Bob Graham Round

128 watchers

DazTheSlug Dec 2015 11:52am, 9 Dec 2015 1,412 posts	0 DazTheSlug There's a plan for FRA members to crowd-fund a reprinting of SMOTS in the near future...
Windsor Wool Dec 2015 3:50pm, 22 Dec 2015 2,192 posts	0 Windsor Wool Folks, I was looking for somewhere on Fetch where this 'article' might be appreciated so excuse me for intruding. My uncle, Mike Hartley has put these bare bones together as the basis for an article that the Macc Harriers will publish. Given all the publicity that ultra runners get nowadays, I always feel like his time came a little too early to be really appreciated. His triple round attempt, Pennine Way record, and 6:37 100km all stand out as not being too shabby for someone who considered himself pretty slow.... ....I saw him a couple of weeks ago; he's been partially deafened by an extreme caving trip but apparently it's not permanent. He is extremely mad but makes us extremely proud. Anyway, it's nice to think that some of this might be appreciated by you folks. ------------------ Macc Harriers Article Apologies for the delay in putting this together. I’m not really sure what to write so I thought I would start with how it began, then a quick list of what I’ve achieved, to where I am now. I suppose it’s a bit of a tedious catalogue really but it has made me dig up all my times and it’s certainly brought back a few memories. I started rock-climbing in 1965 at age 13 and long distance walking in 1978 at age 26. By 1981 I got sucked into the ”marathon boom“ then spent the next 20 years running and stopped rock climbing. The long distance walking and the marathon running soon combined to become ultra hill running. I thought I’d break it down into 3 parts. 1. Up to 1988. 2. 1989 the year I did the Pennine Way. 3. 1990 to present time. 1. Up to the end of 1988 Umpteen circuits of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks, with a pb of 3hr 23min. 4 crossings of the Welsh 3000s, pb 6hr 59min with full snow cover. 7 Fellsman Hikes, with a win in 1987, 11hr 02min. 14 marathons, pb 2hr 37min 6 Karrimors, 2 with my wife Gill. 2 LDWA 100s, Snowdonia 21hr 35min, 1st equal with Mike Cudahy. White Peak, 17hr 58 min 1st. 2 Bob Graham Rounds, 21hr 44min and 20hr 50min. Bullock Smithy Hike West Highland Way Race, solo, self supported, 18hr 47 min. Colne to Rowsley, winter crossing Southern Upland Way, 212miles 55hr 55min, record. Tan Hill to Cat and Fiddle 34hr 34 min. 2 . 1989 Pennine Way Year This was the year I would make an attempt on the Pennine Way record. I knew that the training, the preparation and the attempt itself would be difficult and time consuming, I would probably only make one attempt, so I wanted to get it right. My achievements over the last few years told me I was fit enough and experienced enough, but I wasn’t sure if I was really tough enough. Being able to eat and digest properly without too much nausea, deal with blisters, injuries and sleep deprivation would all be crucial to success. The Southern Upland Way told me I could go through 2 nights without sleep, it also told me I would be unlikely to break Mike Cudahy’s record of 2 days 21 hours 54 mins. The Southern Upland Way is quite a bit shorter than the Pennine Way, but I suffered badly with blisters and muscle stiffness. A small support crew of 3 just wasn’t enough, they all worked very hard but at the end we were all exhausted. I knew I would have to raise my game; I’d have to be very fit, very tough and very well organized. I decided to give my training and preparation everything I’d got over