From Peter Shelley…
I have been fascinated by the Bob Graham Round for years, ever since reading Richard Askwith’s Feet in the Clouds. After abandoning my build-up to an attempt in 2019 due to injury, I decided to have another go in 2023. The timing coincided happily with several other Harriers deciding their time for the Bob had come. Early recces were sobering experiences, but at least we could share how intimidated we were feeling and share the challenge.
I followed a 30-week training program from November 2022, building on a sustained effort in last year’s Ilkley Harriers League. My priority was increasing ascent and descent on rough ground to 3,000m per week. Distance built from 30k to 75k a week. As much training as possible was done on recces of the BG route itself. Ritchie Williamson, Kate Archer and Richard Joel were regular recce companions. Their insights and company were invaluable. Any week that featured a recce inevitably smashed the ascent and distance goals, peaking at 7,649m/109km in the last week of May. The low occurred in mid-March when Covid stopped play for 10 days. Every run was followed by an exercise routine to strengthen my core and legs, promote flexibility and balance. The routine helped prevent any repeat of the back and hip trouble that derailed my earlier BG prep. I cycled by way of cross training, but otherwise aimed to increase time spent on my feet, including walking. Adoption of running poles helped uphill progress and supported my joints on longer outings. I devised an eating and drinking strategy and tested all kit in training.
The final two weeks were spent tapering and rushing around to coordinate the team, finalise logistics, prepare kit for different weather scenarios, confirm and share the schedule, register the attempt, secure a tracker and prepare food and drink.
Finally the round got underway at 18.30 on Friday 16th June 2023 following a 23-hour schedule.
Leg 1 – Keswick Moot Hall to Threlkeld 21k/1,562m/3 summits/3hrs 49m schedule
The intention was to have two support runners per leg. Much to his disappointment, Neil Maloney had to pull out of leg 1 due to injury. His commitment was such that he still drove me to the Lakes for the start! I was reassured to have Ritchie’s support on leg 1, having benefitted from his ultra-running experience on the recces. Ritchie’s particular commitment was to become clear as he lugged all my kit up the round’s longest climb, Skiddaw. Expecting high temperatures, we probably over-catered for water (thank you and apologies, Ritchie. We’ll forgo the extra bottles next time. Picnic table and chairs too).
Excited to be running and feeling, well, light and unencumbered, I did what most contenders do and went off a bit fast. The temperature was the highest it got to on the round and, even when I thought I slowed my pace, my heart rate exceeded the 125-150bpm target I had set myself and knew to be sustainable. Our arrival in Threlkeld was seven minutes ahead of schedule.
Leg 2 – Threlkeld to Dunmail Raise 22k/1,835m/12 summits/4hrs 26m schedule
Being supported by Ben Sheppard and Andrew Merrick, both BG club members and ultra-running royalty, was a dream come true. I wondered if I should have distributed this embarrassment of riches out across more legs of the round, but in the end I just enjoyed stepping onto a First Class flight along the Helvellyn ridge in the dark. We landed at Dunmail Raise 13 minutes ahead of schedule.
Leg 3 – Dunmail Raise to Wasdale Head 27k/2,024m/15 summits/6hrs 6m schedule
Following a rest stop featuring porridge and tinned peaches prepared by Jeff Green, easily consumed and totally delicious, leg 3 proved more of a test, starting with an alarming incident climbing Steel Fell when Martin was hit by a rock dislodged by a BG group above us. The rock was moving at some speed, in the dark, and hit him directly on the thigh. Thankfully, damage was limited to a colourful bruise, and we carried on.
A nice chat with Martin and Michael ended somewhere between Calf Crag and Sergeant Man as the day dawned and I began to struggle. My heart rate fell, and I couldn’t pick the pace up. I wondered if I was paying for the two previous fast legs. Eating and drinking didn’t seem to make any difference, and my body seemed to be telling me I should be asleep. I worried that I would just get slower and slower and lose the cushion built up. This state lasted for around two hours until, suddenly, on the summit of Bowfell, I felt better following a big swig of electrolyte drink and a handful of dried dates Michael gave me.
In retrospect, I possibly should have moderated my early pace. Conversely, this whole undertaking was a trip into the unknown. and I didn’t fully appreciate what I was capable of or know what regular refuelling might do for my energy levels over 24 hours. I appreciate a good basket of metrics as much as the next runner, and pored over my pace, calorie and recovery metrics on each recce. I relied on Garmin to provide those metrics. On the day, Garmin was no more aware of what I was capable of than I was. If I had taken a data-led approach, looking at various fields on my watch, then I could have expected to conk out early on leg 3. My ‘stamina potential’ fell from 100% to 7% after just 4hr 40m of running. At that point I had no choice but to ignore Garmin’s metrics and to go on ‘feel’, keeping an eye on the schedule and on summit times. The one time I looked at ‘stamina potential’ again, after 13 hours, it said I had 1% stamina left. Of all the percentages, that particular 1% was my favourite as it lasted all the way back to Moot Hall.
What I actually experienced was the second wind at Bow Fell, and later, even more surprisingly, a third wind which began while climbing over the rocks of Great Gable and lasted more or less to the end.
I looked forward to each rest stop, particularly Wasdale, where my sister and her friend Karen were waiting with food and drink, bemused by these dirty sweaty men who appeared out of nowhere, five minutes ahead of schedule.
