Doesn't Jebb normally suffer with navigational ability rather than running ability on the long stuff???
Doesn't Jebb normally suffer with navigational ability rather than running ability on the long stuff???
Sometimes yes although I can think of a few times he's just flattered to deceive when he did go the right way. He does race a lot though, similar to Lloyd when you consider the cycling he does on top which is easy for us to forget. His run at Jura last year shows he CAN run long rough stuff as well as anyone, and with reference to your first point Bryan you can bet the lines he took weren't as good as Rigby's when he got the record so he probably ran a longer course!
Perhaps we just expect him to win everything and wonder why when he doesn't, but he's just not as consistent as Simon over that type of race. Over everything else he is consistently there or thereabouts, apart from the shorter faster races (borderline A Categories e.g. Dufton & Paddys Pole)
Last edited by TimW; 05-04-2009 at 09:53 PM.
I agree with that 100%, absolutely spot on.
I have always preferred the longer days out in the hills, that for me is what fell running is all about (obviously this is just my personal opinion and am in no way dissing the shorter races). I take part in plenty of shorter races, but only in the Peak District, if I’m going to travel to Scotland, the Lakes or Wales etc., I need to do at least an hour or two’s running to make it worthwhile.
This is probably why I’m not familiar with Rob Jebb’s record at shorter races and hence didn’t include him in my current best.
In my younger days (late 80’s – early 90’s) I could hold my own at cross country particularly over shorter distances up to about 10K, and although I enjoy all types of running it was always big days out in the hills that inspired me (and that includes climbing, walking and mountain biking as well) so I spent most of the rest of my life doing that.
What the top runners choose to focus on is their decision and none of my business, presumably they do what they enjoy too
In my opinion to be considered the best ever you need to be the best over the longer stuff as for me that’s fellrunning and what I enjoy the most.
Do what you like, like what you do
No one has said anything derogatory about him (have they?) he'd probably admit his navigating isn't his finest asset, I'm sure it's no worse than lots of fell runners but is more of a problem when you're on your own in front as he so often is. We've given these guys nothing but praise and where we have 'criticised' it's been purely constructive.
I'm sure (as I said earlier about Ian Holmes) he would laugh at us, thinking haven't you lot got anything better to do! I've had nothing better to do during an enforced week off running but I'll be back in training as of today
Last edited by TimW; 06-04-2009 at 12:11 PM.
You are right. I talked to him tonight and he just laughed and asked me "And is Ali the greatest boxer of all time?"
He said you just cannot compare different eras and commented in detail about the changes on the Ben terrain which have affected times. However he did say that he wished he could have raced against Kenny Stuart and added that Kenny did a sub 2.12 marathon and there is no fell runner today who can do that.
We also talked about the British and English Champs. Ian has won 8 English Champ Gold Medals and only one man has won more. Worthy subject for a Profile perhaps?
Last edited by Graham Breeze; 07-04-2009 at 10:51 PM.
A certain Mr I Holmes has just won the Stanbury Splash 14 years on the trot.
Is this a record?
HE IS SIMPLY THE BEST.
Me, one day
Trying to plod up hills every day slightly faster than the day before