Victory for Steve Gardner at the Scottish Sprint Duathlon

By Don Hale


*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 in Pembroke two weeks ago. And Dave Passe from Denbigh Harriers, who was pictured with me, came 1st in the 70-74 age group, following on from his win in the 70-74 age group at Pembroke in the same competition.”

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

Promenade packed for a bumper bonanza at Rhos parkrun.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - popular sports coach, veteran athlete, and charity fundraiser John Hatton is presented with a special cake at Rhos parkrun by NWRRC club colleague Elizabeth Driscoll for his 400th stint as a volunteer at various venues. Promenade packed for a bumper bonanza at Rhos parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy  of Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog *Above - the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday. The warmer weather and the Bank Holiday weekend attracted another bumper attendance of over five-hundred runners and walkers to the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday morning. The event also recorded plenty of personal best times, and visitors from across the UK, who enjoyed this exciting flat, and picturesque promenade route, with the first three finishing places all going to first-timers. Jonathan Shaw  (Steel City Striders) was the first finisher overall and he was delighted with an excellent debut time...
Read more

URGENT APPEAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AT SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY EVENT AT COLWYN BAY

By Don Hale
Image
URGENT APPEAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AT SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY EVENT. Darren Dentith, one of the XC event organisers is urgently appealing for some voluntary support for an important Cross-Country championship in Colwyn Bay this week. He said: "I will be holding the Colwyn Bay and Abergele schools cross-country event in Eirias Park. Last year over 200 runners participated and it's looking similar for 2026. * Please message me directly via Facebook/Messenger if you are able to help set up, marshal etc, or just turn-up on the day. Thursday 21st May at Eirias Park. Set up from 2.30pm, first race of 4 at 4pm, we should be finished by 5pm. Diolch, Darren If you, or anyone you know can help in any way, please let me know!
Read more

Local runners in top form at the Chester half-marathon.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - Jon Evans from NWRRC who was a two-hour pacer. Local runners in top form at the Chester half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   There was a massive entry of over 700 elite, club, and mixed ability athletes at the Essa Chester half marathon last Sunday with several North Wales runners celebrating some superb finishing times and placings. Tomos Roberts  and  Martin Green  were two top members representing  Meirionnydd RC , with Tomos 8th in 1.08.54, and he won his MV35 age cat, with colleague Martin also winning his MV50 cat in 23rd place in 1.15.15.  And full credit to another  North Wales  star in  Steffan Sayer  (Menai T&F) who was 20th in 1.14.42, and fellow Welshman  Matthew Collins  (Oswestry Olympians) in 1.07.58. The overall race was won by  Jack White  (City of Norwich) in 1.05.56, followed by  Luke Burgess  (Bristol & West) in ...
Read more

In the Face of Adversity: A new true and dramatic short story by Debbie Jordan.

By Don Hale
Image
In the Face of Adversity: A short story by Debbie Jordan. by    Debbie Jordan    (Author):  5.0 (12): *Now available via Amazon:   https://amzn.to/3RhzR3a 5.0 out of 5 stars  A special Coast and Country book review. *Now available via Amazon:   https://amzn.to/3RhzR3a This is a true story of a woman who has gone through more than any one person deserves in a lifetime. She has faced a traumatic childhood followed by fighting for her life on more than one occasion. The trauma and events of her life are unbelievable but through it all she has never given up fighting, and at the age of 62 she has finally come to terms with it all and is able to tell her story. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog
Read more

NEW Word Search puzzle books by Val Crowson - Volumes 1 & 2 each of 100 puzzles now available on Amazon.

By Don Hale
Image
Special Coast and Country online magazine book reviews. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog NEW Search for the Words puzzle book by Val Crowson - Volumes 1 & 2 each of 100 puzzles now available on Amazon. Search for the Words Volume 1: A collection of 100 distinctive and individually created word searches just for you. Enjoy! By South African author and puzzle book creator Val Crowson.   This unique book is an interesting collection of 100 distinctive and individually created word searches. The Words can be found horizontally, vertically or backwards, but not diagonally. The letters that make up these words can be used more than once and can overlap. Circle the remaining letters to reveal the hidden answer in each puzzle.   *This is the link to the book now available on Amazon:   https://amzn.to/3RcI9ta   Search for the Words Volume 2: A collection of 100 distinctive and individually created Word Searches by author Val Crowson.   Another ...
Read more

Talented junior athlete recorded a fast finish at Rhos parkrun - plus a results round up.

