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Thread: Billy Blands Splits

  1. #11
    Master Hank's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Blands Splits

    Quote Originally Posted by Dynamo Dan View Post
    Is there a greater record in any sport? I can't think of one. Is there anyone running now who could get near it?
    I think Kilian Jornet would get near it, don't know that he'd break it.

    I reckon if he dedicated time to it, he might do it. Don't forget Billy Bland lived and breathed those hills... they were his back garden and training ground, and I'm sure he knew every inch of the route inside out. Were Kilian to dedicate time to getting to know the route and running a lot on Lakeland hills, who knows?

    Mark Palmer last year ran 14:59. An absolutely staggering time and a huge, huge achievement... but would he beat Kilian at, say, UTMB? Or Western States? I'm guessing not. I would say Kilian is the better athlete, maybe the greatest living runner (in my opinion). So would Kilian run a better BG time off the bat? Maybe, maybe not. With some training on the route, I think he definitely would. Would he get close to King Billy? It'd be interesting...
    Geoff Clarke

  2. #12
    Senior Member AlanB's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Blands Splits

    Quote Originally Posted by Pyrenees Haven View Post
    Gary tells me that about 20-25 years ago 6 of the best fell running clubs at the time in Britain go together to organise a relay race around the BGR as a 10 man relay to see if they could beat Billys time. Unfortunately the weather was absolutely horrendous so no team got close and he seems to think that only 3 of the teams finished. He would be interested to know if anybody out there has more details or split times. Gary (and Richard Pallister) did the first leg and remembers that he beat Billys time by around 2 minutes finishing with a Keswick pair (Gavin Bland and James Bulman).

    Debbie
    Debbie - look at the link I put in the original post on this thread for the recent 10 man relay attempts. No one got close!

  3. #13
    Member Bogmonster's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Blands Splits

    incredible....

  4. #14
    Senior Member Pyrenees Haven's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Blands Splits

    Quote Originally Posted by AlanB View Post
    Debbie - look at the link I put in the original post on this thread for the recent 10 man relay attempts. No one got close!
    Alan, it would be interesting if someone out there could remember the times from the race when Gary did it to see how they compared to Billy and the Macc relay team.

    He thinks the teams were P&B, Keswick, Clayton, Rossendale, Bingley (possibly) and maybe Ambleside.

    Come on you lot someone must remember!

    Debbie

    www.pyrenees-haven.com
    adventure is just a step away...

  5. #15
    Master Dynamo Dan's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Blands Splits

    Quote Originally Posted by Al Fowler View Post
    Kilian Jornet
    Really?

  6. #16
    Master Dynamo Dan's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Blands Splits

    Quote Originally Posted by Hank View Post
    I think Kilian Jornet would get near it, don't know that he'd break it.

    I reckon if he dedicated time to it, he might do it. Don't forget Billy Bland lived and breathed those hills... they were his back garden and training ground, and I'm sure he knew every inch of the route inside out. Were Kilian to dedicate time to getting to know the route and running a lot on Lakeland hills, who knows?

    Mark Palmer last year ran 14:59. An absolutely staggering time and a huge, huge achievement... but would he beat Kilian at, say, UTMB? Or Western States? I'm guessing not. I would say Kilian is the better athlete, maybe the greatest living runner (in my opinion). So would Kilian run a better BG time off the bat? Maybe, maybe not. With some training on the route, I think he definitely would. Would he get close to King Billy? It'd be interesting...
    Has Mark Palmer ever raced Killian Jornet and can you really compare the terrain on the UTMB and the Western States with the BG? I appreciate both have lots of climb, but is it as rough and as steep?

  7. #17
    Master nikalas's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Blands Splits

    Quote Originally Posted by Dynamo Dan View Post
    Has Mark Palmer ever raced Killian Jornet and can you really compare the terrain on the UTMB and the Western States with the BG? I appreciate both have lots of climb, but is it as rough and as steep?
    We've been here before... Killian Jornet isn't "just" a "trail" runner... he's strongest on steep, rough and technical terrain, especially descending. Remember he spends the winter racing as a ski mountaineer. If you've seen footage of his record on the GR20 in Corsica, it's easily on a par with Lakes terrain. His problem would be finding a team of pacers/navigators that could match his pace.. if he could do that, sacrilege as it is on this forum, I think he's got the ability to take a fair chunk out of Billy's record.

  8. #18
    Master Dynamo Dan's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Blands Splits

    Quote Originally Posted by nikalas View Post
    We've been here before... Killian Jornet isn't "just" a "trail" runner... he's strongest on steep, rough and technical terrain, especially descending. Remember he spends the winter racing as a ski mountaineer. If you've seen footage of his record on the GR20 in Corsica, it's easily on a par with Lakes terrain. His problem would be finding a team of pacers/navigators that could match his pace.. if he could do that, sacrilege as it is on this forum, I think he's got the ability to take a fair chunk out of Billy's record.
    Fair enough maybe one of his fans on here could try and get him to do it! Interestingly I wonder who paced Billy Bland for his record?

  9. #19
    Master Nee Bother's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Blands Splits

    Quote Originally Posted by Dynamo Dan View Post
    Fair enough maybe one of his fans on here could try and get him to do it! Interestingly I wonder who paced Billy Bland for his record?
    I was talking to someone very recently who did 1st leg with him!!

  10. #20
    Senior Member elliptic's Avatar
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    Re: Billy Blands Splits

    Fair enough maybe one of his fans on here could try and get him to do it!
    He certainly know it exists... the Noor interviewed him last year for a Run247 video clip and it got a mention.

    http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showt...Jornet-Attempt
    Last edited by elliptic; 31-05-2012 at 04:16 PM.

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