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

By Don Hale don hale blog


 *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!

 


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Your comments are welcomed on all posts

Most popular posts

Conwy Parkrun plans to re-start next week despite row over new course, plus the start and finish areas.

By Don Hale don hale blog
Image
Conwy Parkrun plans to re-start next week despite row over new course, plus the start/finish areas... Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Conwy parkrun has been given the go-ahead to finally re-start next Saturday following many weeks of controversy and harsh criticism by volunteers, sponsors, runners and supporters, over plans to change the existing start and finish areas, and alterations to car parking facilities. In 2019, Conwy Parkrun received tens of thousands of public votes and was elected as runner up in the global World Cup competition of parkruns, due to their friendliness, and for its picturesque 5k riverside course. This popular parkrun though has been out of action since last March mainly due to an extensive 12-week multi-million-pound renovation and upgrading scheme, which included essential work to the latter part of the new national cycle route from the railway bridge to the RSPB nature reserve, which is part ...
Read more

Mixed emotions due to a new start for Conwy parkun - plus other results.

By Don Hale don hale blog
Image
*Pictured above - mixed runners are shown on the second lap on Conwy Cob. Mixed emotions due to a new start on the Cob for Conwy parkun - plus other results... Report and photos by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Conwy parkrun finally returned to action last Saturday morning following a long four month break due to construction work on part of the picturesque 5k course, and delays caused by the controversial introduction of a new start position on the Cob. Nearly 300 runners from past and present, together with numerous visitors, turned out to witness activities at this new start position, which is now half a mile away from the original start/finish, and situated about half-way down, and along the lower section of the Cob. Most runners and walkers were naturally pleased to see the event return, but the new arrangements attracted mixed feelings from the majority of participants, both before, during, and after this revised event, wit...
Read more

Athletes set a hot pace in the heatwave at Penrhyn parkrun...plus other results.

By Don Hale don hale blog
Image
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...
Read more

Conwy parkrun under threat due to new proposals - SAVE CONWY PARKRUN GROUP FORMED.

By Don Hale don hale blog
Image
*Pictured above - some of the new SAVE CONWY PARKUN group after their meeting last Saturday morning at the RSPB site at Conwy. *Blogstory about the SAVE CONWY PARKRUN campaign on the NWNW back page. Conwy parkrun under threat due to new proposals  Report by Don Hale https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   The future of Conwy parkrun is currently under threat after Welsh Parkrun officials have decided to impose new changes to this picturesque 5k course, which include plans for a different start area on Conwy Cob, with alternative car parking arrangements. This parkrun has been out of action for about twelve weeks due to construction work on part of the course for a multi-million-pound cycle track, but just as runners were preparing to re-start their activities, they have now been hit a series of interventions, restrictions, and demands on the event organisers by parkrun officials who have continued the suspension of this popular event. Just a few years ago however, this event was vo...
Read more

Public response to Conwy Parkrun's statement about recent behind the scenes activity.

By Don Hale don hale blog
Image
Response to Conwy Parkrun's potentially controversial statement about the latest behind the scenes activities... Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com Following the statement issued by Conwy parkrun officials on Thursday afternoon, it would now seem that their comments have attracted widespread controversy, confusion and much anger, with many volunteers and regular runners and supporters, demanding to air their personal views in response. This feature contains some varied reactions etc:   *I have therefore included a link and a copy of the parkrun statement from 29/5/25 which appeared on my blog, and on the Conwy Parkrun’s Facebook page from yesterday. And in addition, I have also included – in the interests of fairness and accountability – the latest updated statement from Conwy parkrun officials, which seems to have attracted further controversy and debate, together with the pubic reaction:   *This is a link to the original statement on my blog from Conw...
Read more

North Wales parkrun results and reports round-up...

By Don Hale don hale blog
Image
*Pictured above - super vet Sandy Johnston (NWRRC) won his VM75 cat at the Penrhyn Castle parkrun last Saturday. North Wales parkrun round-up: Report by Don Hale. Photos by Michael Finnie. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com   *Prestatyn:  There was another good turn-out of 248 finishers at the warm but windswept  Nova Prestatyn parkrun  last Saturday, with local SM30 soccer star  Aaron Dodwell  recording a new course PB and sharing the exact time of 17.58 with JM15-17 Northern Ireland visitor and junior athlete  Matthew Lamont , whilst  Nic Brook  (Eryri Harriers) took the 3rd spot in 18.26. The first female finisher was  Anna   Drinkwater  (Eryri Harriers) in 19.16, (6th overall) with  club  colleague  Gemma Moore , hot on her heels with a new PB in 19.29, whilst  Eve Manifold  (Eryri Harrier) was 3rd with a new PB in 22.03.  *There were 248 finishers. Some Conwy on Tour members at Nova include...
Read more

Track star visitor won the Holyhead Breakwater 5-mile race.

By Don Hale don hale blog
Image
*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...
Read more

NW Masters on top form at the Great North International 10k race.

By Don Hale don hale blog
Image
*Four top female Welsh athletes at the Great North race (l-r): Emma Collins, Cheryl Frost, Kay Hatton and Carla Green. NW Masters on top form at the Great North Masters International 10k race. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk *The Welsh team are pictured above at the Masters International race A strong team of top Welsh veteran athletes competed in the Great North 10k on Sunday amidst a massive entry of over 10,000 elite, club and mixed ability runners in this popular North-East challenge. The event also included a  Masters International Road Race  featuring age group teams representing Wales, England, Northern Ireland, and the UK Armed Forces. At the time of writing the enormous list of results was still awaiting full verification, and a further report may be added later, but several  North Wales  runners celebrated some amazing results with  Tomos Roberts  (Meirionnydd RC) finishing 7th overall in ...
Read more

North Wales athletes win podium places at the dramatic World Championships.

By Don Hale don hale blog
Image
*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...
Read more