Don Hale Blog

*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...

*North Wales runner Gwen Charlton (*above) is shown with her boys at a recent and popular Penrhyn Castle charity Dark Run. Supertemps boss Sarah Elwood pledges new Dark Run charity support for  Tŷ Gobaith... Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Race organiser John Hatton (*pictured right), who promotes the popular DARK RUNS at Conwy, and at Penrhyn Castle - which have raised many thousands of pounds for local children’s cancer charities - has just confirmed that Supertemps have made  Tŷ Gobaith   Children’s Hospice their ‘Charity of the Year’ for 2026. He explained that keen runner with GOG Triathlon and well-known local businesswoman  Sarah Elwood , the managing director at Supertemps, who has sponsored these events for the past two years, has now agreed to provide further financial support once more.  John also outlined his latest fundraising plans stating:  “This year we are making  Penrhyn  a very big event and we are hoping...

The BMAF Council is calling an EGM on Wednesday 4 March 2026 at 7pm. The meeting will be held by Zoom The motion for the meeting will be It is noted that the BMAF executive committee has a large number of vacancies and with just three members is not quorate.  In light of this, the BMAF Council will take on the responsibility of finding and appointing additional people to serve as officers on the BMAF Executive until the next AGM to ensure that the Business of the BMAF can continue. Background At the Annual General Meeting in November 2025, the meeting decided that it was not ready to endorse the winding up of the Federation and the transfer of its activities into a limited company.  Because of this too few people were willing to stand for election to the Executive Committee.  The BMAF Executive Committee currently has two elected members Walter Hill and Glen Reddington plus Jon Clarke representing England Masters.  The committee is not quorate.  The BMAF Council...

*Pictured above - the Lee Valley indoor track. Joe Horner confirms a near full WMAL team for the  Inter-Regional Championships at Lee Valley... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Following an appeal on this blog last week from Rod Davies at Welsh Masters Athletics Ltd, Joe Horner and his colleague Adrian have agreed to try and put a team together asap for the forthcoming T&F events. *This was my previous blog with the appeal details:  Don Hale Blog: UPDATE: Temporary team managers appointed for Wels... https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/update-temporary-team-managers.html?spref=tw This week Joe Horner confirmed the latest updates and news relating to the forthcoming Inter-Regional championships at Lee Valley. Hi everyone, As you may have heard from Rod Davies at WMAL, the 2026 inter-regional is at Lee Valley on 14th March and Adrian and I have agreed to stand in for Brett in getting a team together. We're now in the happy position of having an almost...

*John and Michelle Farrell competed well in the Bath Marathon. Great new PB times for John and Michelle at the Bath Marathon. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Caitlin Faye. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 GOG Triathlon members John and Michelle Farrell competed well in the Bath Marathon last Sunday with both athletes recording some very good finishing times and new personal best (PB) times! Michelle won her age category in the Police Services UK (PSUK) championships and John was pleased with fourth place in his own age cat. After the event John confirmed: "A Lovely few days in Bath. A beautiful city and a marathon. PB’s for both Chelle and myself in 3:45 and 3:52 r espectively, and yet another win in age for Michelle at PSUK champs and 4th in age for me." *Pictured above - Michelle (*right) received her winners trophy from a police official.

*Stuart Culverhouse (*right) ran well with Darren Dentith at Ruthin. Good results and keen competition at various North Wales parkruns...results round up... Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   Some very good results including numerous personal best (PB) times at various parkruns across North Wales last weekend, with some keen competition for placings, particularly amongst the ladies, and well done to JW11 athlete Martha Brown at Nant y Pandy, who finished a close second overall, and the first female finisher in 19 minutes and 18 seconds.   *Conwy:   GOG Triathlon athlete  Simon Cole  was the first finisher at the  Conwy parkrun  with a very fast finish in just 16 minutes and 52 seconds, and  Elin Jones  took the first female finisher place with a new PB in 20.40. * North Wales Road Runners included  –  James Singleton  59th in 24.51, with master vet  Rob Fryer  84th in 26.38, and he also won his VM70 a...

  SPECIAL AMAZON OFFERS FOR RICHARD OSMAN'S LATEST NOVELS...  promoted in conjunction with Coast and Country online magazine. Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Richard Osman’s   novels have become runaway best sellers and THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB HAS JUST BEEN MADE INTO A NETFLIX FILM... Check out all of Richard Osman's books on AMAZON SPECIAL OFFERS: Click on this link for direct access to the best deals:   https://amzn.to/4nbrrVL   All Richard Osman's can also be ordered via this page:  Click on this link for direct access to the best deals:   https://amzn.to/4nbrrVL Richard Osman is an author, producer, and television presenter.  The Thursday Murder Club was his first novel.  He is well known for TV shows including Pointless and Richard Osman’s House of Games. As the creative director of Endemol UK, Richard has worked as an executive producer on numerous shows including Deal or No Deal, and 8 Out of 10 Cats. He is als...