Don Hale Blog

*North Wales Road Runners at the start of the Llandudno 10 mile and half marathon. Over 1,000 runners beat the weather at the new 10 mile and half marathon races... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It was wild, wet, and windy for over 1,000 hardy athletes on Sunday for the Victorian 10 mile and half marathon races which started with a loop along Llandudno promenade before heading out towards Colwyn Bay, and a reverse route home. The mass pack of runners had to negotiate a challenging course and a fierce and swirling headwind, with some heavy showers thrown in for good measure along their tough journey. And yet despite the brutal conditions it still failed to deter numerous elite entrants with M35  James Yarwood  (Wrexham AAC) winning the half marathon race in a very good chip time of just 1 hour 16 minutes and 43 seconds. He was followed by M50  Martin Green  (Meirionnydd RC) in 1.18.57, and M35...

*Pictured above - some of the many volunteers at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun who commemorated the WWF and nature theme. Plenty of visitors at blustery North Wales parkruns. Report by Don Hale. Conwy photos by Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog It was cold and blustery for many hundreds of parkrunners across North Wales last Saturday morning, but many events still reported good attendances and fast times. At  Llandrillo yn Rhos,  where they commemorated WWF and a nature theme, they again celebrated with a generous number of 443 participants, including plenty of visitors from across the UK. The first finisher was debutant  Aidan Thomas,  who was the runaway leader, finishing in just 17 minutes and 22 seconds. The second placed athlete remained unknown, but  Jeremy Pena  took the second spot in 18.41.  *The first female was visitor  Emma Knowles  (9th overall) who enjoyed a great debut run in 19.10, with  ...

*Rhos run director Dougie Graham at the front with some of the volunteers Fast runners dazzled in the sun at Llandrillo yn Rhos..plus some other NW parkrun results. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026   The bright sunny weather and a fast course attracted plenty of top club athletes to the Llandrillo yn Rhos 5k parkrun last Saturday with five out of the first six finishers all recording times of under 18 minutes! James Yarwood  (Wrexham AAC) was the first finisher overall with a new course PB of 16 minutes and 29 seconds, with visitor  Armon Williams  second in 17.17,  Gareth Griffith  third in 17.27, and veteran  Martin Green  (Meirionnydd RC) a narrow fourth in 17.36. It was a similar story for the ladies with  Beatrice Cordingley  (Sale Harriers) taking the first female spot with an excellent run, and a new course PB in 20.00 (18th overall), with visitor  Lizzie Slater  (South Che...

*Some members of the hardworking team of volunteers (*above) at a bitterly cold and windswept Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday with RD Dougie Graham in the blue vest. Freezing cold gale force winds proved a challenge for parkrunners...and for the hardy volunteers and marshals. Report by Don Hale. Conwy photos by Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com   It was a very stormy and rather windswept morning across much of North Wales last Saturday as many hundreds of parkrunners battled gale-force and blustery headwinds during their challenging 5k workouts. At  the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun , it proved a particularly tough battle along the seafront to Colwyn Bay and back from Rhos for over 2k on the outward leg, against freezing temperatures, and a swirling, gusty wind, plus a sandy course, but it was pleasing to note that so many plaudits were deservedly given en-route and afterwards, to the hard-working team of RD’s, marshals and volunteers. Despite all the handicaps, a...