Don Hale Blog

*The jubilant Welsh Masters team (*above) at the Swansea half marathon. Fifteen medals and a Welsh Record on a great day for Wales within the Swansea Half Marathon... Report and photos courtesy of the Wales team manager Bernie Jones. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   For the first time in a couple of years, the Master international events came back to Wales, and we were rewarded with a record number of top three finishers and a new Welsh Record by the ageless Swansea Harrier, Alan Davies, who broke his own M70 record with a great run of 81-51.    Phil Matthews, Parc Bryn Bach (M45), was first home in 5th place overall comfortably winning his age category. Along with Phil and Alan Davies. Welsh Athletes were first home in the M50 age group (Mark Jennings, MMRT) and M65 (David Warren, Cardigan).    There were also second places for Matt Rees, Swansea Harriers(M35), Dave James, Les Croupiers(M65) and David Gibson, Tri-Hard Harriers (M70).    In the Women...

*Swansea Harrier and Welsh  Master Ifan Lloyd ran the Comrades Marathon. Welsh Master endurance athlete  Ifan Lloyd tackled the famous Comrades Marathon in South Africa, and success for WMAL duo at the Masters Match half-marathon at Swansea. Introduction by Don Hale. Story forwarded courtesy of David Gibson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Swansea Harrier and Welsh Master Athletics veteran Ifan Lloyd tells of his recent gruelling and dramatic experiences of running the famous Comrades Marathon on 8th June 2025. This year was the down run from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, some 56.32 miles distance, with an overall drop of over 800metres, on a hot and stifling day. Just about managed to finish in one piece to earn a back-to-back medal for completing the race on two consecutive years.  To be honest I had no right to start the race given the hamstring tendinopathy, and even less of a right to finish.  I had done no decent training ses...

Great performance and possible new record for Ifan Lloyd in 20-mile race... Report by David Gibson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Swansea Harrier Ifan Lloyd ran at Merthyr Tydfil in the San Domenico 10 and 20-mile road race event on 30th March and probably set a new M65, 20-mile UK record.  The route was a five mile out, and five mile back, on the Taff Trail path from the Merthyr Tydfil Leisure village, with a deceptively steep climb at around 4.5 miles. The 20-mile race repeated this for a second time. Ifan's race went to plan. His target was 2hrs10min, and he finished just under this in 2 hrs 9 mins and 44 secs, to take first position in the men 65+ age category. Pace at 4min/km was the same as his average in the World Championship M65 winning Bucharest marathon last October when he was in better shape. The previous was 2hrs 15 mins and 55 seconds. There was the added bonus of scoring for Swansea Harriers to take the team race alongside Dewi Griffiths (who had a superla...

Tri Hard Harriers Women Triumph in the West Glamorgan Cross Country League... Report by David Gibson. *Pictured above - the last race.   The final 4.7-mile race of five fixtures was held at Amman Valley Trotting Club, Tairgwaith on Sunday 25th March. The series, which is for South Wales club teams, is held on different courses in west Wales providing a variety of challenges to participants.   The women’s title was won by the Tri Hard Harriers team, who were only promoted to the top division this season, beating Run4All Neath Blacks and 3Ms Gorseinon RR.  Team captain Stephanie Gibson proved to be the class of the field by winning all five events and was ably supported by Teresa Penhorwood who was joint second and Alice Mayo who finished in the women’s top 20. The men’s title was won by Neath Harriers with Run4All Neath Blacks in runner up spot and Swansea Harriers in third. Individually, Scott Williams and Iestyn Evans - both of Neath Harriers were first and second ov...

The British Masters International Cross-Country races in Belfast. Report by Ifan Lloyd. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   The British Masters cross country international is my most cherished cross-country event of the year. Always an honour to represent my country and wear the red of Wales.  And a very special day it was in Belfast last Saturday to take first place and gold in the men 65-69 age category. It’s taken 25 years since my first race in this event back in 1999 to win an individual gold medal.  I had always aspired but never quite achieved. It was also special to compete against such great athletes in my race. It doesn’t get easier as you progress up the age categories!          *Pictured above and right, Welsh Master Ifan Lloyd with his medal and shown tackling a large hill at the Belfast cross country races. A special shout out to my team-mates from Wales: Gordon Jones, Dave Watson, and  John Foster...

