Don Hale Blog

Special Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature. Welcome to another new author feature in conjunction with Amazon. TALL TALES WITH A TWIST - Expect the unexpected . An enthralling book of short stories by Michael Church. This is the link to order from Amazon:  https://amzn.to/41oNUXf https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com Published by Bookendz. ISBN 9781739793715 in conjunction with Coast and Country online magazine and Bookpublishing4u. Synopsis:  Tall Tales with a twist by Michael Church. This is the link to order from Amazon:  https://amzn.to/41oNUXf A wonderful collection of fifteen stories with a delicious twist, reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected. If you love those stories where fate conspires to bring an unexpected dénouement, this book is for you. Lee wants to buy Tiggy, his married lover, a sapphire and diamond necklace for her birthday. But how can she explain it away to her husband? He then comes up with an ingenious, fool proof plan – or is it? W...

*Pictured above - Steve Bozier with a crowd of runners at the start. Tough challenge for the Road Runners at the final Coed y Brenin Winter Trail Race... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Eight North Wales Road Runners competed in the tough Coed y Brenin 7-mile Winter Trail Race last Saturday and recorded some excellent results amongst the 449 finishers. This final event included some challenging terrain with some stunning beauty and was run along single tracks and footpaths through the  Coed y Brenin Forest Park , which left a sting in the tail! Benjamin Brummit  led the NWRRC team home in 36th place in 57 minutes and 7 seconds, and it was a close encounter for  Sion Thomas  and  Steve Bozier , with Sion 81st in 63.43, and Steve 86th in 64.17. And it was a similar story for  Steve Poupart  and  Rob Haines , with Steve finishing in 117th place in 67.37, with Rob just one place and seven-seconds adrift. Dave Jones  al...

*Pictured above (l-r): Ben and  Sarah Hudson with Mike Hayton. Road Running trio at the Ruthin 10k.   A trio of NWRRC members competed in the Ruthin 10k road race on Sunday and the pick of the team was Sarah Hudson who was 34th overall, the 3rd female finisher, and she was also 2nd in her F40 age category in 47.37.  And to add some extra icing to Sarah’s performance, she finished just ahead of her husband  Ben , who was 37th overall, and 5th in his M40 cat in 48.08, whilst master veteran  Mike Hayton  enjoyed another good run, and he was 102nd, and 4th in his M70 cat in 63.24. Sarah Hudson later confirmed:  “Great fun this morning running the “lumpy” Ruthin 10k, and over the moon to have come 3rd lady in 47.37, and to beat Ben!”   *Kevin Higgins also ran in the 5k race and he finished in 50th place in 28.48 in his first race since last September due to injuries.

*Richard Scamans (*above), was the first NWRRC member back at Conwy. Almost tropical at Conwy parkrun after weeks of freezing conditions...plus other results... Report by Don Hale,   There was a good mix of travelling club and social runners at Conwy parkrun last Saturday for a half-term encounter, with temperatures appearing almost tropical at just 4 degrees, following a long period of freezing conditions and strong winds. Iain Burgess  celebrated another outstanding performance as the first finisher overall on this usual puddle-filled 5k course in just 18 minutes and 35 seconds, with debutant  Ewan Gibb  ( Saltaire Striders ), pressing Iain all the way home in 19.19, whilst  Jack Callaghan  ( Betsi Runaways ), was 3rd in 19.43. The first female finisher  was SW20 athlete  Llio Owen  (15th overall) in 21.38, with SW30  Elisha Price  (33rd), and the 2nd female in 23.40, and VW40  Claire Kelly  was 3rd (38th), in 24.02. The...

  EVERYONE HAS A BOOK IN THEM.. Book Publishing, proof reading, copy editing, and online business features and promotions. Best selling author Don Hale offers a unique service to other budding authors... It is always said that everyone has a book in them! Many people may have produced a manuscript years ago, and then just left it gathering dust in the spare room, or hidden in a draw. Now is the time to revisit that project and to tell the world about your story! Would you like become a fully-fledged published author? Earn royalties from your old scribblings, and produce a copy of yearbook for friends or family etc? We can help you in any way from the initial proof reading, to full copy editing, and/or the complete publishing process for your book/poetry/arts project. We provide advice and support all the way and we will also help you with the design, ISBN, and barcodes. Further details are available via email: coastandcountryonline@btinternet.com ads2life@btinternet.com We work in ...

