One of the most improved road runners in the Cayman Islands is David Shibli who only a couple of years ago was overweight and had all the health problems associated with that, like high blood pressure.
Since becoming a middle-distance coach with Derek Larner to guide youngsters and training with his son David Junior, 23, dad has lost considerable weight and become a keen racer locally and often abroad.
Last weekend Shibli, 46, was exceptionally busy. He ran the Chattahoochee 10k in Roswell, near Atlanta in an exceptionally good time. “I’ve been ramping the training up recently and ran two personal records over the Miami Marathon Weekend three weeks ago,” he said. The next day he was back in Grand Cayman for the Valentine’s Mile around Grand Harbour which he did in 5 minutes 16 seconds for sixth place.
Shibli said: “Three weeks ago, in Miami, Derek Larner and I ran the Tropical 5k with Derek running 18 minutes 13 seconds taking seventh overall out of over 2,100 and second in 45-50. I ran 18:17 for eighth overall and third in age 45-50.
“The next day I ran 1 hour 25 minutes 28 seconds in the half marathon, knocking three minutes of my previous best. I came 84th out of 16,000 and third in the male 45-50. So I was looking for a 10k within one flight and found the Chattahoochee Challenge. The folk were incredibly warm and welcoming but we soon got down to business.
“It was a cold day, just a little above freezing with about 800 runners. I knew that I’d be running close to six minute miles as I had been hitting that in training, so I resisted the urge to go mad at the start and was glad I did so.
“I was quickly joined by two young men who it turned out were brothers and their pace was like a metronome. I stuck with them and hit halfway in just under 19 minutes in about 11th place.
“The brothers began reeling runners in and I just tried to hang with them. They pulled me up to fifth place before the younger out sprinted the elder for third and fourth. I was amazed at the time of 37:50 seeing as it was over two minutes faster than I had ever run before. I came fifth overall and won the masters prize for the first male over 40.”
Shibli is constantly on the go right now and this weekend is doing the 5k and half marathon at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and is intent on doing a personal best. “I feel so good, in fact better than when I was 18.”
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