Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above - the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday. Valentine’s Day entrants beat the frost at Rhos and shared their love of running. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael Finnie and Bill Scriven. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Heavy overnight frost morning forced the cancellation of five parkruns throughout North Wales last Saturday morning, but the surviving  Valentine’s Day events proved a love of running, and especially at Llandrillo yn Rhos, where yet another bumper attendance created a tremendous atmosphere. Despite a rather sandy and challenging 5k promenade course, this event is proving to be a magnet each week for visiting runners – and particularly for elite club athletes - with debutants again accounting for seven out of the first ten finishers. Talented visiting athlete  Paul Jones  (Shrewsbury AC) was the first finisher at Rhos on his course debut in just 16 minutes and 50 seconds, but local footballer  Aaron Dodwell  ...

Good numbers tackled the sandy course at Rhos parkrun… plus results round-up... Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 *Ian Burgess (*above) was the first finisher at Rhos last Saturday.   There was another bumper attendance at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday morning with 454 entrants tacking the rather sandy 5k promenade course.   *Pictured above left - Nic Brook, with Stuart Culverhouse and Will Evans . Iain Burgess  was the first man home following a determined performance and new PB of just 17 minutes and 49 seconds, but visiting rival  Jordan Roberts  made an impressive debut in 17.58, and he was only nine-seconds behind Iain, with  Lewis Hall  third with another PB in 18.24. And there was a good run by  Nic Brook  (Eryri Harriers), in 7th place, who won his VM50 age cat with a great new PB in 18.46.  *Alex Aldous (*pictured above at a previous Rhos parkrun) leads the pack. * Alex Aldous  was the first fe...

Welcome to parkrun North Wales Dave Munday launches an exciting new online site for NW parkrunners. Special report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   This an exciting new initiative from the well-known, popular parkrunner and local  athlete Dave Munday, who is ready to provide a regular summary of all North Wales parkruns. He explained this week:  " This is the site I am using for the round-up of all 17 North Wales parkruns, stats on numbers attending etc.  "The parkruns are continuing to grow in North Wales, and this group is for regular local parkrunners and visitors to our wonderful events throughout the region.  "Weekly stats and information will be shared, but please use it to tell your own parkrun journey, achievements and milestones, and also to connect with other parkrunners." *For more details please check out this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2193251831088739

Parkrun rowers in pace challenge with athletes at Llandrillo yn Rhos..,plus other parkrun reports... Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 The Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun team welcomed some surprise members from  Colwyn Bay Rowing Club  to their event last Saturday morning – AKA the ‘parkrun rowers’ - who waited just offshore and set a challenge to try to keep pace with some of the tail walkers along the adjacent but very sandy promenade course as they headed towards the Porth Eirias turn point. *Pictured above and top - the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun rowers, and  (*below), the 5K Your Way, Move Against  Cancer Group on the promenade at Rhos on Sea last Saturday morning. The event also greeted the  5K Your Way, Move Against Cancer group,  who attended Rhos parkrun as part of their regular monthly meeting. The first four finishers at Rhos were all visitors, and they were amongst about fifty newcomers to this exc...

*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...