Leg 4 – Wasdale Head to Honister km – 18k/1,477m/9 summits/5hrs 3m schedule
Tom and Jon came good on their plan to ‘kick me out of Wasdale.’ Food was proving more difficult to take onboard, and I knew there were still eight hours to go. The summit timings are less demanding than on previous legs, however, and we made good progress. Leg 4 is spectacular without being as rough as leg 3, so one to savour….I tried to focus on each summit and enjoy it as a minor victory. Tom and Jon were great at making me drink and eat (gels as much as solid food by now). We finished the leg ten minutes ahead of schedule.
Leg 5 – Honister to Keswick Moot Hall 18k/709m/3 summits/2hrs 56m schedule
My partner Catherine, son Edward, joined by Ritchie, were a welcome sight at the final rest stop. I had thought of Honister as the afternoon cake slot, but the reality is I no longer knew what time of day it was or what was going in my mouth. In photos I appear to be eating crisps in pain. Jon needed refuelling too, having offered to support me on leg 5 as well as 4. Tom decided spontaneously to carry on to the finish, leaving his van at Honister. I was pleased to continue this winning combination.
Some optimism was allowed on this leg, as the end was in sight. Tom was able to show us new lines, such as a grassy descent bypassing some of the rocky shelves off Robinson. My hips and knees were hurting, particularly once we hit the tarmac and sped up. Ritchie once again stepped in to support with a shoe change at Little Town. The racer’s brain in me was still working, but being voiced, and lent insight, by Jon and his ‘arbitrary targets’ based on different pace scenarios.
Another BG group came into view ahead of us as we reached Portinscale. No longer able to form a view or meaningful utterance, I was simply told by Jon to speed up so we could overtake them. I would have settled for limping through the pedestrianized zone to Moot Hall, but our pace at that stage was the fastest of the entire round as we weaved through the pedestrians and market stalls, pulling a further 31 mins on the 10 we were already up on the 23-hour schedule.
Having 24 hours as my goal, I was over the moon to finish in 22hrs 18mins 53s.
I had cramp briefly in two of the rest stops, and occasional backache, eased by using poles. I fell over a couple of times, without doing any damage. Of the many hazards that can derail a BGR, however, the ones I feared the most – knee trouble, going over on an ankle, being unable to eat, lack of pace, accidents, bad weather, kit failure – never came to pass, something I regard as little short of miraculous. I could barely have wished for more and should remind myself just how lucky I was when contemplating the next challenge.
The support team, both on the fells and in the rest stops, were utterly brilliant, sustaining and accelerating progress in many ways I expected and other ways I never imagined. They took care of navigation, kit, pacing, food and drink, coaching, social media and photography. Support runners’ names were submitted as witnesses to all forty-two summits in my ratification form which the Bob Graham Club has since accepted. Team logistics were complicated involving lift coordination to and from the Lakes, between legs and sometimes additional running and navigation to get to or from a remote location. Hours were unsociable and sleep was scarce for everyone.
I was impressed, surprised, entertained and moved in turn by everything the team did for me. Were they psychic? Prior to the attempt, I genuinely did not know what it would be like to do five legs, when two had been the most we ever covered in a recce. The ongoing and wide-ranging efforts of the team took my performance and the whole experience to another level. I was and will remain immensely grateful. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Jeff Green, Cath Shelley, Karen Ambler, Catherine Lain, Edward Shelley, Ritchie Williamson, Neil Maloney, Andrew Merrick, Ben Sheppard, Martin Hartley, Michael Odell, Jon Denniss and Tom Dobbing!
Tom likened supporting a BG to looking after a toddler: you drive them where they want to be, lead or chase them around, telling them when to speed up or slow down, pick them up when they fall over, stop them falling off cliffs or into rivers, change their clothes, shoes and socks, feed them, water them, distract them, make them laugh, photograph them for posterity, pick up what they throw on the ground, stand by as they relieve themselves randomly, console them when have a strop, a cry or puke, cajole them when they want to give up. They smell bad and keep you up all night, and you tell them how good they are regardless.
The only element that could not be controlled was the weather. The forecast changed frequently in the days prior to the attempt. High temperatures were expected, potentially with lightning and thundery showers, a difficult and dangerous prospect high up on the fell. Last-minute measures were taken in the purchase of new kit, flasks and reservoirs for water, some of which were stashed on mountain passes in advance. Postponement was briefly considered and dismissed. At the last minute temperatures fell, cloud moved in, but not low or thick enough to obscure the summits or compromise visibility. A few drops of rain fell on Saturday afternoon, but the going was good on firm ground, bogs were unusually dry and water levels in the Caldew and elsewhere were low. Dust was the biggest hazard we contended with if you ignore falling rocks. In other words, conditions were as close to perfect as you are going to get in the Lakes.
There is more to remember and share from this amazing experience, not least to help others complete the round in future. So, if you are one of the lunatic fringe with designs on the Bob, or if you like reading about these capers and have time on your hands, I am writing a(n even) longer account, covering, variously, training details, the BG community, the joy of recces, Seneca and other running inspirations, kit obsessions, sweating buckets, the job of the water carrier, eating for England, hallucinations, toilet challenges, transport logistics, support team coordination and pit stop perfection.