*Pictured above - the race leader Rhys Jones being chased by the pack, and (*below), the massed range of hundreds of runners provided a spectacular sight. The Nick Beer 10k proved a huge success for runners and charities... plus a unique photo special on a very cold day. *Report and main photos by Don Hale.  Additional photos by John Hatton, and Hannah Griffith. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk *Many of the marshals and volunteers are shown ready for action. The 33rd Annual Nick Beer Memorial 10k race proved another huge success for event organisers Always Aim High, the 744 finishers, and for a host of local charities, despite the bitterly cold weather and a blustery wind around the Great Orme. Rhys Jones  ( Rhedwyr Hebog Runners ) led from start to finish around this tough and very challenging course, and he ran home along Llandudno promenade to win in just 33 minutes and 9 seconds, but he was pushed all the way by rivals  Simon Cole ...

Open meeting invite for Welsh Masters athletes at T&F event in Swindon in April. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Welsh Master Athletics have received an invitation from Swindon Harriers to all their members to take part in track and field events in Swindon next April. Swindon Harriers are hosting its Mark Cawte Open Meeting on Sunday 6th  April 2025, *see link below, please pass on to your club members and any other people who you know might be interested. Track events, 80m, 150m, 300m, 600m, 1000m, 3000m & 300m Hurdles. Field events, High Jump, Long Jump, Shot Put, Discus, Hammer, Javelin & Pole Vault.   Roster Athletics · Mark Cawte Memorial Open Meeting   Regards, Kieran Golding Swindon Harriers Officials Secretary

*Pictured above and below - some great action photos from the match. Six of the best for Kinmel Bay in title challenge. Report and photos by Barry Griffiths. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   NWCEFL 24/25 Premier Division 1 Feb 2025 Kinmel Bay FC (6) v Llandudno Amateurs FC (3) played at Llandudno stadium. This away game win brings the Bay to 2nd place just 3 points below Y Glannau. For the goals it was just 3 minutes into the game when Connor Morris assisted by Danny Mcilvogue opened the score. An unfortunate Bay own goal in the 16th minute levelled the score with the Amateurs David Hansom assisted by Jack Kearney in the 27th pulling Llandudno briefly into the lead before Ryan Roberts equalised for KBFC’s on the 29th minute. Mathew Beach assisted by Oli Gray scored for the Bay in the 57th minute of play and in the 76th Danny Mcilvogue added the Bays 4th goal. As a mark of the efforts being made by both teams three goals were scored in the last 5 minutes o...

*Pictured above - super vet Dave  Gardner, who won gold at Deeside. North Wales athletes performed well at prestigious Indoor Championships... Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   Three top veteran athletes hit good form at two different Indoor Championship events last weekend, with North Wales Road Runner Steve Gardner crossing the Pennines to compete for the Welsh Masters on the track in the 3000m, whilst his father Dave struck gold in the shot putt event at Coleg Cambria, Deeside, alongside Paul Brooks, who also won gold in his own respective age category. Steve however, despite an excellent performance in Sheffield, said he was slightly down on his best time for this distance, but admitted to facing some stern competition, from rivals.   *Above left - Steve and Dave Gardner, and (*right) Paul Brooks. After the event, Steve confirmed:  “I competed in the British Masters Indoor Championships last Sunday. It was a very strong MV60 age category held...

*Pictured above - NWRRC track star and record holder Steve Gardner. Steve Gardner competed in the British Masters Indoor 3000m champs at Sheffield. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk North Wales Road Runner Steve Gardner took to the track again last week and this time he travelled across the Pennines to compete for the Welsh Masters in the British Masters Indoor championships held in Sheffield. Despite an excellent performance, the record breaking veteran Welsh athlete was slightly down on his best time for this distance, and faced some stern competition.   After the event, Steve  confirmed: “I competed in the British Masters Indoor Championships last Sunday. It was a very strong MV60 age category held over two races. I finished 2nd in the B race in a time of 10.43 which meant I was 10th overall taking into consideration the times of both races. I was 5-seconds slower than my PB but pleased with my performance on th...