Great write up of an amazing run. I read it first thing this morning and it really moved me. You should be VERY proud
Great write up of an amazing run. I read it first thing this morning and it really moved me. You should be VERY proud
Poacher turned game-keeper
Astounding run Carr.
Just one word - RESPECT!
Carr - I'm simply awestruck...! I hope to graduate to doing some 'ultras' at some point, but this is just astounding. I echo TN's comment: RESPECT !
I'd say you've got some strong material for a book here, will you be writing one ? I imagine you'd get a lot of interest - fascinating and inspiring stuff.
Hey, that's me! I hope you didn't curse me too often. Well done: I've thought about running it, but I don't think I'm up to it to be honest, although I might change my mind if I could find a way to give up the day job. I'd need weeks to recover. I've not come across any reports of anyone running LEJOG offroad, but that doesn't mean nobody's done it before of course. Not everyone writes up what they do, or even talks about it.Originally Posted by carr
Haven't read all your posts yet, carr: I've just seen this & I've no time tonight & a race in the morning. I will when I get the chance.
Once again: well done - what an achievement!
Andy Robinson
Runfurther committee member
Helsby Running Club
Hehe already on wikipedia
July 12 2009: British Ultra-Marathon runner, Kevin Carr, successfully completed the first ever attempt to run the route off-road; becoming the first athlete to run the length of the UK as a Fell/Trail run. Like Driver, Carr ran unsupported; 'Solo'- a format commonly known amongst fell runners as a "Mountain-Marathon." Carr ran the challenge as part of an event organised by Benumber1 an event which saw several top level British athletes (mainly Olympians) completing the LE-JO'G challenge. The event was designed to encourage school students to participate in sport and realise the positive benefits of a healthy lifestyle, whilst raising significant funds for the British Heart Foundation. The run covered 1,254miles ran over footpaths, bridleways, canal paths, river banks, National trails, fields, moorland and mountains. Over 80% of the route was off-road, the route resorting to tarmac only when necessary to link two trails - or where a trail passed through a village/town. The run took 6 weeks 3 days and 17 hours to complete - (including 3 rest days). Factoring in the rest days, this run called for an average effort of just under 30 miles a day, every day - for more than 6 weeks
The Scottish guy I saw in the summer was definitely running/trotting the route 'downhill' Scotland to England and he was definitely following the off road routes. Maybe though he was just doing it for fun.
Epic!
Kevin,
That's very impressive. After my British Isles Challenge (which pales into insignificance next to your run) I can understand some of the difficulties you had, but your determination is inspirational.
Seriously well done.
Brilliant - it hadn't crossed my mind the author of a hill-walking guide might be a fell runner also. Certainly didn't expect to receive a respons from you on the forum.Hey, that's me! I hope you didn't curse me too often. Well done: I've thought about running it, but I don't think I'm up to it to be honest, although I might change my mind if I could find a way to give up the day job. I'd need weeks to recover. I've not come across any reports of anyone running LEJOG offroad, but that doesn't mean nobody's done it before of course. Not everyone writes up what they do, or even talks about it.
Haven't read all your posts yet, carr: I've just seen this & I've no time tonight & a race in the morning. I will when I get the chance.
Once again: well done - what an achievement!
I intended to contact you soon to thank you for all the work you put into creating the book - it's amazing really detailed I think I spotted less than a handful of mistakes in the whole 1200+miles (the maps were never wrong though and incredibly helpful - I think it was just two occasions where the written instructions said to turn left/right at a certain point when it should have been the oppostie - a quick glance at the map though soon got me back on track).
I found the written instructions a fast way to navigate ont he run - just looking out for land marks and remebering 3-4 instructions at a time, I had the whole route transposed onto 1:50k maps on my computer (took hudreds of hours to do accurately) then onto my GPS (with OS mapping on screen).
Truth be known I did curse occasionally - some terrain was redicioulsy tough to run on - the stretch before Glossach falls (think I spelt that right - the highest falls in the UK) was incredibly tough under foot - very very slow progress there.
Anyway, I hope you didn't hear any of the curses or take them to heart! Your root guide is an amazing piece of work - it saved me months and months of planning/recceing and gave me a lot of confidence in the hills - the accuracy of the strip maps and description is spot on:
Unknowingly -you played a huge part in the biggest challenge of my life so far
and the most fantastic adventure of my life - Thank you.
As for others running LE-JOG/JOG-LE before, I'd love to know if anyone has ever heard of an attempt/succesful run before.
I think even if someone didn't do a write up in a local paper/magazine/forum etc, there would be plenty of family and friends who would know of the event - its not something you could go away for a long weekend and do without anyone knowing, it takes a fair amount of time no-matter how fast you are.
I just assumed that even if the person who ran it was the most modest person ever and didn't write a report - word would surely have got out, when friends of the runner told other fell runners at races etc, it'd be very difficult to keep the run a secret!
p.s. - Andy/any other reader of this post, if you would like to have gps/.gpx data fies for the route - I'd be happy to mail them, you can then download this onto any handheld gps and have a copy of the whole route in your hand. The only drawback being that my data shows my route which was the cotswold wya+severn way rather than the welsh route - on retrospect the welsh route is infinitely better. Still anyone considering this could save themselves hundreds of hours by downloading my route data, instead of drawing the route from the book onto digital mapping on a computer and then uploading onto the gps-it's incredibly accurate.
Once Again Andy - I can't thank you Enough, hope to meet you one day, shake your hand - and buy you a beer or ten!
Kevin.
Hi yes I've begun jotting down ideas for a book.
The run left me with fairly substantial debts though, (not so much the cost of the event, but the lack of earnings due to time off, before,during and after the run - all in all, I didn't work for 4 months) so I'm working a lot of hours at the moment trying to apease the bank manager.
Still why it's all fresh in my mind I'm writing down a list of events/people/places etc that I think will be of interest in a book about the journey.
That way I shouldn't forget. When I have time, I can then visit each point on the list and write about that one section/day/person that was part of the experience.
I hope to have a rough version of an accountof the whole run by late January - this will have to be sent to a professional writer to edit-make readable, I tend to ramble when writing.
I'll keep you posted as to how it's progressing.
What an amazing achievement, well done
keep us up-to-date on any book
Bill
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