Don Hale Blog

*Prolific Yorkshire author Mac McKechnie at a book signing. Special Coast and Country book review:  Run in conjunction with:  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 About the Author - Mac McKechnie. Mac McKechnie is a Yorkshireman who lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Now aged 75, he has the welcome luxury of time to return fully to his lifelong love of writing.  Mac is an active Christian and serves as Pastor of his local church in Barnsley.  His writing reflects a deep interest in human character, moral choice, and the quiet resilience that surfaces in times of crisis.  He has written several books across a range of genres, with science fiction and Westerns among his favourites, alongside more reflective and character-led work inspired by everyday life. Exodus: Escape From Earth: The Trilogy -Paperback. By author Mac McKechnie. *EXODUS: This is the first book in the Escape from Earth trilogy.  This is the link to the book on Amazon:   https://amzn.to/3OxDQq...

*Mac McKechnie's dog Daisy is shown above. Special Coast and Country book review:  * Run in conjunction with:  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 *Prolific writer and author Mac McKechnie (above) at a book signing. About the Author: Mac McKechnie (*pictured below) and his unique invitation to read all about Daisy:  One small dog. One big heart. Endless mischief . Meet Daisy - a fiercely clever, squirrel-chasing, slipper-chewing Sheltie-Poodle cross with a nose for mischief and a heart full of love. From her first day in a three-storey house (with far too many stairs) to life on an allotment, in care homes, and beside her human Mac through illness and recovery, Daisy's world is full of chaos, cuddles, and chicken treats. Told from Daisy’s witty and loyal perspective, this delightful memoir is a humorous and moving journey through one small dog’s big impact on the people who love her.  Whether she’s flunking her first therapy dog exam or reigning over her garden kingdo...

Kevin Higgins (*pictured right) braved the Maltese heat to celebrate his 500th milestone run... Report by Don Hale .  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   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...

*Pictured above - Martin Green with young rival Tom Vale at Conwy. Milder weather  and a half-term boost at many NW parkruns. Report by Don Hale .  Most photos by Michael Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   The milder weather last Saturday morning and the fact that it was half-term attracted plenty of visiting athletes to the various parkruns around North Wales, with numerous personal best times recorded.  Visting athlete Ed Slaughter  (Porthcawl Runners) was the first finisher at the  Llandrillo yn Rhos  parkrun with a fast dash of just 16 minutes and 42 seconds, and he led home two other equally talented and fast rivals and course debutants in  Martin Sutherland  (Woking AC) in 17.05, and  Alex Compton  third in 17.46. The first ten finishers all dipped under18-minutes, with another visitor in  David Withers  (Southville RC) taking the fourth place with a good run in 17.46, just ahead of  Simon Cole  (GOG T...

Special Coast and Country book review:  * Run in conjunction with:  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 About the Author: Mac McKechnie, and his fascinating Garden of Words books... Mac McKechnie (*pictured above) is a Yorkshireman who lives in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Now aged 75, he has the welcome luxury of time to return fully to his lifelong love of writing. Mac is an active Christian and serves as Pastor of his local church in Barnsley.  Mac's writing reflects a deep interest in human character, moral choice, and the quiet resilience that surfaces in times of crisis. He has written several books across a range of genres, with science fiction and Westerns among his favourites, alongside more reflective and character-led work inspired by everyday life.   *Check out Mac McKechnie's Garden of Words series of fascinating books from Coast and Country online:   https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/perryscope21/list/1KF7IALOO18JR?ref_=cm_sw_r_tw_ud_aip_sf_list_spv_ons_mixed_...

*Pictured above and lower - runners at the start of the Nick Beer 10k race as they depart Llandudno promenade ( *Photos by Don Hale ). The tough Nick Beer 10k race proved a great success once more with good numbers and a fast pace... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 The annual Nick Beer 10k race proved a hit once more with a massive 967 athletes completing a tough course from outside Venue Cymru and around the Great Orme before returning to Llandudno’s spectacular promenade, where spectators gave each entrant a warm welcome on a rather cool and breezy day. Visiting athlete  Hamish Morton  (Cambridge & Coleridge AC) was the first finisher overall in just 34 minutes and 55 seconds, and he was the 1st MSen, but he was one of four elite runners who ran away from the main pack and they all dipped under the magic 36-minute mark.  *Menai T&F athlete Steffan Sayer (*above) finished second in the Nick Beer 10k. Steffan Sayer  (Menai T&F) was the r...

*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  ...