Don Hale Blog

Tri Hard Harriers Women Triumph in the West Glamorgan Cross Country League... Report by David Gibson. *Pictured above - the last race.   The final 4.7-mile race of five fixtures was held at Amman Valley Trotting Club, Tairgwaith on Sunday 25th March. The series, which is for South Wales club teams, is held on different courses in west Wales providing a variety of challenges to participants.   The women’s title was won by the Tri Hard Harriers team, who were only promoted to the top division this season, beating Run4All Neath Blacks and 3Ms Gorseinon RR.  Team captain Stephanie Gibson proved to be the class of the field by winning all five events and was ably supported by Teresa Penhorwood who was joint second and Alice Mayo who finished in the women’s top 20. The men’s title was won by Neath Harriers with Run4All Neath Blacks in runner up spot and Swansea Harriers in third. Individually, Scott Williams and Iestyn Evans - both of Neath Harriers were first and second ov...

*The North Wales Road Runners pictured above at Trawsfynydd on Sunday. Search & Rescue team well supported at Trawsfynydd race  Report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com Over three-hundred athletes tackled the challenging Trawsfynydd Multi-Terrain Race last Sunday, which helped to raise essential funds for the South Snowdonia Search and Rescue Team. Described by race officials as a b eautiful multi terrain 8.6-mile race around  Trawsfynydd Lake  in the Eryri/Snowdonia National Park, this event was staged over a relatively fast course, yet it included one rather challenging hill, and a mixed tarmac and trail course.  All proceeds were donated to this worthy Search and Rescue Team, which is a charity, wholly dependent on donations from the public, and is run entirely by volunteers, who are on call-out 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to help those in need in the local area.  The first finisher overall was  Steffan Sayer ...

*NWRRC veteran Kevin Higgins is pictured (*above), in the yellow vest tackling the woodland trail on his debut at Penrhyn parkrun. Conwy tour members gave a welcome boost to several local parkruns...plus a results  round-up... *Conwy regulars John Stallard (*orange t-shirt), and Pam Grant (*long sleeved blue top), are pictured at the picturesque Penrhyn parkrun. Report by Don Hale.  Photos courtesy of Michael (Pat) Finnie, and others. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   It was another bumper turn-out at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun last Saturday on a cool and breezy morning with 276 mixed ability athletes tackling the rather undulating but picturesque course, which again included numerous ‘Conwy on Tour’ members. Promising local teenager  Noa Vaughan  was the 1st finisher overall with a fast time of just 15 minutes and 47 seconds, and he easily won his SM18 age cat, but at the time of writing the second and third finishers remained unknown.  The 1st female ath...

*Thumbs up from NWRRC member Will Williams in the green vest. North Wales athletes raced the ‘Magic Triangle’ for Euro glory at the prestigious Pulford 10k race... Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of John Hatton. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com *Pictured above - the Pulford 10k race winner Logan Rees at the finish line.   A large number of North Wales athletes competed within a massive entry of over 600 elite runners last Sunday at the Pulford 10k, which was a qualifying race for the European Championships. Formerly known as the Cheshire Elite 10k, this prestigious event was staged on the legendary Pulford loop, known in running folklore as ‘The Magic Triangle,’ and is considered to be one of the fastest routes in the UK, and measured to World Athletics standards. The race was a high-quality event and consequently it attracted a star-studded entry and included some of the top runners in the country, who competed against each other in order to bid for international selection. De...

*Pictured above - some of the many varied groups at a record Nova parkrun. Record breaking numbers at the Nova Prestatyn parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Nova parkrun. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Nova parkrun officials celebrated another record-breaking event last Saturday as some 327 entrants took advantage of the warm March sunshine over this 5k promenade course. The overall numbers were boosted by another large contingent from ‘Conwy on tour,’ members, in addition to numerous athletes from  St Asaph City Striders  from their Stride to 5, challenge team, and many others from the  Your Way, Your Move Against Cancer , squad. The event also welcomed 80 first timers from 33 different clubs, and they recorded 44 new PB times. The first finisher overall was Prestatyn Running Club’s, VM45 athlete  Stephen Skates  in just 18 minutes and 12 seconds, but it was a very close finish against runner-up  Gareth Griffith,  despite a new PB...

CONWY PARKRUNNERS ON THEIR TRAVELS AT PENRHYN CASTLE... Photographer and Welsh Master Michael (Pat) Finney was on hand to produce a photo special at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun last Saturday. Pictured above (*The start of the parkrun), and (*below), a large contingent of Conwy parkrunners went. on tour to Penrhyn. *Pictured (*above and below), some great action shots from Penrhyn parkrun.          *This is the link to the full report about the Penrhyn Castle parkrun on 15/3/25. Don Hale Blog: Conwy parkrunners on tour at the Penrhyn Castle ..... https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025/03/conwy-parkrunners-on-tour-at-penrhyn.html?spref=tw

*Pictured above just before the start of the Penrhyn Castle parkrun last Saturday are many members of the - Conwy on tour - contingent of runners. Conwy parkrunners on tour at the Penrhyn Castle ...plus other results... Report by Don Hale.  Photos courtesy of Michael (Pat) Finney, and Gwyn  Williams. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com With Conwy parkrun being out of action for about 14 weeks, a large group of over 30 members – and calling themselves 'Conwy on tour' - took part in the Penrhyn Castle parkrun, with another party attending the Nova event at Prestatyn. The conditions were ideal last Saturday morning with bright sunshine and a slight nip in the air, and at Penrhyn some 300 mixed ability athletes enjoyed the challenging and hilly course, which included two large laps and two small laps of the spectacular grounds and woodlands. One of the Conwy run directors,  Gwyn Williams (*pictured right) , who also ran and helped to rally the touring team commented: “Fantastic ...