Don Hale Blog

*Steve Gardner (*above left) on the podium with Tim Parfitt and Steven Gee. Track champion Steve finished second at the Welsh Duathlon championships. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog International track champion Steve Gardner finished as the runner-up on the podium in the prestigious Welsh Sprint Duathlon Championships at Pembroke last Sunday. The NWRRC member, and GB track athlete, who was representing his second claim club GOG Triathlon, competed in a 5k run, a 21k cycle race, followed by a final 2.5k dash, and he finished second overall with an excellent combined time of 1 hour 12 minutes and 31 seconds. After his event, Steve confirmed:  “Just a note to let you know I competed for GOG Triathlon Club today, finishing in 2nd place; 1st place went to  Tim Parfitt  in a time 1 hour 12 mins and 31 seconds, and the 3rd spot went to  Steven Gee  in 1 hour 13 mins and 17 seconds.  “There was only 46 seconds between the three of us, so it was a...

*Pictured above - Vicky Taylor with Mandy Owen and Kelly Alford at Chester. Road Runners galloped home at the Chester 10k races Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Five North Wales Road Runners completed  amongst a very large field of some 7,315 entrants at the Chester 10k race last Sunday, and they all performed well and recorded some noteworthy finishing times. Veteran  Jon Evans  was in top form, and he finished strong in a good chip time of 47 minutes and 44 seconds, and he led the team home with  Molly Evans  next in 49.32.   *Jon Evans (*above left) with  master vet Rob Fryer. And it was good to see  Kelly Alford  back in action again, and she also enjoyed her run in 49.38; with master vet  Rob Fryer  continuing his purple patch in 54.59; and  Vicky Taylor  ran home in 77.12.  *And there were plaudits too for  Mandy Owen  who finished in 66.17.

*Some of the many hard working volunteers at the Llandrillo  yn Rhos parkrun Hot pace at Rhos after a frosty start for plenty of visitors. Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It was bright and sunny following a heavy early morning frost at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday, which also commemorated International Women’s Day. And there was another bumper turn-out by club and local athletes, plus plenty of visitors, who this week enjoyed an almost sand-free 5k promenade course. Nicolas Seguin  was the first finisher from 386 entrants, with a new PB in 17.41, and his talented JW15-17 daughter  Tamsin Seguin  (Menai T&F) made it a family double as the first female finisher (16th overall), with an excellent run in 19.45.  Harry Driscoll   (Meirionnydd RC) was the second male finisher in 17.55, with visitor  John Myers  (Helsby RC) third on his debut in 17.58. For the ladies, with  Tamsin ...

*Pictured above - a race marshal  directs Adam Lemalle and a pack of runners along this challenging fell run route. Tough Pipe Dream race for Fell Runners Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Dougie  Graham. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog The tough Dolgarrog Pipe Dream Fell Race attracted some 165 finishers to their annual challenge last Saturday, which was part of the WFRA short championships, and won by Kieran Wynne-Cattanach (Eryri Harriers) following a great effort over this 6.8k course in just 33 minutes and 52 seconds. He was followed by  Gavin Roberts  (Calder Vale RR) in 34.10, and  Rhys Goodrick  (Vegan Runners) in 35.02.  And the first female finisher,  Bronwen Jenkinson  (29th overall) secured a unique double victory for  Eryri Harriers , with another fine performance in 41.06, whilst  Suzie Richards  claimed the runner-up spot in 42.57 (34th overall), with  Jessica Evans (36th overall), an...

*Pictured above - Welsh championship half-marathon medal winners Kay Hatton and Cheryl Frost from NWRRC. Road Runners won several surprise championship medals in Anglesey races... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026   It was wild, wet, and windy for over 1,000 athletes at the Anglesey 10k and half marathon events on St David’s Day, last Sunday morning, with the majority of entrants tackling the longer race distance over a challenging new course. In the 10k event which attracted 249 runners, this race was won by  Llyr Williams  in a very good time of 35 minutes and 10 seconds, and he was just 14-seconds ahead of rival  Shaun Hughes  in 35.24, and  Jack Hughes  in 35.40.     *Above left - Stuart and Joe  Culverhouse, with Gethin Wyn Jones, and Mike Hayton. *North Wales Road Runners  collected a number of prestigious age category honours and podium places.  Young Joe Culverhouse  led the team home in 29th place ...

Sarah’s solo surprise run on a very hilly and muddy flat course! Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026   NWRRC endurance athlete Sarah Ferguson Hudson went solo on Sunday and competed in the Bromsberrow Speed Runway 10k, this time without her husband Ben, and thought it was going to be an easy and flattish type run…but how wrong was she! After her race she explained:  “Oh, my word. I should really read more carefully what I sign myself up to…   I thought it was a flat road race, and not 10k of hills, mud, fields, traps, and more. I was b ack in Gloucestershire where I grew up, and catching up with school friends.” *Despite all her challenges, Sarah (*pictured right) ran well and she finished 50th overall out of 159 entrants and the 16th female in 58.07. www.coastandcountry.blog

Kevin Higgins (*pictured right) braved the Maltese heat to celebrate his 500th milestone run... Report by Don Hale .  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026   Two veteran North Wales Road Runners swapped their winter thermals for lightweight vests last weekend as they competed in different road races in warmer climates in Malta and Spain. Kevin Higgins  celebrated his 500th race for the club in the Sliema half-marathon on Sunday after battling with the heat, which unfortunately slowed his finishing time, but he was still pleased to record a memorable milestone. After the race he confirmed:  “I have been road running for the club for the past 35-years, and I finally hit my milestone of 500 races in Malta. It was quite hot, but overall, I was happy with my time of 2 hours,15 minutes and 31 seconds.  “I have participated in so many running challenges over the years, and my personal success is with winning some club championships and age categories, and by collecting and ach...

*North Wales runner Gwen Charlton (*above) is shown with her boys at a recent and popular Penrhyn Castle charity Dark Run. Supertemps boss Sarah Elwood pledges new Dark Run charity support for  Tŷ Gobaith... Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Race organiser John Hatton (*pictured right), who promotes the popular DARK RUNS at Conwy, and at Penrhyn Castle - which have raised many thousands of pounds for local children’s cancer charities - has just confirmed that Supertemps have made  Tŷ Gobaith   Children’s Hospice their ‘Charity of the Year’ for 2026. He explained that keen runner with GOG Triathlon and well-known local businesswoman  Sarah Elwood , the managing director at Supertemps, who has sponsored these events for the past two years, has now agreed to provide further financial support once more.  John also outlined his latest fundraising plans stating:  “This year we are making  Penrhyn  a very big event and we are hoping...

Beast of Bryn 2026 :  23 August 2026 donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 Beast of Bryn 2026 (Bwystfil Y Bryn): Info from Paul Bulmer. https://beastofbryn.fullonsport.com/event/beast-of-bryn-2026/profile We are delighted to be hosting the Beast of Bryn 2026 (Bwystfil Y Bryn) BRAG (Bryn Residents Action Group) established this race in 2011 and it quickly grew in size and reputation. Much of the history of the race can be found on the BRAG  website . The management of the race was outsourced for a few years, but since 2024 has been fully managed by  BRAG. The event is held under UK Athletics rules with the registration number TR-26-5. We have two distances to choose from – approximately 6.5 miles (10.5km) or 10.5 miles (17km) with total climbs of approximately 288 or 556 Meters. The 10.5-mile route can also be part of the  Welsh Athletics Masters Championship  for affiliated runners. The route passes through the mountains of Afan Forest Park, with stunning view...