Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above (l-r): Pete Brocklehurst, Jon Hayward, Dougie Graham and Dylan Williams, outside the Happy Faces charity store at Rhos on Sea.   NW Running quartet prepares for the London Marathon and Happy Faces children’s charity appeal…   Special sporting feature: Introduction by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   This is another special community-based story within a new series of unique features looking at the life, careers, hopes and ambitions, of many talented and dedicated athletes, sports people, and fundraisers within North Wales.   This particular feature highlights the dedicated training and fundraising activities of four popular North Wales athletes who are currently preparing to run the iconic  London Marathon  next month, whilst hoping to raise thousands of pounds for  Happy Faces,  a local charity based in Rhos, that raises funds to support sick, disabled and disadvantaged children in North Wales.  The four charity r...

Ultra athletes Ben and Sarah Hudson quit the rat-race to enjoy some extraordinary new adventures in North Wales   Special Coast and Country feature: This is the first of a new series of special features looking at the life, careers, hopes and ambitions, of many talented and dedicated athletes and sports people in North Wales.   Introduction by Don Hale.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com This feature highlights the extraordinary life and careers of popular husband and wife couple, Ben and Sarah Hudson, who are both keen runners and obviously love a challenge, both in life and in athletics, and regularly take part in varied events ranging from parkruns to marathons, to long-distance and ultra races, often raising thousands of pounds for charities. They gave up the rat-race in London a few years ago to move to North Wales, where they quickly created a thriving local business in Betws-y-Coed, before opting to enjoy some exciting new adventures in this stunning region, a...

*North Wales Road runner Mal Preece (*above) at the London Marathon. Mixed emotions but a great experience for athletes at the London Marathon...plus other results and updates... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Seven North Wales Road Runners competed in the televised London Marathon last Sunday amongst a mass participation of some 50,000 runners, who raised tens of thousands of pounds for various worthy charities, with many athletes recalling mixed emotions and personal best times! Mal Preece  was the first NWRRC member home with an excellent time of 3 hours and 20 minutes, and he celebrated following a great new PB time. Afterwards he confirmed:  “Very pleased with a new six-minute PB. I ran my first marathon back in 2011 at Chester, and to date I’ve knocked 20 minutes off that time. Looking to chip away my latest PB again next year with GFA time. My goal was to get my qualifying time for Berlin next year, which I ac...

*Martin Green (*above) won his age cat with another good run at Conwy. Bright and breezy for surprise ultra-distance walkers at Conwy parkrun...and fast pace by top three rivals. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Steve Jeffery. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   It was bright and very breezy at the Conwy parkrun on Saturday with over two hundred entrants negotiating the scenic, yet puddle-filled and challenging 5k course. This week’s surprise guests included Antony and Sally Brown, who visited this venue during their epic 6,000-mile trek around the UK coastline to help raise funds for the RNLI, Cornwall Air Ambulance, and parkrun!  The couple were also celebrating their 34th wedding anniversary, and Antony, who is a member of the  Newquay and Par Athletics Club , even took part in the parkrun, and finished well in 54th place in 24.05. *Ultra-distance charity walkers Antony and Sally Brown at the Conwy parkrun. The event also attracted the usual...

*Martin Green (above centre in black top) at the Trafford 3,000m race. Martin hit the track running with a new 3,000m PB at Trafford, plus a nice surprise in the post! Report by Don Hale. Running photos by John Earlston. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Martin Green hit the track running at Trafford, near Manchester, in midweek, during a rare appearance in a 3,000m race. In a star-studded encounter of top club athletes, Martin eventually finished 14th overall with a new PB at this venue of 9 mins 41.9 seconds.  After the race, the NWRRC member confirmed: “Trafford track meeting. My first track race in years and 21 seconds off the last one. Having another go in a fortnight so hopefully I can take some seconds off that. Totally different racing than on the road, straight into a raging inferno, and hold on for near death!”   *Martin Green (No 183 in black top), above at the Trafford track. Bronze medal surprise from the London Marathon. ...

*Mal Preece (*above) had a great run at London Mixed emotions for Road Runners at the London Marathon..plus other race results. Report by Don Hale.   There were mixed emotions for several members of the North Wales Road Running team who tackled the varied challenges of the ever-popular London Marathon last Sunday as heavy rain and damp conditions caused a few problems for the 49,000 mixed ability entrants. Cramp and fatigue unfortunately played a role in the performances of several key athletes, and yet most still enjoyed the occasion, and the tremendous atmosphere and support provided by tens of thousands of supporters who cheered on the runners around some of London’s most famous landmarks. Martin Green  celebrated his hard preparatory work for this race with a tremendous run finishing in 152nd place in 2 hours 30 minutes and 43 seconds, and he also claimed the 3rd spot in his MV45 age category, leading home a team of nine fellow club runners. *Martin Green (*above) put in a...