Top ten fastest BGRs

I've just been asked what are the ten fastest BG rounds. I could come up with the following:

1 - Billy Bland 13:53 in 1982
2 - Mark Hartell - 14:54 in 1999
3 - Stuart Bland - 14:56
4 - Chris Near - 16:20 - 2010
5 - Steve Birkinshaw - 17:09 in 2005
6 - Morgan Donnelly - 17:24 in 2005
7 - Mike Nicholson - 17:45 in 1977

Stuart Bland is the fastest time for entry to the BG club, both Billy and Mark having set fast times previously. So has anyone any idea of who else might be in this list? I know of a few in the 18:xx bracket and I'm fairly sure that there is someone else faster than Steve B.

Richard Mellon's 17.38 round this year - I helped him with the ropes on Broad Stand

Billy Bland's 13.53 record is tremendously fast, will it ever be beaten?

Scoffer did it in 17:01 in around 2003??
Simon Bourne in around 17:20 in about 2007??

I think Chris Near completed in 17:23 last year (not 16:20)

There are quite a few people out there capable of sub 17:00 rounds.

Bob

I put Tim on to you, thinking you might help

Brian did some research for Graham Breeze in connection with an article for the Fellrunner. Brian looked through the lists and found that there were 16 men who had run faster rounds than Anne Johnson, whose time was 18.49.

I think the figure now must be 18, taking on board Chris Near and Richard Mellon's 2010 rounds, which I highlighted in the 2010 completions thread with the correct times.

So, that will tell you how many you are "missing".

Brian said he would have a go at putting together a list if the opportunity presented itself. Not a priority for him.

Cheers.

Morgan

The email trail between yourself and Tim gave me the time for Chris yet I had got the correct time from the completions thread :confused:

I came up with the rest of the list mostly from memory - sad I know :o So currently we have

1 - Billy Bland 13:53 in 1982
2 - Mark Hartell - 14:54 in 1999
3 - Stuart Bland - 14:56
4 - Scoffer - 17:01 in 2003(?)
5 - Steve Birkinshaw - 17:09 in 2005
6 - Simon Bourne - 17:20(?) - 2007(?)
7 - Chris Near - 17:23 - 2010
8 - Morgan Donnelly - 17:24 in 2005
9 -Mike Nicholson - 17:45 in 1977

I've marked those items I'm unsure of with a question mark. A friend works with Simon Bourne so I should be able to confirm those details. I remember Selwyn saying at the 2005 dinner that Steve and Morgan's times were the 6th and 7th fastest (may have got this wrong by one) but if my memory is right then the "missing" time is between 14:56 and 17:09

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Originally Posted by Bob

The email trail between yourself and Tim gave me the time for Chris yet I had got the correct time from the completions thread :confused:

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Tim quoted the 16 hour time to me and I had to straighten him out!

Think he was relieved actually, because he wants to crack the top 10 and I would imagaine would quite like to beat Chris's time. :wink:

Now
If I can just remember when it was I fell down a ravine, split my face, broke a rib and lay unconscious in a stream for 10 minutes, I'll be able to give you the year for Si Bourne ( I was supposed to support him but wasn't really in shape).
It was 2006

Scoffer - 22nd August 2003

you're still missing Richard Mellon from your list.

What about Winter rounds ? now thats hardcore !

What about the ten slowest that got in under 24 hours? Now that would be interesting.....up to a point.

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Originally Posted by Feet in the Cowclaps

What about the ten slowest that got in under 24 hours? Now that would be interesting.....up to a point.

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But a bugger to compile for Brian.

It's not too bad looking for rounds with times beginning with 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 but those beginning with 23................plenty of those.

There were two 23.56s in 2010 alone...........

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Originally Posted by andygib1982

What about Winter rounds ? now thats hardcore !

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Only 18 done it so - here

http://bobwightman.co.uk/run/bgr_winter_rounds.php

So we have a ten. But is it the right ten ??

1 - Billy Bland 13:53 in 1982
2 - Mark Hartell - 14:54 in 1999
3 - Stuart Bland - 14:56
4 - Scoffer - 17:01 in 2003(?)
5 - Steve Birkinshaw - 17:09 in 2005
6 - Simon Bourne - 17:20(?) - 2007(?)
7 - Chris Near - 17:23 - 2010
8 - Morgan Donnelly - 17:24 in 2005
9 - Richard Mellon - 17:38 in 2010
10 -Mike Nicholson - 17:45 in 1977

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bob

Only 18 done it so - here

http://bobwightman.co.uk/run/bgr_winter_rounds.php

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Only 18 ? i know its hard but didnt know so few had managed it.

Can't count! - 20

Just to confirm that 17h 20m is correct for me, although it was 2006 when I did it as Andy K said. If only I was that fit now!

Simon Bourne

"Just knocking on the door" of the top 10 is Mike Johnson with 17:49 in 2009, just 6 months or so before his 50th birthday!

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Originally Posted by andygib1982

Only 18 ? i know its hard but didnt know so few had managed it.

