Unsung hero award for Blake
LOCAL legend Mike Blake has landed a top national award.
Veteran fell-running organiser Mike, from Caernarfon, has been named BBC Wales’s Get Inspired Sports Unsung Hero for 2017.
Mike, 69, has been a member of Eryri Harriers for nearly 40 years, and in that time has organised more than 300 races, all voluntarily, for no profit, with all proceeds going directly to local schools, community groups and mountain rescue.
He also organises events as diverse as British Championship races and the Tuesday night series of short fell races with Easter eggs for prizes.
Mike is instantly recognisable to all by his bandana, shorts, fell shoes and odd socks, turning up in all weathers, usually doing the things that nobody else wants to do, and is often the last to leave, having made sure that he has collated all the results. And, in addition, he frugally collects and saves tape and re-uses race numbers – nothing is wasted!
As his nominator wrote: “He deserves more recognition for his continuing impact on fell-running, ensuring it is accessible for all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Mike is truly at the heart and soul of grass roots fell-running in North Wales, and the fell-running community has an incredible amount to thank him for.”
Every year the BBC celebrates the work of volunteers who run sport or leisure clubs through the Unsung Hero Awards. The Unsung Hero Awards are part of BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony on December 17, where the overall winner will be revealed.