And a Santa hat!Originally Posted by Alf
And a Santa hat!
So sad, RIP Daz.
Well I think I am just as devastated and shocked by the news as everyone else is in our little community. Daz enriched so many peoples lives and I regarded him as not just a top friend but someone who I admired and respected as a runner and as a person. We shared many great experiences in the mountains and I will always fondly remember reaching the summit of Ben Nevis together in the 2009 race and trying like hell to keep up with him on the descent. Alas he kicked my arse! He was always encouraging others and I was no different. He helped me develop as a runner and was always there to help me out when I needed it.
One thing I will add is that I happened to be on the same leg as Daz yesterday and the compassion showed by other runners and people out on the hill was immense and very heart warming. Its going to be tough for a while but I'm sure if we all stay positve we can celebrate his life and honour him the way he would like to be remembered.
Rest in peace mate, I'll miss you.
Andy Fleet
Calder Valley Fell Runners
It's such an impossibly sad day. Daz and I started out in fell running at roughly the same time, running Dave Dentons races in Derbyshire. He was the first forumite I met - after he'd written 'Daz H' on the back of his Ilkeston RC vest before one of the Shining Cliffs races. We raced against each other quite a few times over Derbyshire races - including the one mentioned by OHW (Chevin Hills, and it was 10 from the back - I've got the results!), as well as meeting up for the reccies of Edale and Borrowdale mentioned by Swoop and Stolly. It was that descent off Scafell Pike in the Borrowdale reccie that earned him the forum status "Master and MR", the MR being Mountain Rescue. I haven't raced against him much in the past couple of years - not that I'd have got anywhere close to him when he started training harder, but it was always good to catch up with him. I'll miss him greatly.
nicely put Andy, very sad indeed
Daz will never know this now but he was the yardstick against which I measured myself in races - if I finished even close to him then I knew I must be having a blinder. Can't say I really knew him that well - met him a few times - but he was quite obviously a guy who loved his sport, trained hard, but even though he was at the sharp end of races remembered that it was all about having fun. Though I suspect if I had told him that he was someone I sought to emulate he would have told me to stop being so daft.
It seems impossible to add to all the tributes paid to Daz by everyone who ever encountered this truly great man. Every time I think of Daz the word 'star' immediately comes to mind. He was the stalwart who dropped everything and without fuss changed back into his kit so he could support our final BG leg, after already completing one earlier. Daz was kind, funny and generous to all. He will be greatly missed by our community: we have lost a star.
Julien
Same.. he was my virtual marker in races I didn't do.. as he did so many and was also very consistent I could use him as a measure of where I would have finished.. numerous top 10's from the safety of my arm chair because of him.. however recently I had to take a few minutes off as he'd really pushed on. Still just shocked.
I only met Daz a handfull of times so didn't really know him like others did, but he always came across as a totally nice guy. It's just so sad.
I got back from a family 18th birthday party last night to hear the dreadful news about Darren.
Daz was one of the good guys. It was always a delight to be in his company and the miles would pass painlessly in good conversation. He always sought to be the best runner he could be and was tireless in his efforts to encourage others. A real man of the mountains who will be sorely missed the length and breadth of fell running country.
Rest in peace Darren, and wishing strength to all who will miss him.
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