donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026

*Pictured above and below - some great  photos of the Welsh Masters Athletics  team members at the recent Inter-Area championships at Yate. Master’s Inter Area T&F Championships - Sunday 2nd August – Yate Special report courtesy of Gareth Robbins. Photos by Aled Hughes and Joe Horner. donhaleblog.bogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog. www.welshmasterathletics.co.uk The men’s team provisionally finished 5th – with 2 events still to be declared by the end of the day.  The ladies team finished a wonderful 4th overall, meaning that the combined scores provisionally gave us a 4th place finish.  Special mention to all our debutants at this event, well done everyone pulling on the red Welsh vest for the first time.  The team produced some brilliant performances across the board, with a total of 9 Welsh age group records broken (subject to ratification):  -                M65 – 100mH – I...

*Pictured above - the NWRRC team at Caernarfon (l-r): Rob Fryer, Stuart Culverhouse, Steve Roberts, Gwen Charlton, Kay Hatton and Nia Lister. Hot and hilly at the Caernarfon 10k Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Lesley Goodson donhaleblog.blogspot.com coastandcountry.blog   It was hot and hilly last Sunday for nearly 300 elite and mainly club runners at the annual but rather challenging Caernarfon 10k race. Local outfit  Meirionnydd RC  celebrated some outstanding performances including the top four places for their six quality entries.  Dion Griffith  was the overall winner in a chip time of 31 minutes and 53 seconds and in fast finish, he was just five seconds ahead of club rival  Gavin Stuart  in 31.58, and  Tomos Roberts  third in 32.23; whilst  Ifan Dafydd  was hot on the heels of Tomos in fourth place in 33.26.  * Llio Jones  (Cybi Striders was the first female finisher in 40.03, with  Lydia Sharpe  se...

*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...

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...

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 ...