Walk Around Wales - Dai's Blog

My digital images start in 2002 so what better place to start with back dating my blog. Around this period I hadn't long retired from competitive sport and was heavily into developing sports as a pathway for the kids if they inclined towards sport as a way of life.

pictured James Hardie, Nia Thomas, Teri Baines, Simon Thomas, Kieron John, Dale Thomas

In 2002 I started a children's triathlon club to compliment the ever growing Multisport Racing Club, a triathlon club based in Neath but with members from the Porthcawl to Llanelli areas. The kid's section grew and by the end of the summer we were averaging 20-25 kids per session. Interestingly we started the kids club to cater for the children of adult members but eventually some of the parents of children who joined the kids started doing triathlon and joined the adults section. The above photo is from the first session. Below, another one from the first and one from later on in the year.

I won an award, I can't remember what for. On second thoughts it might have been Hayley that won a coaching award for her work with Multisport kids, she coached the kids pool on our Saturday evening sessions. Looking closely now I'm pretty sure it was a club award and Rose Jones, pictured central (2nd photo) won the volunteer of the year at the annual Neath-Port Talbot Sports Personality of Year Awards. We hired a limo to take us to the event. I think that Victoria was also nominated for the Junior award. The quality of the photos is not the best.

pictured Jeremy ?, Tudor Harries, ??, Brain Palmer, Aled Williams
??, John Nicholls, Graham McLean, Dai Richards, Terry 'no nickname' Jones, Len Richards, Lyn Johnson
Mike Loynes, Jason Hughes, Kerry Jenkins, Steve Wilkinson,

We took this photo for the 220 Triathlon magazine who covered the club as club of the month or something to that effect.

I was approached by the college to run their Triathlon Academy which I did for three years. The above image is a montage of the the athletes that were with me for three years. I had a fantastic time, it was pleasure working with such dedicated youngsters.

Pictured big people: Dai Richards, Derek Jones, ??, Gavin Clifford, Les Chattington, Nicola ?, Nigel Thomas, Victoria Richards, ??

little people: Kieron Davies, Simon Thomas, Kallum Parr, Dale Thomas, Lewis Diamond, Christina Parr, Grant O'Sullivan

Living next door to the canal and with my daughter Victoria paddling for Wales it made sense to start a kayak club. This was done with the help of a lottery grant. These photos are from the first session. We put up some slalom poles and let the kids have a go.

We walked around the Cook Islands a little bit then got married on the beach. Rolling up in Rarotonga 4 days before we were due to get married we had no idea what we would be wearing even, we'd booked the wedding and decided we would find out what the national dress was when we got there and go for it. We went with the sarong and the total amount for the complete wedding outfits for all four of us cost around £60.00. It was a bit more than that to get there.