Says so here.....
https://iancorless.org/2017/03/22/ki...n-coe-skyline/
Love the fact that KJ's personal projects state "Everest" and Bob Graham Round" together!!!
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Says so here.....
https://iancorless.org/2017/03/22/ki...n-coe-skyline/
Love the fact that KJ's personal projects state "Everest" and Bob Graham Round" together!!!
Also up on Killians Twitter and Instagram feed
https://mobile.twitter.com/kilianj/s...412162/photo/1
I'd be up for carrying his bag!!? :p
No matter how many 'f's there are in Scafell and Scafell Pike, there's definitely an 'effin' Broad Stand :eek:
Fantastic: the world's greatest ever ultra runner on an iconic test piece.
I hope he carries a tracker so that I and all his other fans can follow him.
I'm looking forward to it.
I've bet someone £5 that he doesn't beat Billy's record this year. I think I'd still be more pleased if he does it.
Very sentimentally in some ways (impressive though it may be)I hope he doesn't break the record. I kind of like the record as a mark of real awe and legend.One that I have grown up on as 'The' record of records, held by a man local to the fells. If the record does go, which it will at sometime, I hope another Brit with that feel and passion for the Lakes that many of us have will be the one to achieve it.
Totally agree with you there.
Nothing wrong with having pacers, navigators, etc, as that is now the established way to do it. But would this guy have the wherewithal to pull it off on his own if he didn't have a Salamon backed team?
Personally in any case I don't think he'll get close.
Definitely a little magic will disappear if and when the record does go. However wouldn't begrudge it falling to another "real fellrunner".
Billy Bland's BGR record has a similar legendary status to Bob Beamon's long-jump record (yes, I am old enough (just!) to remember that); and it has lasted longer. I am with those who, for whatever irrational, sentimental reasons, would only like to see it broken by someone from our home-grown fell-running tradition.
. . . and a footnote regarding Kilian Jornet and record-breaking.
A few years ago I wrote an article in The Fellrunner magazine about the Mount Marathon Race in Alaska. In 2015 Jornet got an invitation to run in that race, and duly lowered the record from 42m55s to 41m48s. But in 2016 an almost unknown Alaskan called David Norris took the record back for the "home team", winning in 41m26s. Jornet is not invincible.
Also, remember that Scott Jurek and Rickey Gates, two of the world's best ultra / trail runners, took 23h44m over their BGR.
It will certainly be an interesting year to see just how good he is.
The Glencoe Skyline will have a class field, on terrain that he is very good on. Presumably he'll tie that trip in with a go at the BG. I think if rested and on form, he will be close to the record. If you take Robs lack of rest time, and Billy's troubles at Honnister, there is about 25 minutes to gain on the record there. The UTMB will also be interesting. Along with a seriously high class field, American Jim Walmsley is doing it this year. He was over 10 minutes ahead of record time 7 miles from the finish of the Western States 100, when he strayed off route. I think he will be tough to beat, even for Killian.
looking forward to seeing how it pans out.
Interesting that most people seem to equate him having a go at the round with him trying to break the record. Bloody foreigners coming over here, stealing our records…
As observed above, he’s likely to be doing it off the back of UTMB and Glencoe Skyline, so may not be fresh for a serious challenge, like Jurek and Gates a couple of years ago. Maybe he’s just after a good day out. He’s born, bred and lives in the mountains. Different mountains, but mountains nonetheless. Always seems like a humble guy to me. Yeah, he’s a sponsored runner, but who wouldn’t be given the choice?
If he did give it a good go, consider: Jasmin P did around 15h30m last year for her BGR and 28h30m for the UTMB. Seriously impressive stuff. I’d guess KJ would be looking to take 6h30m or more off her UTMB time. Obviously there’s a lot of other factors at play here that are impossible to quantify, but a ballpark figure suggests 2-3h off Jasmin’s BGR time might be plausible.
If he were to focus on it and have a proper crack at the record, I reckon he’d smash it. That it would take someone of his calibre to do it is testament to the current record.
What an interesting debate! I've not been on the FRA Forum for a while (and feared that FB had taken over) but I'm so glad to see there's still a very real place for it.
