Don Hale Blog

*Swansea Harrier Alan Davies (*above) crosses the finish line at the recent Cardiff 5k - Race for Victory - event to set a new record. (Photo  courtesy of Paul Stillman Sports Photography). World 5k record title hope for Swansea Harrier and Welsh Master Alan Davies. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Subject to official confirmation, Welsh Master Alan Davies of Swansea Harriers is another top veteran who may well have smashed the VM70 category World Record for 5k.  Running in the Cardiff 5k – Race for Victory - on Sunday 5th May 2024, 71-year-old legend Alan clocked a chip time of 18:01. This is a notable improvement on the 18:17 that he recorded at the Tri Hard Harriers 5k On the Bay in Swansea in August last year. Alan also holds the joint 5k M65 Welsh Masters Record at 18:04. Like fine wine, he is improving with age!  *Pictured above - Swansea Harrier Alan Davies - competing in the West Glamorgan cross-country league earlier this year, (P hoto  courte

 *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 surpris