donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026

Repeat performance by one man and his child buggy at Rhos parkrun - plus NW results round-up. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie, and others. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It was very warm and very breezy for hundreds of runners and walkers at all North Wales parkruns last weekend, and the Llandrillo yn Rhos 5k event attracted another bumper attendance, where James Yarwood (*pictured right) once again finished first in 17.47, accompanied by his young twins in a child buggy! The Wrexham AAC runner was chased all the way though by young  Joe Culverhouse  (NWRRC), a talented soccer player and junior referee, who won his JM15-17 age cat with a determined effort in 18.19, with  Gemma Moore  (Eryri Harriers) the first female, and in third place overall in 18.30.  Abbie Robinson  was the second female in 21.30, with  Bethan Parry  third with a new course PB in 22.23.  *There were 468 finishers at Rhos. * N...

*Master veteran Kevin Slattery on the last lap of his final 5k race. Triathlon sprint success for veteran Kevin and GOG members Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   Master veteran Kevin Slattery, the chairman of North Wales Road Runners, won his VM70 age category at the prestigious Llandudno Open Sprint Triathlon championships staged recently from the town’s promenade. Despite very warm and blustery conditions, which included a tough swim, bike, and a 5k run, with the swim slightly reduced due to the challenging conditions - and a cycle race twice around the Great Orme - Kevin eventually triumphed to huge acclaim after finishing his two-lap run in a very good time! Following his event, Kevin, who is pictured right - he modestly confirmed:  “It was a well-managed event in good conditions, although windy in places, and great support from spectators.  “It included a 500m swim (reduced from 750 because of the wind) 14.06; twice around the G...

*Pictured above - some of the NWRRC members at the Felinheli 10k - (l-r): Will Evans, Stuart Culverhouse, Hannah Griffith, Adam Lemalle, Steve Roberts and Kevin Slattery. A close finish at the blustery Felinheli 10k race in midweek   donhaleblog.blog.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It was very warm and windy for the challenging Felinheli 10k race in midweek, with three members of Meirionnydd RC finishing within the top four places overall. Tomos Roberts  and team-mate  Daniel Kashi  actually shared the exact same finishing chip times of 32 minutes and 21 seconds in a very close-run contest, with  Ifan Dafydd  claiming fourth place in 33.41; whilst in between the club rivals, was the promising youngster  Noa Vaughan,  who finished third in 32.53. In addition, there some excellent performances by many of the top ten finishers including  Steffan Sayer  (Menai T&F) in sixth place in 34.57, and from  Ian Edwards  (Eryri Har...

*Sean and Steve McCormack both won gold medals in the same race. Medal and PB success at the Welsh track & field championships at Yate Report by Don Hale, with input from Brett Davis and Steve Gardner. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   There was a good turn-out and plenty of medal success and PBs at the recent Welsh Masters Athletics track and field championships staged at Yate on 28th June. This prestigious event attracted nearly 500 Masters in total from a variety of clubs across the UK for a highly competitive national encounter, which again included the Welsh finals. And we are fortunate to have some excusive reports from a unique race in which a father and son both won gold medals, and some extraordinary news of an unfortunate mistake where a controversial lap counter failed, yet the athlete in question still won a silver medal; and in in contrast, a report from an international track champion who struck gold in two track events. Welsh Masters Athletics ...

*Pictured above - the three leading athletes at Rhos parkrun. Bright, breezy and plenty of visitors at North Wales parkruns. Report by Don Hale.  Photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie, Garteth Southworth and others. coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog,blogspot.com/2026   There were plenty of visitors at the bright and breezy Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun including - two out of the first three male finishers, and the third placed female athlete - all making their course debuts. Adam Jones  was the eventual first and fast finisher with an amazing new course PB of 15.42, but he seemed to run side by side for much of the event with visiting rivals  Daniel Kashi  (Sale Harriers) and  Gavin Thomas Stuart,  who later shared the same finishing times of 15.45.  *Gemma Moore  (Eryri Harriers) fresh from her midweek record-breaking success at the  Mish Mash 5k , was the first female finisher in 18.26 (10th overall), with  Ellen Baugh  (Denbigh Harrier...

*Members of the North Wales Road Runners at the windy Nova half-marathon  (left to right): Adam Lemalle, Steve Bozier, Mal Preece, Will Evans, Steve Roberts, Stuart Culverhouse, and Cheryl Frost. Warm, wild, and very windy for the Nova Coast half marathon... Report by Don Hale. coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog,blogspot.com/2026   It was warm, wild, and very windy on Sunday for the Nova Coast half-marathon with nearly 500 runners battling against a strong headwind on this challenging out and back promenade course from Prestatyn. James Yarwood  (Wrexham AAC) was the overall winner in a chip time of 1 hour 18 minutes and 18 seconds, but he was closely tracked by local soccer player  Aaron Dodwell  in 1.18.43, and  Matthew Baker  in 1.19.47.  The first female finisher was  Natasha Jones  (31st overall) in 1.32.56, with  Lisa Allsup  second in 1.36.02, and  Hayley Parkes (GOG Triathlon) in 1.39.07. Meanwhile , Cheryl Frost ...

Male and female course records smashed at the Mish Mash Bethal 5k. Report by Don Hale. coastandcountry.blog donhaleblog,blogspot.com/2026 There was a good turn-out of some 102 athletes at the Mish Mash Bethal 5k race last Wednesday night, which attracted a large number of elite and club athletes, where both the male and female course records smashed! Dion Griffith  (Meirionnydd RC) was the overall winner and the record-breaker with an outstanding performance with a great chip time of just 15 minutes and 5 seconds, and his club claimed eight out of the first ten finishing places. This included  Owen Roberts , who finished second in 15.09, and  Adam Jones , third in 15.30. And quite amazingly in this crazy fast-dash event, the first eight finishers all dipped under 17-minutes, and the first thirteen under 18-minutes. Gemma Moore  (Eryri Harriers) - pictured right - was the female record-breaker with another outstanding run, finishing in 16th place overall, and she also...

Badger and Fox star in wildlife video Report and video by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Video No 3: Badger and Fox star in NW wildlife video. The unusually warm spring weather and more recent hot summer days and nights, has encouraged a host of rural wildlife to seek a regular supply of food and water, as they try to keep cool and look after partners and new youngsters. A large and popular private garden close to the Vardy and open fields in North Wales has therefore proved a welcome port of call for a variety of foxes, badgers, squirrels, hedgehogs and other visiting animals. And this recent spell of record-breaking hot and humid conditions seems to have enhanced the demand for urgent supplies, with several twilight attendees enjoying a regular feast of choice. Many animals though have already been callers over several years, despite battling against winter blizzards, just to seek an essential crust or two, and the property owners have been able to ...

NW Badger stars in exciting North Wales wildlife video.  Report and video by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com coastandcountry.blog   Video No 2. The Badger appears with a quick  sneak from the Fox. The unusually warm spring weather and more recent hot summer days and nights, has encouraged a host of rural wildlife to seek a regular supply of food and water, as they try to keep cool and look after partners and new youngsters. A large and popular private garden close to the Vardy and open fields in North Wales has therefore proved a welcome port of call for a variety of foxes, badgers, squirrels, hedgehogs and other visiting animals. And this recent spell of record-breaking hot and humid conditions seems to have enhanced the demand for urgent supplies, with several twilight attendees enjoying a regular feast of choice. Many animals though have already been callers over several years, despite battling against winter blizzards, just to seek an essential crust or two, ...