donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026

Good numbers and times at the Llanrug 5k championship race. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   There was a good turnout of over two-hundred runners at the midweek Llanrug 5k championship race despite the wet and windy conditions, and quite remarkably, the first eighteen finishers all dipped under eighteen minutes! Meirionnydd athletes  Tomos Roberts and Ifan Dafydd  took the first two finishing places with  Huw Gwynn  (Eryri Harriers) third. Tomos recorded a superb time of just 15 minutes and 37 seconds, with Daffyd close behind in 15.42, and Huw in 16.29. The first female was  Tilly Edwards  (Cybi Striders) in 18.01, with  Tinka Vinks  (Eryri Harriers) the runner-up in 19.14, and  Elliw Haf Roberts  (Eryri Harriers) finished third in 19.52. *North Wales Road Runners  had 15 members involved and young  Joe Culverhouse  led the team home with an outstanding performance in 25th plac...

Bright and breezy for plenty of visiting parkrunners Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 There were plenty of visitors to a bright and breezy parkrun at Llandrillo y Rhos last Saturday morning with debutants claiming the first three male finishing places, and the first female spot. Andrew Walmsley  (Chorlton Runners) was the first finisher overall in 17.20, with  Jack Kay  (Sinfin RC) second in 18.18, and  James Jones  (Chester Tri Club) third in 18.31. Debutant  Flo Hughes  was the first female finisher in 19.46, and she was followed by teenager  Elen Edwards  (15th overall) n 20.38, with  Laura McKenzie  (Betsi Runaways) third, in 22.21. *North Wales Road Runners  had six members at Rhos with  Cheryl Frost  the club’s first finisher in 22.44, and she also won her VF60 age cat.  Richard Scamans  was next home in 23.04, and  Steve Mason  looked back to his best again in 99th place in ...

North Wales group on the run at HMP Berwyn. Special report courtesy of event organiser Dave Munday. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 So today (Saturday 6th June 2026) was a special day for this group as some of us went to HMP Berwyn for a parkrun.  This moves some of us on to club 19 and Club 18 in the North Wales parkrun group, and has also given us a chance to make an even stronger connection with the most difficult to get an entry to parkrun in the North Wales region. The Governor at the prison has said there could be another opportunity to do this unusual and extraordinary parkrun again in October of this year, I will keep in touch with them and post up details nearer the time. So a few weeks ago I sent in all the information of the runners as everyone had to be fully security checked before we arrived and today we had to all go through checks and identification before been allowed in the prison. The only items we were allowed were the clothes we were running in, car keys, se...

*Above and below - Ready for action - some of the hard working volunteers at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday morning. Hot, humid and very busy at Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael  (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026   The Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun proved to be the most popular North Wales event on a warm Saturday morning, which again attracted a host of runners and walkers from all over the UK, and even from Australia, including members from the 5k Your Way, Move Against Cancer group for their regular end of the month gathering. Nine out of the first twelve finishing places were taken by first time entrants with  Paul Jones ( Shrewsbury AC) the first athlete home, recording a new course PB in 16.38, and he was chased by newbies  Conor Davies  second in 16.56, and  Niall Simmonds  (Southampton AC) third in 17.53. And well done to  Iain Burgess,  who ran extremely well in 4th place, despite ...

*Josh Keogh (*above left) who was the eventual race winner at Deganwy, is shown leading the pack with rival Martin Green along Conwy Cob. Deganwy 5-mile Charity Dash proved a winner once again. Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It was another hot and humid, but most enjoyable evening for the annual Deganwy Dash run on Friday night, which was staged over a scenic 5-mile course from the promenade to the RSPB Nature Reserve and back. Well-organised by the hard-working  John Hatton, Carla Green,  and their dedicated team of volunteers, this event attracted 343 finishers and helped to raise many thousands of pounds for children’s cancer charities, and for many other worthy causes. It was also good to see so many local running clubs well represented including members from Prestatyn RC, NWRRC, Denbigh Harriers, Colwyn Bay AAC, GOG Triathlon, Eryri Harriers, Cybi Striders, Porth Eirias Runners, Buckle...

*Pictured above - popular sports coach, veteran athlete, and charity fundraiser John Hatton is presented with a special cake at Rhos parkrun by NWRRC club colleague Elizabeth Driscoll for his 400th stint as a volunteer at various venues. Promenade packed for a bumper bonanza at Rhos parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy  of Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog *Above - the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday. The warmer weather and the Bank Holiday weekend attracted another bumper attendance of over five-hundred runners and walkers to the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun last Saturday morning. The event also recorded plenty of personal best times, and visitors from across the UK, who enjoyed this exciting flat, and picturesque promenade route, with the first three finishing places all going to first-timers. Jonathan Shaw  (Steel City Striders) was the first finisher overall and he was delighted with an excellent debut time...

*Pictured above - Jon Evans from NWRRC who was a two-hour pacer. Local runners in top form at the Chester half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   There was a massive entry of over 700 elite, club, and mixed ability athletes at the Essa Chester half marathon last Sunday with several North Wales runners celebrating some superb finishing times and placings. Tomos Roberts  and  Martin Green  were two top members representing  Meirionnydd RC , with Tomos 8th in 1.08.54, and he won his MV35 age cat, with colleague Martin also winning his MV50 cat in 23rd place in 1.15.15.  And full credit to another  North Wales  star in  Steffan Sayer  (Menai T&F) who was 20th in 1.14.42, and fellow Welshman  Matthew Collins  (Oswestry Olympians) in 1.07.58. The overall race was won by  Jack White  (City of Norwich) in 1.05.56, followed by  Luke Burgess  (Bristol & West) in ...