Report and results round-up from the Richard Burton 10k. Details from David Gibson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   The Richard Burton 10k run in early November in the Afan Valley near Port Talbot is a bit of a cult event with a special valley flavour but attracting top club runners from throughout South Wales.  The race is one of the oldest of its type having started in 1982 as a fun run in remembrance of three lads who died in a car crash whilst travelling from Cwmafan to Swansea. In 1983 Richard Burton CBE was asked if he would allow the race to be named after him, which he agreed to. The atmosphere and local support are just two aspects that make it a great event. The circular course has some serious climbing early on compensated by an exhilarating downhill return from Pontrhydyfen to the finish in Cwmafan. Two unique aspects are the Welsh Slate coasters instead of medals along with a Welsh cake for all finishers.   The category firs...

*Pictured above - Ifan Lloyd won his age cat at the World Marathon champs Birthday boy Ifan Lloyd celebrates another milestone with gold at the World Marathon Champs in Bucharest. Report by David Gibson https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   The 2024 World Master Athletics Marathon Championships were held as part of the 2024 Bucharest Marathon event held on 13th October 2024.   The date of the prestigious event was also shared with the 65th birthday of Swansea Harrier and Welsh Master  Ifan Lloyd .  He was able to celebrate this milestone by creating another - becoming the M65 World Master Athletics Marathon Champion by winning his new age category with scintillating time of 2 hours 49 minutes and 19 seconds.  In addition. and subject to ratification, this puts Ifan top of the M65 Abbott WMM MTT Age Group World Rankings. *Ifan Lloyd (*above), on the podium after winning his age cat. Afterward the race  Ifan said:  ...

*Pictured above - Master veteran  Alan Davies may have set a new world record at the Swansea Bay 10k race. Alan Davies set out to break a new M70 World Record at the Swansea Bay 10k... Report by David Gibson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   The Swansea Bay 10k is a well-loved event that has been going nearly as long as the London Marathon, and the 2024 set of races held on Sunday 15th September was the 43rd edition. Unlike last year which was wet, the weather this year was good for running with only a bit of a south westerly breeze working against the runners on the outward leg. Whilst the 10k race is the headline element of the day, there are also other races encouraging all members of families to take part. These are a 1k for youngsters seven and under; a 1k for 8 to 11-year-olds, a 3k for older children, and a 10k wheelchair race, which was won by Owain Terrell of Disability Sports Wales in a time of 31:05. The main 10k race saw ...

West Wales 10k Championships results and run within the St Clears race. Report courtesy of David Gibson (Tri-Hard Harriers)   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Over one-hundred athletes competed in the West Wales 10k Road Running Championships on Sunday 18th August, which was incorporated this year for the first time into the St Clears 10K road race, and kindly organised by TROTS.   The course included a picturesque route through the town of St Clears and then out and around the local scenic countryside, before finishing outside the Leisure Centre.   Congratulations to everyone who took part and to our age group medallists. It was great to see so many of our regional clubs represented in Carmarthenshire. Thank you also to all the volunteers who made the race happen.   All material courtesy of West Wales Athletics Facebook page at -   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064087000961 Photos extracted and attached and li...

*Welsh Master veteran Alan Davies (*above), at the Ammanford 10k DG Credit Stuart Ladd - South Wales Guardian Top Two UK M70s at the Ammanford 10k. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk The 2024 Ammanford 10k road race was run in ideal conditions of a light breeze and sunshine last Sunday morning.  The Carmarthenshire race is run on undulating open roads between Ammanford and Landybie with a generally steady uphill first half followed by a short sharp hill and then generally downhill to the finish. The current two top men on the Run Britain V70 National ladder - who are both from Swansea - were taking part and put in solid performances.  *Pictured above - Welsh Master veteran David Gibson at the Ammanford 10k DG Credit Stuart Ladd - South Wales Guardian. Top Two UK M70s at the Ammanford 10k Once again Swansea Harrier Alan Davies gave a masterclass to finish in 18th place with an excellent time of 38:47 with Tri Hard Harrier David Gibson foll...