   The St David’s Day weekend attracted a large number of mixed ability athletes to North Wales parkruns last Saturday morning, where once again, numerous fast times were recorded. The hard work of Richard Peevor and his great support team of Run Directors and volunteers ensured the  Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun  went ahead as planned, after persuading the council to help clear plenty of sand from parts of the course and ensured all essential safety measures were implemented. This popular event now seems to attract the best of the best in terms of club, top juniors, and/or elite athletes, along with social walkers and runners from a number of res...

  The GOG Triathlon - Triathlon Dewi - GOG AQUATHON, will take place on Sunday 1st March at Eirias Park in Colwyn Bay. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 This exciting fundraising event includes options for both junior and senior athletes, and the cost is only £5.00 for adults, and just £1 for juniors. The organisers say it is ideal for beginners. JUNIORS:  *25K POOL SWIM and a 400M TRACK RUN. *150M POOL SWIM and a 2k TRACK RUN. *300M POOL SWIM and a 300M TRACK RUN. ADULTS: *150M POOL SWIM and a 2K TRACK RUN. *300M POOL SWIM and a 4K TRACK RUN.

  *Pictured above - the popular thriller writer Jack Duncan The fascinating life and works of popular Scottish crime and thriller writer Jack Duncan - businessman turned author. Special Coast and Country book review:  Run in conjunction with:  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Featuring Jack Duncan.  Businessman Turned Author! https://www.jackduncan.co.uk *This is a link to all Jack Duncan’s book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4kXB8Hk I am a ‘bon viveur’ and enjoy life. I have been fortunate during my diverse career to have been able to pursue my hobbies including motor racing, sailing, flying, travel, fine dining and the Arts, whilst still maintaining a very strong work ethic. My career began as a Scots Guards Officer, during which period, I gained my ‘wings’ as an Army helicopter pilot flying for the Brigade and for the United Nations for five years of my Service. I also hold civilian qualifications as a Fixed wing, Seaplane and Commercial Helicopter Pilot.  I hold va...

*Pictured above - the start of a previous parkrun at Rhos on Sea. UPDATE ON LLANDRILLO YN RHOS PARKRUN. Works on the promenade. Good to go ahead!  * Special report by event co-director Richard Peevor. (See below for details: donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 www.facebook.com/Ypromenadparkrunllandrilloynrhos After a stressful 24 hours for our event team and after Sharon and I, our two event directors have done a course inspection tonight we feel that we can go ahead safely on Saturday. For a period of approximately eight weeks two areas of the promenade that will have semi permanent kiosks built on them have been cordened off with metal fencing. They are essentially at each end of the Cayley embankment, one near the slipway approximately 400 m from the start and the second approximately 1000m from the start. Both areas are also obviously on the return leg of the parkrun course. The second area (as you can see in the first picture below), near the Rydal boat park should not cause any pro...

*Prolific Yorkshire author Mac McKechnie at a book signing. Special Coast and Country book review:  Run in conjunction with:  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 About the Author - Mac McKechnie. Mac McKechnie is a Yorkshireman who lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Now aged 75, he has the welcome luxury of time to return fully to his lifelong love of writing.  Mac is an active Christian and serves as Pastor of his local church in Barnsley.  His writing reflects a deep interest in human character, moral choice, and the quiet resilience that surfaces in times of crisis.  He has written several books across a range of genres, with science fiction and Westerns among his favourites, alongside more reflective and character-led work inspired by everyday life. Exodus: Escape From Earth: The Trilogy -Paperback. By author Mac McKechnie. *EXODUS: This is the first book in the Escape from Earth trilogy.  This is the link to the book on Amazon:   https://amzn.to/3OxDQq...