By Don Hale
Image
*(Above) The packed start of the Rhos parkrun last Saturday morning. Talented junior athlete recorded a fast finish at a busy Rhos parkrun...plus a results round-up... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   *Pictured above - some of the team of volunteers at the Rhos parkrun. It was another busy Saturday morning at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun with over 400 mixed ability runners and walkers finally celebrating an open route along the picturesque promenade. JW11-14 youngster  Finlay Potter  (Warriors Pentathlon & AC) was the first runner home with a new course PB in a superb time of just 16 minutes and 54 seconds, and he finished narrowly ahead of  James Yarwood  (Wrexham AAC), who pushed his double stroller child buggy around the course together with his twins in 17.09, with JM15-17  George Ledsham  third with a new course PB of 17.25.  And quite remarkably, the top six finish...
Read more

The unique challenge of the London Marathon - four brave North Wales athletes recall their personal dramas

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - Rachel Morris proudly displays her London Marathon medal. The unique challenge of the London Marathon - four brave athletes recall their personal dramas... Introduction by Don Hale and reports directly from the athletes concerning their own personal journeys as mentioned via Facebook.   This is a special page to acknowledge the brave and dedicated efforts from just a few of the many North Wales based runners who successfully tackled this year’s London Marathon, with some also raising thousands of pounds for charity and worthy causes.    This is a summary of their dramas and memories from this iconic event.   RACHEL MORRIS: TCS London Marathon 2026  completed in 5hr 15min 04 seconds. I came away with a PB after knocking off 8 minutes from my last London Marathon. Absolutely loved it, so well organised, and the spectators were amazing I had loads of shout-outs due to my name and the Welsh Dragon being on my top  Thanks to all of you who hav...
Read more

Retired teacher Val Crowson publishes a great new WORDSEARCH PUZZLE BOOK - Search for the WORDS.

By Don Hale
Image
  South African puzzle book author Val Crowson publishes a fascinating new SEARCH FOR THE WORDS book... And a special note from the author's daughter in law Mariska Crowson... Coast and Country online magazine promotion. What do many retired teachers do when they finally have time for themselves? Some rest. Some travel. Mine? She wrote a book and not just any book.   💛 Meet Val Crowson , my mum, a lifelong teacher who turned her love for learning into something extraordinary: with her brand-new puzzle book called Search for the Words , now live on Amazon.   🧩  Inside are 200 unique wordsearch puzzles that do more than pass time, they train your mind, test your focus, and reveal a hidden answer once you have found every word.   Each puzzle has a secret waiting to be discovered... if you are curious enough to look.  😉  It’s such a beautiful reminder that creativity doesn’t retire, it evolves.  And Val has just proven it. 🌼   📚   Now a...
Read more

Mac McKechnie's fascinating Garden of Words books.

By Don Hale
Image
Special Coast and Country book review:  * Run in conjunction with:  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 About the Author: Mac McKechnie, and his fascinating Garden of Words books... Mac McKechnie (*pictured above) 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.  Mac's 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.   *Check out Mac McKechnie's Garden of Words series of fascinating books from Coast and Country online:   https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/perryscope21/list/1KF7IALOO18JR?ref_=cm_sw_r_tw_ud_aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_...
Read more

BUILDING THE IRON - By author Geoff Lewis - Engineering adventure rebuilding Swansea with Ruston Bucyrus diggers

By Don Hale
Image
Special Coast and Country book review coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 BUILDING THE IRON - ENGINEERING ADVENTURE REBUILDING SWANSEA WITH RUSTON BUCYRUS DIGGERS                                         BY AUTHOR GEOFF LEWIS ENGINEERING ADVENTURE REBUILDING SWANSEA WITH RUSTON BUCYRUS DIGGERS - By Geoff Lewis. Price £19.64 Per Copy Plus UK shipping in protective wallet £4.85. **Orders can be made online via the link on the website shown below: TEL: 029 20867364     MOB: 07944 692695. https://www.diggerynook.com Hello and Greetings from my long ago days of boyhood; days of yore when machinery mechanics roamed the land fixing diggers, bulldozers, tipper trucks and anything else wot' needed fixin'. I have a story to tell of a different way of life; born into the war torn town of Swansea in 1943 and one of the most exciting periods in our countries exis...
Read more