Mark's 50 at 50 - The Challenge

In Safe Hands
My 50 at 50 Bob Graham Round 28th May 2010

The Bob Graham Round is one of the classic tough fell running challenges, established in 1932 when Bob Graham completed 42 Lakeland summits in under 24 hours. The allure of the BG and of joining the 24 hour club drives many people every year to Keswick to attempt their 42. For a few of us, 42 isn’t enough and a nice big round number looked like a great way of celebrating my 50th year. Months of preparation, a great support team in place, and I was ready.

Woke with the birds at 03:50, couldn’t sleep, mind whirring with so much to do before the start at 17:30; last minute shopping (mittens and water container), food supplies, lunchtime Keswick fish and chips, and in the afternoon carload by carload the friends (organised by Al) who would help us round arrived at our HQ camping barn. Rick Houghton, Andy Pead and I had agreed to do our BGs at the same time to share support and logistics: the plan was I’d set off 20 minutes before them for my first two (Lonscale Fell and Skiddaw Little Man) and the 3 of us met up at the top of Skiddaw; after that we’d stay together as far as possible, and if still together I’d leave them at the top of Robinson for my final six (Whiteless Pike and then along the ridge to Causey Pike). My schedule allowed me 23hrs46mins to complete the round.