Don Hale Blog

*Runners and supporters of the 5K Your Way, Move Against  Cancer group. Nova parkrun celebrated its 200th event in style. Report by Don Hale. Photos courtesy of Malcolm. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   The Nova parkrun at Prestatyn celebrated its 200th event last Saturday. Their first parkrun started on 7th December 2019 and since then, 8,000 participants have completed 30,141 parkruns covering a total distance of 150,705 km, including 4,783 new PB’s, and a total of 435 individuals have volunteered 3,645 times. *Pictured above and below - some of the generous volunteers at Nova and a selection of some of Malcolm's great  action photos. This edited report is courtesy of the Nova Run Director: Well done to the 280 people who joined us to walk, jog and run at the Nova this morning including 27 doing a parkrun for the very 1st time. We were also happy to welcome  Nova Prestatyn 5K Your Way, Move Against Cancer  who joined...

*Pictured above - some members of the NWRRC team at Holyhead. Track star visitor won the Holyhead Breakwater 5-mile race. Report by Don Hale https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   There was a good mix of club and social runners at the annual Holyhead Breakwater 5-mile race last Sunday with nearly 200 entrants enjoying a well organised event, which also formed part of the NW Regional Championships. Visiting track star  Samuel Roberts  (Retford AC), (*pictured right), who is the 23-year old eldest son of Welsh International triathlete  Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts  (NWRRC), was the first man home on this undulating course in just 24 minutes and 7 seconds, with  Josh Griffiths  (Swansea Harriers), second and in close pursuit, finishing in 24.19, whilst local athlete  Sam Gunning (Cybi Striders), claimed third place in 27.05. Sam Gunning’s club colleague  Emma Alofs  was the first female finisher in 31.15, with  Bethan Jones  (Black Cloak Ru...

URGENT HELP WANTED FOR WILFRED & FRIENDS. Rhyl based pet rescue service. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   We urgently need your help! We’re still working hard to reach our £2,500 target for a thermal drone to help Wilfred & Friends save lost pets and find injured animals in areas where even getting close could stress or harm them. We’re struggling to raise the funds and would love your ideas, if you know ways our rescue can fundraise, please comment below! Our fundraising page is open, and we’ll soon be listing items for auction or sale (every penny goes directly to Wilfred & Friends!). We’re also looking for amazing local businesses to sponsor our animal ambulance and the drone. In return, you’ll get regular shout-outs, social media posts, and local media coverage. Plus, you’ll have the chance to name the ambulance or the drone! Exciting news: we’re currently in the process of obtaining our charity status and building our board of trustees. ...

*Pictured above - Stuart Culverhouse and Kevin Slattery - at the Snowdon race. North Wales duo tackled the tough Snowdon international race with the stars... Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Two North Wales Road Runners took to the great mountain at the weekend and competed in one of Europe’s toughest endurance challenges during the Castel Howell, 48th International Snowdon race. This extraordinary event included over 1,000m climb of Yr Wydda attracted an international array of stars, club runners, plus an elite list of top mountain and fell runners, with standard, international and elite events taking place. Master veteran and NWRRC chairman  Kevin Slattery , who is a VM70 athlete, completed his gruelling run up and down Mt Snowdon on Saturday afternoon in just 1 hour 53 minutes and 49 seconds, and he finished second in his age cat, with his club colleague  Stuart Culverhouse,  a very close seven-secon...

*Pictured and below - runners at the start of a previous Conwy parkrun with the start at the RSPB Nature Trail before the new track upgrades.   https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com  * John Earlston captures all the live action below from a previous Conwy parkrun.

*Pictured above and below - some of the many runners at the Nova Parkrun pictured last week by top athletics coach John Earlston. John Earlston captures the action from the Nova parkrun at Prestatyn on 12th July 2025. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com Live Video action from the Nova Parkrun at Prestatyn.  

*Pictured above - Llyr ApGeraint-Roberts on his way to a  podium place. (*photo courtesy of Bill Scrivens). North Wales athletes win podium places at the dramatic World Championships. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk *Michelle Farrell (*above) on the podium with her trophy after finishing 3rd in the World Trail Running Championships last weekend.   Two exceptional North Wales athletes claimed prestigious podium places at the Xterra Snowdonia Trail Running World Championships last Saturday after braving the extremely high temperatures that later led to the stoppage of all five events on the mountain. The races started and finished at Llanberis and offered a number of exceptional challenges with athletes tackling varied distances, ranging from 10k to a marathon, and even a 24-hour ultra event, and attracted many of the best athletes from across the globe. The event organisers confirmed:  ‘ The incredible routes explore the trails, gorgeous pa...

Athletes set a hot pace in the heatwave at Penrhyn parkrun. Report by Don Hale. Most photos by Michael Finney. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   There was a good turn-out of nearly 300 mixed ability entrants at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun last Saturday despite scorching temperatures during this extraordinary heatwave period, including athletes from opposite ends of the UK. A large contingent of quality club runners set a hot pace right from the start over this roller-coaster of a 5k woodland course, with the first seventeen finishers all dipping under the twenty-minute mark, and the first finisher,  Rhodri Owen ( Meirionnydd RC), celebrated a great run in just 16 minutes and 7 seconds, and he also led home a clean sweep with club colleagues, who packed well and took the first five finishing positions. Ricky Challinor  finished in 2nd place, with  Russell Bentley  3rd in 16.52,  Geraint Pugh  was 4th in 16.53, and...