Don Hale Blog

Val Crowson publishes a fascinating new SEARCH FOR THE WORDS book... Coast and Country - A North Wales online magazine  promotion.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 The author of this brand new  Search for the Words  puzzle book is Val Crowson , a retired teacher, who previously used word searches in the classroom to help promote the learning of topics and vocabulary extension.  Val lives in South Africa and she is married with three children and six grandchildren, and now retired, she has collated and created several new wordsearches with the idea of publishing them within this exciting new book.  NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON:   https://amzn.to/44IMhVl   ABOUT THE NEW SEARCH FOR THE WORDS BOOK by Val Crowson. A collection of 200 distinctive and individually created wordsearches just for you to enjoy! Words can be found horizontally, vertically or backwards, but not diagonally.  The letters that make up these words can be used more than once and can ...

*Jonathan Kettle (NWRC) finished third at the Conwy parkrun last week. Wet and windy parkruns - but they still attracted plenty of tourists...full results round-up... Report by Don Hale donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 It was another wet and windy day for most North Wales parkrunners last Saturday morning, yet it still failed to deter a wealth of keen visitors and participants to many a ‘splash and dash’ 5k course. Conwy was no exception where 225 hardy entrants braved the elements and the waterlogged riverside route to record some exceptional times given the circumstances. The first runner home at Conwy however, remained unknown at the time of writing, but there was just six-seconds between the second and third finishers, which included visitor  Jonty Brown  (Buxton AC) on his debut in 18 minutes and 13 seconds, with  Jonathan Kettle  (NWRRC) third in 18.19. Visitor  Beatrice Cordingley  (Sale Harriers) was the first female finisher (7th overall) with a new P...

*Pictured above - Conwy Castle illuminated to highlight Ty Gobaith and Hope House and their Dark Run last Saturday night. Over £9k raised for Hope House and Ty Gobaith at the Conwy Dark  Run on a very  wet night... Introduction by Don Hale. Photographs by Caitlin Faye Photography. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Despite the very challenging weather conditions last Saturday night with heavy rain and strong winds, over £9k was raised at the Conwy Dark Run for Hope House and Ty Gobaith Children’s Hospices. This popular event followed on from a very similar success – in better conditions – the previous Saturday at Penrhyn Castle Dark Run which raised about £10k for the same worthy organisation. John Hatton  (*pictured right), who was the MC at both fundraising events and was one of the event organisers confirmed: “ Conwy Dark Run. It was a very wet night, but it made £9k for Ty Gobaith. It was a very busy day, with the Penrhyn parkrun , rush home for lunch, then over to C...

*Simon Cole (*above) was the runaway first finisher at Conwy parkrun Parkrunners beat the weather in North Wales. Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   It was one of those horrible early morning days when you wonder why you ever climbed out of bed, as gale force winds and rain challenged my senses for a parkrun, and/or for other events last Saturday morning. With a variety of competing races across North Wales, many club runners probably opted for challenges, yet at so many parkruns across the region, this extraordinary void was quickly filled by numerous social runners visiting during the start of the half-term break. Conwy parkrun  welcomed people from all parts of the UK and beyond, but the first man home was local athletic star  Simon Cole  (GOG Triathlon), who beat the elements to record a positive time of 17 minutes and 13 seconds over the twisting 5k course. He was closely followed by  Cai Curtis-Roberts  in 17.38, with visiting d...

*Mike Hayton (NWRRC) battles with the elements to finish the Porth Eirias 10k. Wild, wet and windy for the Porth Eirias 10k. *Daniel Hennell (*above left) with Stuart Culverhouse are pictured just after completing their race against the weather conditions. Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   It was wild, wet and windy for 183 runners at the Port Eirias 10k last Saturday, yet many athletes still recorded some excellent times. Gareth Griffith  was the first finisher overall in just 37 minutes and 10 seconds, but he was pushed all the way by runner-up  Rhodri Williams  (Cybi Striders) in 37.21. with  Christopher Jones  (Abergele Harriers) third in 38.21. * Emily Grandfield  (TTT RC) was the first female finisher (10th overall) in 42.42, and  Mia Williams  was second (21st) in 46.10, with  Ellie Evans  (Cybi Striders) third (24th) in 46.23. *Stuart Culverhouse (*above left) with master vet Rob Fryer and veteran Len...

*When the going gets tough, the tough get going; pictured above (l-r): Mandy Owen, Elizabeth Driscoll, Hannah Griffith and Gwen Charlton, and (*below) Kevin Slattery in the white top is shown with Steve Bozier on a challenging hill climb ( *photo courtesy of Sport pictures Cymru). Tough day on the rolling hills for hardy athletes in the Eryri Marathon...local results  round-up... Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   It was a very tough day for the 2,208 hardy athletes and all the volunteers on the rolling hills around Snowdonia last Saturday as they battled gale force winds, hail, and driving rain at times for the gruelling Eryri Marathon. And, as if the unpredictable weather was not bad enough, the varied range of mixed ability, but mainly experienced competitors from far and wide, also faced a series of picturesque but undulating challenges over roads, rough tracks, and steep mixed terrain descents. *Pictured above - The mass of runners at the start of t...

 *Pictured above - Black Cloak Runners at the Amsterdam Marathon with Helen Hannam (*front row - far left - and birthday girl Nia Lister - third from left front row. Black Cloak Runners' group enjoyed a birthday bash at the Amsterdam Marathon... Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   A large group of North Wales athletes together with family members and supporters travelled to Amsterdam last weekend to compete in their annual marathon. The idea started almost a challenge, as sixteen members of  Black Cloak Runners  from Colwyn Bay suddenly had an idea to help celebrate member Nia Lister’s birthday, so they decided to do something completely different, and opt for an overseas marathon debut adventure. *Birthday celebrations  for Nia Lister (*above left) with Helen Hannam. One of the birthday bash organisers Helen Hannam explained: “ We wanted to help Nia run her first marathon on her birthday, so sixteen of us from Black Cloak Runners went to ...

*Pictured above - Martin and Carla Green at Abingdon. North Wales couple celebrated great international marathon results...and an exclusive report about Martin Green's run. Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025   North Wales’ athletic couple Martin and Carla Green celebrated top marathon results last weekend whilst representing Wales in the Abingdon Marathon. The Welsh Master athlete   who is a member of  Meirionnydd RC  finished in 10th place overall and celebrated a great run in 2 hrs 36 mins and 26 seconds and also won his VM50 age cat. Martin later shared his joy with his wife and fellow star runner  Carla Green (NWRRC), was also in top form on the day, and she too was pleased with another good result in 3 hrs 23 mins. https://www.facebook.com/abingdonmarathon *Martin Green is shown above with the leading pack at Abingdon and (*below) the Welsh Masters team ready for the Marathon. After the run Martin exclusively confirmed:   “ Another...

 *The winning female relay team at the Euro Masters Championships. Welsh Masters Shine at the European Championships in Madeira...results round-up by Juliet Sidney. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 Welsh Masters athletes once again did Wales proud at the European Masters Championships in Madeira, delivering a week packed with medals, personal bests and inspirational performances.  From sprints to jumps and endurance events, every athlete showcased the determination, camaraderie and spirit that define Welsh Masters Athletics.   Double Team Gold for Anne Dockery Anne Dockery (W75)  had a packed and impressive schedule in Madeira, showing her trademark endurance and determination across multiple events. She finished 4th in the 400m , 3rd in the 1500m , 4th in the 5000m , and produced another strong performance in the 6K cross country , earning individual bronze and team gold . Anne rounded off her superb week with the 10K road race , finishing 6th  and helping her te...