Don Hale Blog

*Alex Aldous is pictured above with the leading pack at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkun on the promenade. Hundreds of parkrunners braved the icy conditions at many North Wales locations... Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael Finnie and Danielle Peevor. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   There was another excellent turn out at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday, despite the freezing temperatures and icy conditions underfoot, which caused the postponement of several other local events, at Conwy and Nant y Pandy amongst many others. The rather sandy 5k course at Rhos probably helped athletes to keep their feet and once again this particular parkrun attracted a host of visitors from far afield, and quite remarkably, nine out of the first ten finishers were course debutants! Sam Lewis Jones  (Parc Bryn Bach RC) was the first finisher on his course debut in just 16 minutes and 54 seconds, with the second runner unknown, but in 3rd place was visitor  Ian Lowe  (Oswes...

*Father and son, Stuart and Joe Culverhouse (*above) ran well at Conwy. Cold and windy but well attended New Year’s Day parkruns. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   It was another very cold and very windy morning at most of the New Year’s Day parkruns, yet the conditions still failed to deter hundreds of hardy and determined athletes from travelling a long way just to start their 2026 events in style. Known parkrun events took place at  Conwy, Llangollen, and Newborough Forest , to name but a few, and all reported good attendances, and were well supported by generous teams of enthusiastic volunteers. At Conwy,  the organisers welcomed 242 entrants including numerous first timers, and the first finisher was Wrexham AAC star  James Yarwood  in 17 minutes and 45 seconds.  Iain Burgess  ran a good second place in 18.10, and visitor  Thomas Watkiss  took the third spot in 18.44. Anna Drinkwater  (Eryri Harriers) (*pictured ri...

*Ben and Sarah Hudson are pictured above (*and below) on the start/finish line after their Midnight 10k dash at Shrewsbury on New Year's Eve. Midnight 10k in Shrewsbury and an early 5k parkrun at Llangollen for Ben and Sarah. Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.bogspot.com/2025   North Wales Road Running couple Ben and Sarah Hudson hit 2026 running, quite literally, as they competed in the unique Midnight 10k in Shrewsbury on New Year’s Eve. Ben celebrated a great result finishing in 7th place overall with a good time of 51 minutes and one second, and Sarah shared their success as the second female finisher with another excellent time of 45.21. However, not content with resting on their laurels, and despite a late-night race and a long drive home, the pair made their course debuts, early the following morning – New Year’s Day – at the Llangollen parkrun on the Old Railway Track.  Ben finished in 15th place overall, and he won his VM45 age cat in a very fast time of 22.24, wh...

*Runners listen to the briefing at the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun. Visitors set a hot pace on a cold, frosty morning at the Rhos parkrun – plus other results and reports from the region... Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Pictured above and below - the mass start of the Rhos parkrun. It was another jam-packed and fun-filled occasion on Saturday morning at the new Llandrillo yn Rhos (Y Promenade) parkrun last Saturday following a record-breaking attendance on Christmas Day. Despite the freezing temperatures and a generous covering of heavy frost around the region, with the icy conditions causing the cancellation of rival events at  Conwy  and at  Nova , the Rhos parkrun, possibly aided by a light layer of sand at key points, was given the green light, much to the delight of 576 eager entrants. And many runners later expressed their gratitude to the run director  Dougie Graham  and his RD colleagues,...

NEW UPDATE: Lovely black and white cat returned to owners - thanks to Wilfred and Friends Wilfred & Friends Good news, the owner has been found and the cat collected safely and gone back home. Thanks to Wilfred and Friends for a great and quick service. Previous message: LARGE WHITE CAT WITH BLACK PATCHES LOOKING LOST ON OUR GARDEN IN DEGANWY, NORTH WALES...Photos taken at dusk last night. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Attention all cat owners - IS THIS YOUR CAT - CALLED QUEENIE - has anyone mislaid a lovely big white cat with some black patches in the Deganwy district near to High Pastures Nursing Home and Bwlch Farm Lane?  We have a stray cat who has been camped on our garden for a week or so, and is always starving hungry. The cat has a distinctive squeaky meow, a black patch across one ear and is nearly all white with a black tale.  Very friendly but it seems lost and is in urgent need of attention and constantly demands food. *If this is your cat can you please send ...

*Some members from Porth Eirias Runners (*above and below) at the start of the Rhos parkrun last Saturday. Top athletes and plenty of newcomers at new Rhos parkrun...plus NW parkrun results round-up. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com.2025   There was another good attendance of over 300 finishers at the new Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun with another excellent showing from top club runners and newcomers despite a rather sandy 5k course. The first finisher however remained unknown at the time of writing at Rhos, but visitor  Gavin Roberts  (Eryri Harriers) took the second place on his debut in 17 minutes and 30 seconds, with  Harry Driscoll  (Meirionnydd RC) just three-seconds and one place adrift in 17.33. Emily Hanlon  continued her top form (5th overall) to claim the first female place once again, with a tremendous run and a new PB of 17.48, with  Alex Aldous  second with another good PB in 19.38, and  Anna D...