donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026

  *Pictured above left - Bernie Jones the new President of Welsh Athletics with the outgoing President Graham Finlayson. WELSH ATHLETICS AWARDS NIGHT. Several North Wales athletes and officials celebrated at the Welsh Athletics awards night this week.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Kay Hatton  from the N.W.R.A.C said: “It was a successful evening at the WA wards, and congratulations  to  John Mussum  - WA Coach of the Year, and to  Menai Track & Field  - WA Club of the Year; and to  St Asaph City Striders , who were awarded  Run Wales Group of the Year.  “At the WA AGM earlier in the day  Bernie Jones  was appointed WA President, and  Ann Lewis and Sharon Wyn Owen  will receive the WA Meritorious Award. Well-deserved and well done to everyone.”  The new President Bernie Jones later confirmed: 'Proud and humbled to be made President of Welsh Athletics yesterday receiving the chai...

*Pictured above - the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun. Marathon weather problems provided a boost for parkruns. Report by Don Hale. Rhos photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie. The amazing sunrise picture at Rhos parkrun was taken by run director Dougie Graham. donhaleblog.blogspot.com coastandcountry.blog News of the exceptional but necessary weather postponement of the popular Eryri Marathon on Friday provided an unexpected boost to many North Wales parkruns, during a slight, but welcome window of opportunity on Saturday morning. Conwy and Llandrillo yn Rhos parkruns were two fine examples of extra interest due to storm forecasts, with both venues reporting hundreds of visiting athletes from around the UK to the start of their respective events from runners and their supporters, who had already made and paid for their marathon travel plans. The first three finishers at Rhos were all visitors and indeed seven out of the first ten were quality debutants, providing some very fast times ...

*GOG Triathlon members John and Michelle Farrell in Atlanta.   North Wales runners in America and Japan donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog *AMERICA:  Just a week or so after competing in the  Pisa half marathon  race in Italy, the popular and Internationally acclaimed GOG Triathlon couple  John and Michelle Farrell  went globe-trotting yet again, this time to Atlanta, USA, to take part in the  Northside Belting parkrun  during a short break, with Michelle claiming the first female spot in a time of 23.44. John later admitted:   " On our travels again, on the way to Miami, Michelle convinced me to stop off at Atlanta to do a parkrun! Brilliant route and lovely people and we even met fellow Welsh travellers as well as the bother of a friend of Michelle’s! You couldn’t write it! Last week Pisa, this week Atlanta! Oh and Chelle was First Lady lol" *Nia Lister is pictured above with fellow parkrunners near Kyoto in Japan. Japanese ...

  *Pictured above - Llandudno Urban Night Race official Gwen Charlton.  Llandudno Urban Night Race success despite the rain Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com coastandcountry.blog   The recent Llandudno Urban Night Race attracted a good number of mixed ability male, female and junior orienteers to this event despite the rain, and this was the first of an exciting new series of similar races planned for many North Wales towns this winter. There was keen competition for honours in Llandudno, and the overall senior male winner was  Michael Corrales (*pictured below right),  a top fell and mountain runner with 970 points, and in second place was  Thomas Prebble  with 860 pts, with  Paddy Walsh  a close third with 840 pts. Jenny Williamson  was the female winner with 830 points, with  Debbie Morgan  a close second with 820 pts, and  Sarah Barnwell  third with 740 pts.  * The top three juniors included : Firs...

*Pictured above left - Iain Burgess leads the way towards the finish at Conwy parkrun's 500th event on Saturday. Conwy parkrun celebrated its 500th event in style. *The start of Conwy parkrun at the RSPB Nature Reserve. Conwy parkrun commemorated their 500th parkrun event last Saturday morning with a bumper attendance backed by a host of visiting club and social members and followed by cake and celebrations. There was a generous turn-out from Porth Eirias Runners, St Asaph City Striders, GOG Triathlon, NWRRC and many other locals clubs, and it was good to record that talented local athlete  Iain Burgess  was the first man home in 18 minutes and 20 seconds. Iain was quickly followed by debutant  Jacob Andrews  in 18.30, and fellow newcomer  Owen McCarthy  in 18.45. The first female was another local athlete (4th overall) in  Anna Drinkwater  (Eryri Harriers) in 18.52, with  Suzy Overton  (Lindley RC) second with a new course PB in 21.44, ...

*Pictured above - some North Wales Road Runners at the start of the 5k and 10k races at Abergele. (left to right): Kevin Slattery, Rob Fryer, Jenny Appleton, and Karen Butler. Fast times and big numbers in both the Abergele 5k and 10k races... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   Nearly six hundred elite, club, and social runners competed in the Abergele 5k and 10k races on Sunday with many recording some very fast chip times in near perfect weather conditions along the promenade. And quite a number of entrants remarkably took part in both events, and in the earlier 5k race with 196 entrants, this was won by  Ed Slaughter  (Swansea Harriers) in just 15 minutes and 19 seconds, with  Andrew Moore  (Bangor University AC) second in 16.27, and  Aaron Dodwell  a very close third in 16.28.  The first female finisher was  Elinor Mattey  (Parc Bryn Bach RC) in 18.13, with  Hannah Thomas  (Maldwyn Harr...

                             TALES OF A  WILDLIFE TOURIST Tales of a Wildlife Tourist  - A Global Journey of Adventure and Discovery :  Author:  Colin Smith, Norfolk, UK.  Publication Date:  October 2026. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog A new travel narrative takes readers on unforgettable journeys across the globe, sharing the thrill of exploration and encounters with some of the world's rarest and most unusual wildlife. From Tigers to Bears and Turtles to chameleons, with over 1300 bird sightings, including the deadly Southern Cassowary.                   TALES OF A  WILDLIFE TOURIST         A Global Journey of Adventure and Discovery Norfolk-based wildlife enthusiast Colin Smith announces the release of Tales of a Wildlife Tourist, a vivid, humorous account of adventures across 19 c...