Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above - Michael Finnie - back on track at the Indoor 60m race. Veteran track sprinter Michael Finnie won his age cat at the Indoor 60m dash ...plus other race results. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   NWRRC veteran track athlete Michael Finnie won his M65 age cat at the North Wales Indoor Open 60m dash at the Deeside Indoor Athletics Centre at Coleg Cambria, Deeside, last Saturday. He braved the challenging weather conditions en-route caused by Storm Bert, to take part in the sprint event, and he was just a fraction of second down on his previous best time, but said he was still pleased with his fine result of 11.23 seconds. After the event, he admitted that unfortunately the road conditions had restricted the number of competitors, but confirmed: “Not bad, since I haven’t been able to train much due to weather and flu the past week. I think I was a quarter of a second slower than my best.” Michael is hoping to improve...

*Picture above - Deganwy Dash race organisers John Hatton and Carla Green John and Carla’s Deganwy Dash voted the ‘Best Sporting Event of the Year,’ and raises thousands for Children's Cancer Charities. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   The Deganwy Dash was voted the Best Sporting event of the year within Conwy County at the annual Conwy Sports Awards last Friday night at Venue Cymru. Well organised by  John Hatton  and  Carla Green  from  North Wales Road Runners , this popular annual 5-mile race from Deganwy Quay to the RSPB Nature Reserve, and back via Conwy Cob, always attracts over 350-plus mixed ability runners who raise thousands of pounds for charity. The main charity includes generous donations to Children’s Cancer charities, and for the past few years it has been run in memory of a young local student Rohan Ingley, who sadly lost his life due to cancer, and has been known as 'Rohan's Run.' Award...

*Pictured above - North East historian and   author  Ian Ansell Marshall. Special Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature Welcome to another new author feature in conjunction with Amazon.   ABOUT THE AUTHOR : North-East author and historian Ian Ansell Marshall...   Published by North Wales based firm:   www.bookpublishing4u.co.uk   About the author: Ian Ansell Marshall. I am Ian, the youngest of five boys and the only one to be born in London as my parents moved there from Yorkshire.  I went to a comprehensive school in London, gained "A" levels in the Humanities and went on to a college in London where I gained a BA and a teaching degree.  My childhood memories centre around reading and I was taken by my mother to the library every week, sometimes twice. As a teenager, my passion for reading remained but I also played football to a decent level and then found the wonders of the guitar. I only have 7 but each one is specific to the music I play...

Special Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature Welcome to another new author feature in conjunction with Amazon.   ABOUT THE AUTHOR : Prolific poet and author Vernon Keith Fowler, who has written three volumes of varied and fascinating poems compiled throughout his colourful life.   Published by North Wales based firm:   www.bookpublishing4u.co.uk   *All three volumes of his interesting poems are now available on the Amazon links below: - MI Poems - Volume 1.: An eclectic mix of poems written over many years. Paperback – 25 May 2024 https://amzn.to/3AWDrYI   MI Poems - Volume 2: An eclectic mix of poems written over many years Paperback – 6 Aug. 2024. https://amzn.to/3AHZUbW   MI Poems - Volume 3: An eclectic mix of poems written over many years. Paperback – 10 Nov. 2024. https://amzn.to/3AHZYsc

Special Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature Welcome to another new author feature in conjunction with Amazon.   ABOUT THE AUTHOR : Mountain climber and author Phil Crompton I climbed Kilimanjaro - and learnt things by Philip Crompton (And if I did you can)...   *This book is now available on Amazon:   https://amzn.to/41jzCHV Published by North Wales based firm:   www.bookpublishing4u.co.uk   About the author:  Philip Crompton was brought up near Wigan in Lancashire but taught and led schools across the East Midlands of England for 36 years before embracing a portfolio lifestyle that includes writing, coaching, consultancy, public speaking and travel.   About the book:  I climbed Kilimanjaro- and learnt things by Philip Crompton. A slightly nervous 63-year-old agrees to try to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. It’s a tough ask and this book tells the story of the expedition. If you’re thinking of doing something simila...

* *Pictured above - crime fiction author Sarah McDonald Special Coast and Country Author Spotlight Feature. Welcome to another new author feature in conjunction with Amazon. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: North-West author – Sarah McDonald. JUSTICE: A Detective Inspector Thomas Marsden Thriller by S.J. McDonald.    *This book is now available on Amazon:   https://amzn.to/4fVCCOo Published by North Wales based firm:  www.bookpublishing4u.co.uk   Sarah McDonald lives in the North-West of England with her childhood sweetheart and husband of many years, Ian, where they are surrounded by their unconventional and extremely loving family. She has had a varied and productive career in the NHS spanning a total of 36 years, achieving senior roles in both nursing and   management. As an avid reader herself, she has always loved books and in particular crime fiction.  So, following retirement, it seemed a logical step for her to call upon her vast experiences in the creation o...

*Pictured above - many members of NWRRC at the start of the half-marathon. Six podium places for the Road Runners in the tough Conwy half-marathon... Report by Don Hale. Photos by John Hatton and Lesley Goodson. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   There was a great turn-out of some thirty-one North Wales Road Runners amongst a massive entry of nearly 3,000 mixed ability athletes, who took on the mighty challenge of the Conwy half-marathon last Sunday. Described as one of the toughest half-marathons in the country, and following a picturesque but extremely tough course from Conwy Castle to Llandudno and around the Great Orme, some six members claimed podium places, including one age cat victory, two second places, and three third places, in addition to claiming numerous PBs. Martin Green  who has dual registration for both NWRRC and  Meirionnydd RC , had a fine run after finishing 9th overall with a chip time of just 1 hour 17 minutes and 3 seconds, and he was 2nd in his M5...