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fancy giving it a go Andy

Never mind the men what about the fast ladies rounds

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Originally Posted by daz h

Never mind the men what about the fast ladies rounds

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Much thinner on the ground Daz. Bob may turn up with some info.

Only 2 sub-20 I think.

Anne Johnson's record as referred to above and Helene Whitaker's 19 odd hour round which preceded it.

What are the rules on whether its a winter or summer round.

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Originally Posted by Deek

What are the rules on whether its a winter or summer round.

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Winter "rules" here:

http://www.bobgrahamclub.org.uk/index.php?page=winter

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Originally Posted by MorganW

Much thinner on the ground Daz. Bob may turn up with some info.

Only 2 sub-20 I think.

Anne Johnson's record as referred to above and Helene Whitaker's 19 odd hour round which preceded it.

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Didn't Helene Diamtides get sub 20? and on her solo round too?

Helene Diamantides and Helene Whitaker are one and the same person, are they not?

Quite a few years ago, I was involved in the roiunds done by Neil Wrigley (17.48) and Trevor Dibben (18.25) but I can't remember the year....:o

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Originally Posted by fellhound

quite a few years ago, i was involved in the roiunds done by neil wrigley (17.48) and trevor dibben (18.25) but i can't remember the year....:o

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nw 1997 & td 1994

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Originally Posted by Running Monkey

Helene Diamantides and Helene Whitaker are one and the same person, are they not?

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Yes they are.

She's wed now to Jonathan (Jonnie) Whitaker.

Bits of information dribbling through from Brian.

He reckons 66 sub-20 hour rounds in total, and only 13 sub-19 (which sounds too low to me.)

When there is another few days of bad weather he will go through and try and confirm the Top 10.

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Originally Posted by MorganW

Bits of information dribbling through from Brian.

He reckons 66 sub-20 hour rounds in total, and only 13 sub-19 (which sounds too low to me.)

When there is another few days of bad weather he will go through and try and confirm the Top 10.

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I think we've got more than 13 sub-18 rounds on this thread already and I know of several in the 18:30 range.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bob

I think we've got more than 13 sub-18 rounds on this thread already and I know of several in the 18:30 range.

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Bob, what you need to remember is that Brian is culling information from BG Club records, thus he is only looking at and for first rounds which triggered applications for Club membership.

I have a Top 13 First Rounds List now which I will post when I get a minute.

Off for a run now!

Morgan

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bob

So we have a ten. But is it the right ten ??

1 - Billy Bland 13:53 in 1982
2 - Mark Hartell - 14:54 in 1999
3 - Stuart Bland - 14:56
4 - Scoffer - 17:01 in 2003(?)
5 - Steve Birkinshaw - 17:09 in 2005
6 - Simon Bourne - 17:20(?) - 2007(?)
7 - Chris Near - 17:23 - 2010
8 - Morgan Donnelly - 17:24 in 2005
9 - Richard Mellon - 17:38 in 2010
10 -Mike Nicholson - 17:45 in 1977

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No, not quite, but a very good effort my friend!

Mike Nicholson doesn't make the Top 10. The honour of the number 10 spot lies with Geoff Clucas who completed in 17.40 on 25 June 1989.

Morgan

Given the number of BG completions, does anyone else find it amazing how spread out the first few times on this list are?
Over 3 hours between fastest and 4th fastest is a remarkable gap.

So to accompany Bob's list, here are the 13 fastest first rounds from the records of the BG Club:

1. Stuart Bland 14.56 14/8/82
2. Andrew Schofield 17.01 22/8/03
3. Steve Birkinshaw 17.09 21/5/05
4. Simon Bourne 17.20 17/6/06
5. Chris Near 17.23 02/5/10
6. Morgan Donnelly 17.26 21/5/05
7. Richard Mellon 17.38 22/5/10
8. Geoff Clucas 17.40 25/6/89
9. Mike Nicholson 17.45 13/8/77
10. Neil Wrigley 17.48 24/5/97
11= Mike Johnson 17.49 04/7/09
11= Ian Charlton 17.49 27/6/83
13. Steve Parr 17.58 05/7/81

And Brian has calculated that 66 members have achieved times of less than 20 hours on their first successful rounds as follows:

14.00-14.59 1
15.00-15.59 0
16.00-16.59 0
17.00-17.59 12
18.00-18.59 16
19.00-19.59 37

If Scoffer had got a shift on, he'd have been in a class of his own, so to speak. ;)

All of which reinforces Tussockface's point above.

And also rather puts Stuart Bland's incredible performance into its true context. :D

Morgan

Does that mean that less than 100 people have ever got round (first or subsequent attempt) in less than 20 hours?

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Originally Posted by #1Spookster

Does that mean that less than 100 people have ever got round (first or subsequent attempt) in less than 20 hours?

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Details of repeat rounds, even if supplied to Brian, don't feature in the official records.

Gut instinct says that it will be nicely fewer than 100.