Welsh Master vet David Gibson wins TCS London Marathon age cat and sets fastest UK time.

By Don Hale


 *Pictured above and below - a delighted David Gibson at the end of his record run.

Welsh Master vet David Gibson wins TCS London Marathon age cat and set the fastest time in the UK...

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk

 


Just a couple of weeks before his 72nd birthday, Tri Hard Harrier, and Welsh Master - David Gibson won the VM70 category at the TCS London Marathon held on 21st April, beating 198 other category participants. 
With a personal best time of 3 hours, 13 minutes, and 31 seconds this is understood to be the fastest male 70-74 time in the UK, and the third fastest in the world this year to date! The 2024 TCS London Marathon was also the 2024 Welsh Road Marathon Championship race. 
David had an operation at the beginning of January, and so he missed four weeks of training. Having had his training program cut from 16 weeks to 11, his aims were to finish, enjoy it, and to record a respectable time. Having achieved all that, he was somewhat surprised to be the category winner and produce a UK leading time!

 


 

Don Hale is a former award winning investigative journalist and now a best-selling author who has created a very popular blog post linked to numerous social media sites. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025.

Comments

Post a Comment

Most recent posts

Tough challenge for volunteers at North Wales parkruns.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above - the rather wet start to the Conwy parkrun. Tough challenge for volunteers at North Wales parkruns. Report by Don Hale. Conwy photos by Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   It was wild wet and very windy at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun and at most other North Wales events last Saturday morning with entrants later praising the hard-working run directors, volunteers, and marshalls for turning out on such a challenging day. Once again, the visiting speed merchants ignored the conditions to record numerous top 5k finishing times, but  James Yarwood  (Wrexham AAC) and his sturdy twin-buggy claimed first place yet again with a fast finish in just 18 minutes and 5 seconds.  Quite remarkably, the first six finishers all dipped under 19 minutes with JM15-17 athlete  Joe Culverhouse  (NWRRC) taking the second spot with a determined effort, and he was only two seconds adrift of James, with  Sion Hill  ...
Read more

BMAF Indoor Track Fixtures 2027

By Don Hale
Image
BMAF Indoor Track Fixtures 2027 Three Great British 2027 winter events organised by the British Masters Athletics Federation In Wales, Scotland, and England, in that order. Wales - Indoors in January Indoor Pentathlon, 3000m and Open Events will take place on Saturday 23rd January 2027 at National Indoor Athletics Centre, Cardiff Scotland - Indoors in February Indoor Championships will take place on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st February 2027 at Glasgow International Arena England - Outdoors in March Winter Throws will take place on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th March 2027 at Horspath, Oxford Keep checking our fixtures page for more details as they emerge.  https://bmaf.org.uk/fixtures/ Thanks to Wendy Kane for giving us plenty of advance notice.
Read more

John and Michelle’s emotional run at the Pisa ‘Leaning Tower’ race.

By Don Hale
Image
John and Michelle’s emotional run at the Pisa ‘Leaning Tower’ race. Report by Don Hale. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   GOG Triathlon couple John and Michelle Farrell finally recovered from their recent injury problems to compete in the spectacular International Pisa half-marathon last weekend. Described by the organisers  as one of the few sport events that donates all the proceeds to charity, it's also one of the fastest half marathons in Italy, with a unique arrival including the Piazza dei Miracoli, where the famous leaning tower awaits runners at the end of the race. The popular and talented GB international athletes, who have both battled a spate of various injuries for much of this year, ran the course together and finished well in 1 hour 56 minutes and 50 seconds. On his return home John confirmed : “Who better to run the Pisa half Marathon with but my beautiful best friend and wife Michelle Farrell, after a year of recovering f...
Read more

Updates on NW cross country league events

By Don Hale
Image
Updates on NW cross country events and results... Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Two North Wales Road Runners  competed in the  North Wales cross country league  fixture at Llanerch, St Asaph recently, with veteran  Karen Butler ( *pictured right)  finishing second in her FV65 age category and 81swt overall out of 145 entrants in 33 minutes and 45 seconds; whilst colleague Gwen Charlton was pleased to finish in 121st place in 39.38.  *Full results on the NWCCL Facebook page. *NWCCL: Fixture 2 Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay:   Bernie Jones,  the secretary/referee of the North Wales cross country league had provided an update on their next event and confirmed: “We’re quickly onto the second fixture, which is at  Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay on Saturday 31st October 2026.   "If any athletes who aren’t registered who want to run, please let me know at the latest by Wednesday 28th October   and I wi...
Read more

