Thoughts and sympathies to George's family and friends too, very sad news all round.Originally Posted by IainR
Thoughts and sympathies to George's family and friends too, very sad news all round.
Hills and Guinness!
That's a real shock - every now and again somebody who is obviously really fit and strong just succumbs to a heart problem - John Taylor from Bingley a few years ago is another example.
I think Simon Bailey's wife Kirsten has done something similar - there was an article in the Fellrunner a few years ago about this.
That was the John Taylor Fund.
Even when you don't know people personally it's always shocking to see news like this - RIP Dan and sympathy to the family.
Thanks Andy for your email about Dan. Desperate news indeed. Please pass my condolences to his family. I only met Dan a couple of times, memorably last during our preparations for the Dragons Back and while he was training for the PBR. A larger than life character, full of energy, just loving life in the mountains. My recollection was that he would get his top off at the earliest opportunity, I think we had barely got out of Llanbedr on that training run before his shirt was off! He will remembered with some considerable affection in the mountains and valleys of Wales.
My thoughts are with his wife and family.
Rest in peace Dan.
Toffer
What a tragedy. Poor Dan and poor family and friends who have to somehow cope with this loss.
Andy said in his round-robin email to the south west/wales crew that he was lost for words. I tried to console him with the fact that there are no words, just feelings.
I only knew Dan as a bounding bundle of muscle and enthusiasm, top off, charging off into the distance at any opportunity and, luckily, thats the only way I remember him. My thoughts are with his family who must be shocked beyond belief and will have to remember such a sad end.
Simon Blease
Monmouth
Kirsten was John's fiance, and was with him when he suffered his fatal attack.
John's problem was cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart) which would have been revealed by a simple ECG. Amazingy, despite John's regular selection and competition at international level, this was never part of the back-up systems. Everyone assumed he was fit and healthy.
Had the condition been discovered, he would have been advised by the medics never to run again.
Regular updates on the activities of the John Taylor Foundation via the Fellrunner and details on the website here:
http://www.johntaylorfoundation.org.uk/
There have been some great donations in 2011 from various race organisers, Mearley Clough in particular.
The only one who can tell you "You can't" is you. And you don't have to listen.
Condolences to Dan's family. He was a real character, a hell of a nice bloke. I ran with him on his South Wales Traverse attempt, supported a Paddy Buckley attempt and his Bob Graham round. We'd run and chat on events like the the Longmynd Hike and have occasional e-mail chats discussing the next challenge or event. You'l be missed Dan.
Rhys
How sad, though I never met Dan, Andy was always telling us stories of his latest escapades and mad adventures. A loss to fell running and the hills.
Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.
I first met Dan when I was organising a South Wales Traverse attempt in spring 2005. He contacted me to say he was interested, and came along to a training run in the Black Mountains which in itself turned into a bit of an epic with about 8 of us trying hard to be non-competitive! Dan gently mocked (some of) us for being ‘gear freaks’ with our hydration systems and sunday lunches, while he seemed to carry nothing more in his bumbag than dried figs - which served him well, he was in the best shape at the end of the day. Since his unsuccessful and then successful SWT(Summer) and a winter attempt (unsuccessful) he went on to do great number of long distances challenges including the UTMB and the PB and BGR.
I have not done a long distance challenge for a few years but have supported Dan on a few of his, and inbetween we would occasionally meet up and go for a run, the last time was May 2009 on Merthyr Common and Lyngynidr. After we got back to the Red Lion and cars after a 3+ hour jog including a visit to the Chartists cave, Dan mentioned he would stop in Llanfoist on the way back to Bath and run up the Blorenge, despite the rain! As a friend he was very loyal and supportive of anyone just going out there and doing stuff, regardless of ability.
In Dec 2006 I supported Dan over Merthyr Common on a sub-zero evening on his unsuccessful SWT winter attempt, and since then more than once in the depths of winter I have joked about dreading receiving a call from him that he is going to have another go. Sadly that will now never happen.
I shall miss you Dan.
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