the first 3 months of the year and just hope I didn’t over do it! At the end of March I would cut down a bit, but bring in some really long runs, culminating in, hopefully a long fast run at the end of June then make the attempt at the end of July. Training peaked at the end of each 3 week period reaching 170 miles on the highest week. Many weekends and much time was spent checking the route and working out a schedule. I assembled a support team of pacers and supporters whose knowledge and experience was second to none! 4/3/89 Dalesway 80 miles, 13hrs 34min, record, soon to be improved upon by Dennis Berrisford, 12hrs 44min. 8/4/89 Staffordshire Way, 16hrs 10min, record. 23/4/89 Solihull 100km, 7hr 46min, 1st, Qualifier for Great Britain ultra Squad. 13/5/89 Fellsman Hike, 1st, 10hrs 32min. May 89 Brecon Beacons LDWA 100, DNS due to injury. 24/6/89 West Highland Way Race, 2nd, 15hrs 32min. 25/7/89 The Pennine Way 2days 17hrs 20min. record. 1990 Onwards 29/4/90 3 Peaks Race, 3hrs 36min 12/5/90 Fellsman Hike, 1st, 11hrs 19min. 25/5/90 Bob Graham Round, solo, 20hrs 05min. 13/16/ July 90 The Three Rounds, 3days 14hrs 20min. 27/10/90 KIMM 11/5/91 Fellsman Hike, 2nd, 10hrs 19min. 25/27 May 91 Lancastrian 100, 1st, 18hrs 48min. 29/6/91 South Downs 80, 1st, 9hrs 49min, 19/20 July 91 Wainwright Coast to Coast, 39hrs 36min, record. 1/12/91 St Albans Marathon, 2hrs 35min 42sec 1/3/92 Barry 40 Track Race, 1st, 4hrs 04mins 01sec . 26/4/92 Telford Marathon, 2hrs 34min 42sec, PB. 28/5/92 Western States 100, 20th, 21hrs 43min. 26/7/92 Lincs 100km, 1st, 7hrs 26min 55sec 11/9/92 European 100km Champs, 6hrs 54min 59min, GB vest. 5/10/92 London to Brighton, 3rd, 6hrs 08min 15sec. 1/11/92 Harrow Marathon, 2hrs 37min 54sec 7/3/93 Barry 40 track Race, 1st, 4hrs 00min 20sec 7/8/93 100km World Challenge, 7hrs 22min 06sec. GB vest 18/9/93 100km European Champs, 4th, 6hrs 37min 45sec. GB vest 6/3/94 Barry 40 track race, 2nd, 4hrs 10min 6sec 16/9/95 100km World Challenge, 7hrs 13min 25sec. GB vest July 1998 Started climbing again Oct 1998 Snowdonia Marathon, 2hrs 58min 59sec Dec 2002 Finished work July 2002 Cycled Lands End to John o Groats/ walked the British 3 peaks, sub 8 days Sept 2004 Started sea kayaking 2014 Started caving Oct 2014 Finished the Munros
Derby Tup Dec 2015 4:12pm, 22 Dec 2015 19,142 posts	0 Derby Tup A lot of "non too shabby" stuff there WW including a Tan Cat and a Colne Rowsley. Well done Mike
stuart little Dec 2015 5:15pm, 22 Dec 2015 1,008 posts	0 stuart little That's a superb list some of those efforts are mind boggling!
Derby Tup Dec 2015 5:30pm, 22 Dec 2015 19,149 posts	0 Derby Tup Finishing work amongst them
Northern Exile Dec 2015 10:42pm, 22 Dec 2015 3,949 posts	0 Northern Exile Blinkin' heck. That's a hell of a resume!
Garfield Dec 2015 3:59pm, 23 Dec 2015 6,096 posts	0 Garfield ^^ Agrees with the above comments...holy crap!
Derby Tup Dec 2015 4:24pm, 30 Dec 2015 19,452 posts	0 Derby Tup
Northern Exile Jan 2016 7:28pm, 3 Jan 2016 3,955 posts	0 Northern Exile Bob Wightman has issued the stats for 2015: •There were 142 registrations (15 ladies) with 71 successful rounds (9 ladies) •There were 71 successful clockwise rounds but no successful anticlockwise rounds. •Fastest times were 18:28 for the men and 21:51 for the ladies. •The average age of successful contenders was 39yrs 11 months with ages ranging from 17 to 56. •64 of the successes were on their first attempt and 7 had attempted the round once before.
Derby Tup Jan 2016 7:34pm, 3 Jan 2016 19,518 posts	0 Derby Tup Only one anti-clockwise attempt, which is sad in a way