Paul Davies-Hale

Davies-Hale was a promising junior cross-country runner from Rugeley, Staffordshire.^[2] He progressed to the track and represented England in the 3000 metres steeplechase event, at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia.^[3][4]

He finished second behind Spaniard Domingo Ramón in the steeplechase event at the 1984 AAA Championships^[5] but by virtue of being the highest placed British athlete was considered the British 3000 metres steeplechase champion.^[6] Shortly afterwards he represented Great Britain at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics running the 3000m steeplechase.^[1]

In 1985 he moved to Boulder, Colorado to train. He moved up to the longer distances of Half Marathon and eventually the Marathon. He won the 1989 Chicago Marathon, his first ever marathon, which was a hot and humid race.^[7] In the race he overtook compatriot David Long and beat Russian Ravil Kashapov by two minutes. In 1991, he finished second in the Great North Run^[8] just seven seconds behind the Kenyan Benson Masya.

Eight years after his first appearance at the Summer Olympics, he competed again at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in the Marathon.^[9] He finished 41st behind both British runners David Long, 39th, and Steve Brace, 27th.

Davies-Hale has organised several running events including the 'Action Heart race',^[10] 'Baggeridge 5K', 'Suicide Six' and 'Sheepwalks Shocker'.