Record? Tricky to know as route choice / lines is key but wouldn't Rickyplay a part in supporting his round ?
He may not actually attempt a record anyway as he may not be fresh but also he's one who respects traditions and as has been uttered on here once or twice we'd all love to see a Jebby or equivlent break it before he does. (go Jebby!)
The Glen Coe Skyline is also a classic round in the making. Such a great tough route that I think over the years will escalate into a Tranter (time) equivalent.
Can't wait to watch the sponsored drone streaming live via Salomon tv (NOT!)
[QUOTE=Hank;632074]Interesting that most people seem to equate him having a go at the round with him trying to break the record. Bloody foreigners coming over here, stealing our records…
Yeah, he’s a sponsored runner, but who wouldn’t be given the choice?
Me, for one. I don't think sponsorship and fellrunning (or money and sport) are compatible, other than local businesses helping out with a bit of support for local races. Sponsorship is the thin end of the monetisation and corporatisation wedge.
Just because you can be paid for something doesn't mean you should be paid for it - think kidney transplants.
Will he go round CW or ACW? Does it matter which way round he goes to attempt the record?
All this negativity just fills me with dread.
Lets embrace that fact that a very talented individual who could pick any race or challenge wants to come to the lakes and have a go at the BGR.
We live in 2017 so watching it live would be great and who cares if he is sponsored by Salomon or a local chip shop.
Get over your selves and enjoy what may unfold!
So missing the point. Expressing concerns over sponsorship and the commercialisation of sport isn't negativity, and isn't about embracing or dissing someone coming to do the BG. It's about trying to draw attention to developments that will, imo, have an adverse impact - I'd call it constructive criticism. I honestly think you won't know what you've lost until it's gone.
No-one's going to monetise fell running as there's no money in it. There might be more events like Glencoe Skyline, Lakes Sky Ultra, Dragon's Back, etc that charge big time to enter and provide a very different experience to traditional fell races. I don't see that stuff replacing fell races though.
You might personally object to someone from that background taking on the BGR. Fair enough, but it's not going to bring about Bob Graham Incorporated. As someone says above, why not embrace the fact the BGR can attract a massive name to have a go?
As for money and sport not being compatible... I think the horse may have bolted some time ago on that one.
Dunlop Greenflash please!
Lux - to be fair, I wasn't picking up much negativity on here - just some typical banter! I think you'd have to be pretty churlish not to respect KJ as a quality runner with a genuine passion for mountain running, despite being a professional.
As far as the record goes though, I hope he goes for it and gets it - only to have it beaten by Ricky Lightfoot shortly after :)
The man himself has said nothing so far other than the simple announcement it's in his plans for 2017.
I am in touch with Kilian and he comes over just as I have come to expect: respectful of history and traditions; and full of simple enjoyment of the mountains and running in them.
His planning is barely underway and perhaps what emerges will surprise a few people.
As for sponsorship and fell running being incompatible, I'm mystified. Walsh, Inov8 and others have provided support as well as Salomon. You can attempt to draw distinctions about the levels of support different people have but a sponsored athlete is just that. Ricky, Jebby and Jasmin all fall, or have fallen, into that category. I don't see that fact reduces their achievements, past or future. Nor would it undermine anything Kilian might achieve.
fellow Salomon athlete Ricky Lightfoot is set to do a round in 2017, apparently. He said after his last one that if he did it again it would be "in the summer" and he has his eye on the record, according to this.
Knowing Kilian's attitude to doing things inclusively, I wonder if they're not both going to try it together......
Good thread
I'd love to see Killian do a "local" fell race be in the Lakes, Dales or Peak
Ricky's write-up is excellent. He should do a book
Sponsorship is with us, but I actually think that fell running does it better than other branches of athletics.
It makes me cringe when I see a T&F Grand Prix meeting, or the start of a major road race and practically all the athletes are lined up in the same sponsors vest.
I personally would like to see us going back to running in club vests, or representative vests and ensure that sponsors are supporting athletes for the right reason, not just to get their logo emblazoned across the TV screen.