Don Hale Blog

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...

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...

*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 on the podium with their championship medals - Ultra-distance athlete Ifan Lloyd (*above centre), in the orange t-shirt with Swansea Harrier David Warren from Cardigan (*dark t-shirt), and Andrew Noble, from the  Southern Counties Vets at Folkestone. Welsh Master Ifan Lloyd struck gold in the British Masters 30k Trail Running Championships at Gravesend, with David Warren also winning a silver medal. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Welsh Master and Swansea Harrier Ifan Lloyd was soon back in race action in the UK following his successful adventure in the Comrades Ultra-Marathon in South Africa last month, this time winning a prestigious gold medal in the British Masters Trail Running Championships. The event was incorporated within the North Downs 30k multi-terrain race at Gravesend in Kent on Sunday 30th June, and the intrepid and experienced ultra-distance athlete collected a gold medal after winning his MV60-64 age ca...

*Pictured above - Welsh Master and Swansea Harrier Ifan Lloyd. Great performance by Welsh Master Ifan Lloyd in the South African Comrades Ultra-Marathon... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Welsh Master and Swansea Harrier Ifan Lloyd bravely completed the gruelling Comrades Ultra-Marathon in South Africa last month, which is said to be one of the world’s largest and oldest ultra-marathon events. This year, and described as an ‘up-run,’ this prestigious annual race was held in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa and started in waves from 5.30am by the City Hall in Durban, and eventually finished 88kms (55 miles), away in  Pietermaritzburg. The organisers claimed it is ‘ The Ultimate Human Challenge ,’ and said it’s the ‘ Unofficial World Championships of ultra-running. ’ Ifan was one of about 22,522 entrants with some 17,304 finishers and amazingly, he completed his own epic performance in a superb time of just 8 hours...