I met Billy Bland yesterday.

[fishbulb]

I was doing the Lakeland Loop cycle challenge and was out in front on me own (no, really!) when I caught up with these two other blokes riding the same way. Got talking to them, they introduced themselves as Mark and Billy. It was only after yapping to them for about half an hour that the subject of Fell running came up. I said I did a bit and Billy said 'Oh, you might have heard of me then. Billy Bland.' I nearly fell off my bike!
We had a good old chin wag and I had a surreal moment later finding myself chatting to Billy about football whilst riding up Hardknott Pass!
Anyway, what a top bloke he is. It was a pleasure to spend some time with him. He's not too shabby on a bike either, by the way!

[dads]

nice story

[clodhopper]

Yeah lovely. I'd have been in major awe. Probably stuttered like a buffoon

[Grouse]

He was pullin yer leg. It was Les Battersby.

[Swoop]

I met Alan Heaton at Tockholes last week.
Very interesting bloke and very modest.

Alan Heaton.jpg

First person to do the Bob Graham Round.
This picture was taken at the L.D.M.T. 2002.
Alan ran in the short trial race at the age of 74.

[XRunner]

'Oh, you might have heard of me then. Billy Bland.'

This guy...

[fishbulb]

Swoop, surely he must have been the second?

[Swoop]

Swoop, surely he must have been the second?

Yes. The first to do it after Bob Graham established it. He told us that he once completed 65 tops
but the 24 hours ran out as he descended Skiddaw in sight of the finish!

[morning glory]

The other weekend, after a run out near Nether Wasdale, I met Jos Naylor. I'd just come off Buckbarrow when there he was in the bottom chilling out on a stone soaking up the sunshine, stick in hand, New Balance running shoes with bright laces on, and his four degs legging it here, there and everywhere.
Never met the guy before so stopped and chatted for a while. Nice bloke.
I asked him what he felt was the best day out on the fells in the Lakes. He said, without doubt, that his favourite was Wasdale over to Seathwaite, up Base Brown, over Gables, Pillar etc to Haycock, down to Seatallan, Buckbarrow and back down the valley.
A nice easy day out!!!!!

[Denzil]

I nearly ran Billy Bland over the other year. I was driving back from Seathwaite after taking my son up Sac Fell when we drove passt Billy working on a wall outside what assume might be his house. I was so excited and busy trying to tell my dumbstruck 10 year old son who Billy Bland was that I lost control of the car or a moment !!

How bad would I have felt, running over one of the best fell runners of all time !!!