Local athletes shine at the Bangor 10k and half-marathon races.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above left Steve Bozier, with Gwen Charlton, and Kevin Slattery at the Bangor races last Sunday. Local athletes shine at the Bangor 10k and half-marathon races... Report by Don Hale.  donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   A large field of 633 club and social athletes took part in the Bangor 10k and half-marathon races on Sunday, well organised by RunWales, with many top locals claiming prestigious podium places. In the 10k event,  Martin Sunderland  (Bangor University) was the first finisher in 34.15, and he was followed by  James Coleman (Meirionnydd RC) in 35.58, and  Tomos Jones   (Rhedwyr Hebog) in 36.26. The first female was visitor  Katie Harries  in 41.14, and Bangor University’s  Poppy Jones  was the runner-up in 41.25, with  Margot Sayer  (Eryri Harriers) third in 43.50. North Wales Road Runner Steve Bozier   (*pictured right) won his VM45 age cat in 17th place out of 230 finishers in...
Read more

North Wales parkrunners celebrated 22 years of UK events

By Don Hale
Image
*Dave Munday from North Wales parkrunners with fancy dress friends at Prestatyn to celebrate the anniversary of the first event in the UK. North Wales parkrunners celebrated 22 years of UK events Report by Don Hale. Rhos on Sea photographs by Michael (Pat) Finnie. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog *Pictured above - the start of the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun, and (*below) Rhos officials in their commemorative tu-tu's and next is the line of young volunteers. Participants at the Llandrillo yn Rhos parkrun maintained their top North Wales attendance spot once again last Saturday morning with many entrants wearing tu-tu’s or fancy dress costumes to help commemorate 22-years of UK parkruns. The picturesque 5k flat course along the promenade continues to attract numerous top runners determined to improve their personal best times over this short distance, and this week was no exception with visitor  Matthew Hammond  (Kimberley & District) claiming the first pla...
Read more

Join the Penrhyn Castle Dark Run – Light Up the Night for Hope House Children’s Hospices! October 17th 2026.

By Don Hale
Image
Join the Penrhyn Castle Dark Run – Light Up the Night for Hope House Children’s Hospices! donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog Get ready for a magical evening at the stunning Penrhyn Castle as we light up the night for a truly special cause.  The Dark Run is a family-friendly event in support of Hope House Children’s Hospices, offering a fun and unique 3K route (or 1.5K for little legs) through the beautiful castle grounds – all after dark!  October 17th 2026, 6pm Our warm up will begin at 6.10pm and at 6.30pm sharp we will start the run! Every participant will receive a bespoke glow-in-the-dark medal and a goody bag to remember the night. Dress up in your brightest, most glowing outfits (optional, but encouraged!) and help us bring light and hope to local families who need it most. We kindly ask each runner to raise as much as they can – every penny goes towards supporting the vital work of Hope House and Tŷ Gobaith. Important ...
Read more

Spectacular 5k fundraising race on the prom for the RNLI.

By Don Hale
Image
*Pictured above and below - the fast start of the spectacular 5k fundraising race on the prom at Llandudno for the RNLI. Spectacular 5k fundraising race on the prom for the RNLI. Report by Don Hale. Photos by Caitlin Faye and others. donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2025 It was a spectacular morning on Llandudno promenade last Sunday as bright warm sunshine greeted over 300 athletes and their supporters to an amazing 5k fundraising race for the town’s essential RNLI group Well organised by race director  John Hatton  and backed by a large and enthusiastic team of hard-working volunteers and marshals, this event attracted a wealth of elite, club and social runners, who recorded some very fast times in near perfect conditions; and this event also included some very popular junior races for children and their parents. John later confirmed:  “I have been working with  Catherine Tudor-Jones , who is the Community Manager. She was so thrilled the event went so well. Originally, th...
Read more

Records broken, but thankfully no bones, at the fast Tryfan Downhill Dash...

By Don Hale
Image
*Some of the award winners and competitors from the Tryfan Dash race. Records broken, but thankfully no bones, at the fast Tryfan Downhill Dash... Report and photo courtesy of race organiser Mike Blake (Eryri Harriers). donhaleblog.blogspot.com/2026 coastandcountry.blog   Records were broken, but thankfully no bones, at the Tryfan Downhill Dash, which saw many experienced mountain and fell runners taking part! Dark Peak’s  Euan Patton , not content with having the cheek by taking 39 seconds off my 34-year record of 8 minutes in 2023, he went a massive step again, by taking a further 35 seconds off his own record finishing in an unbelievable 6.46. He finished ahead of three times winner  Michael Corrales ( The Goats) in 9.25 .  Insane, the word on the street is that his feet never actually touched the ground, and  Sam Gunning  took third place in 9.29.   The first lady was another re-known descender in Bethan Billing  ( Eryri Harriers), by...
Read more