Jordan does the Bob Graham in under 24 hours (& the worst weather conditions imaginable)

He’s back…..

After diving headfirst into fell and trail running a little under a year ago (which not that long ago, had just been a few 5Ks around Woodbank Park) I found myself joining the great Pennine Fell Runners and making some good friends along the way. About a month into this journey, I figured that it was only right to set myself a proper challenge. Then, shortly after reading the first few chapters of the classic ‘Feet in the Clouds’ I found it. Sixty-six miles. Forty-two peaks. 8,500 metres of climbing. All in under 24 hours. The Bob Graham Round.

If I could somehow pull this off  (with pacers to confirm I didn’t just spend the day in the pub) it would mean achieving something that I genuinely never imagined I was capable of. It’d also mean joining the Bob Graham Club and getting my name up there alongside legends like Kilian Jornet and Jasmin Paris, to name just a few. And just as importantly, it would also mean having a big day out with the friends from the club that I’d met along the way. So after months of putting in the miles and climbs, the day finally arrived for my Bob Graham attempt. On June 13th at 7:15 pm, I set off with my pacers Dave and Stevie, plus my boss (and friend) Mike, who, I should mention, is the one who first introduced me to this hobby/ obsession. Mike had his own pacer, Will, and together we headed out into a fine summer evening, bound for Skiddaw and the rest of Leg 1.

Leg 1 flew by, the chat was flowing, the visibility was clear, and I stuck to eating and drinking every 30 minutes (crucial when you’re covering this kind of distance). To top it off, I hit my road support at Threlkeld bang on the 23-hour schedule and was feeling good. After a tepid cup of coffee (to keep my stomach happy) and a quick pot noodle, I was ready to head off towards leg two and the climb up Clough Head with my next pair of top-notch pacers, Jo and Anna.

Night had fallen by leg two, and unfortunately, the weather took a turn. Clouds rolled in, and the rain started getting heavier the further we went. Luckily, Jo and Anna’s great company and sense of humor kept my spirits flying high. They made sure I stayed fed and watered too, helping me fight fatigue and keep my energy up.  Navigation on this leg is notoriously tricky in bad weather, so we lost a bit of time. As we were descending Seat Sandal, a massive crack of thunder and a bolt of lightning bounced off the fell right next to us — pretty scary and a clear warning of what was coming on the next leg.

After changing out of my soaked clothes in a camper kindly offered by Stefan, one of my leg 3 pacers, and warming up with another coffee and pot noodle, I was ready to tackle Steel Fell and the rest of leg 3. After a quick pep talk from Paul, my mate and fellow leg 3 pacer, I set off. Mike arrived at Dunmail Raise a bit later than me, so from that point on, we ran our attempts separately. Shortly after summiting Steel Fell, daylight started to break — but the weather took a quick turn for the worst. Thunder and lightning were everywhere, and the rain was hammering down like stair rods. Regardless, we kept the chat flowing and pushed on, but things were starting to get pretty serious. Lightning was striking just over 100 meters away from us, and without me knowing, Paul and Stefan were already talking about dropping down to Langdale and calling it a day. 

Thankfully, the lightning eased as we approached Bow Fell, giving us a brief respite from the biblical weather conditions. That let us keep going with the attempt. Quietly, fatigue started creeping in—I was tired from being up so long and after covering over 50 km to get there. But I was still eating well: cold spring rolls, pizza, Fridge Raiders, Babybels, and Haribo being my go-to fuel for most of the round thus far. After summiting Bowfell we started to pick the pace up to try and claw back some time lost due to the weather. Unfortunately Paul rolled his ankle badly but after some “FOR FUCK SAKE!” From Paul we carried on moving and he soldiered on after Stefan accused him of being dramatic haha! Stefan took on the nav responsibilities from this point. The heavy rain returned along with the bangs of thunder. The ground was completely saturated and the rock was slippery and wet making progress slow, We eventually made it to the summit of Scafell Pike after picking our way over the jagged, wet rock. By the time we dropped onto Mickledore and looked up at Lord’s Rake, which is a steep gully at the best of times and now had a full blown torrent of water roaring down it, All we could do was shake our heads and laugh  thinking how can this keep getting worse!? 

We worked our way up and out of the gully via the West Wall Traverse, then set off from the final summit of Leg 3 Scafell. Taking whichever route looked easiest, which often meant sliding down on our backsides. The last challenge was Lingmell Beck, now raging white water. But Paul and Stefan’s experience  shone through, and we found a safe way across before dropping into Wasdale, my final road stop of the day.  After taking in yet another pot noodle and a brew — kindly made by Pennine Fell Runners legends Geoff and Sue  — and swapping into yet another set of dry clothes, I was up and ready to take on Leg 4. This time my close friend Dave, who’d supported me on Leg 1, was back on duty, joined by Sue, our club captain with next-level experience and skill on the fells. I had eight hours left to get Legs 4 and 5 done and back into Keswick right on the 24-hour mark. I’d need to find some time somewhere if I was going to finish the round officially in under 24 hours. After slowly grinding my way up the notoriously grim climb of Yewbarrow — especially when you’ve been on your feet all night — the cloud and rain rolled back in, this time with some wind too. By then, I was kind of used to it, so it didn’t bother me too much. I managed to pick up a decent pace on the runnable sections before hitting Red Pike, and then again after, heading towards Pillar.

The slow on the climbs, faster on the flats and downhill theme was set for the rest of leg 4, The worry of not finishing the round on time started to set in and really bother me midway through this leg, so a big shoutout to Dave and Sue for the constant words of reassurance,  encouragement and for keeping me fed and watered.  After grinding up the final brutal climb of Leg 4, Great Gable, I spotted a little bivvy shelter perched on the summit. I wondered who’d choose to sit out there, especially in this weather.. Then suddenly I heard someone call my name. It was my good mate Moss! A fellow outdoors enthusiast and friend of Mike’s.

“It’s bloody good to see you, Jord. Whatever it takes, mate. Whatever it takes!” This was such a massive lift, like a shot of pure energy! I pushed off the summit with a spring in my step. Before I knew it, we were on Green Gable, and then onto the final stretch down into Honister. As I started dropping down into Honister, the cloud finally began to lift and the view opened up. Through the murk I could hear cheers drifting up from the café below. Turned out it was a bunch of my mates who’d come up to show their support — absolute legends. Seeing them gave me a massive boost, and I needed it. I’d been awake for well over thirty hours by this point, so any extra bit of energy was worth hanging onto. 

Leg 5 was all that stood between me, the Moot Hall in Keswick, and a pint in my hand. The only snag was the time, it was seriously tight. What was meant to be a comfy three-hour leg had now been chopped down to two and a half. Dave, the absolute legend, stuck around to navigate the last bit after already helping on Legs 1 and 4, plus all the recces and training runs we’d got through prior to the attempt. Stevie was back to help out after the first leg as well, I couldn’t have asked for better support.  Dale Head was the first to be tackled so we plodded our way up it which seemed to go on forever and ever. 1 mile of  uphill makes that seem understandable. After finally reaching the summit the wind whipped up and the drizzle turned a touch heavier. Dave beckoned Stevie over for a very brief chat, and soon after Stevie handed me some Jelly babies and suggested we get a bit of a jog on. I could sense that time was slipping away as now I started to repeatedly look at my watch and every step I took seemed to hurt at this point. 

Somehow, I managed to dig up a bit of strength and got moving at a decent pace along to Hindscarth, our next summit. By now my head was all over the place — the pressure was really starting to bite, and I’m pretty sure a few choice words were slipping out of my mouth every ten seconds or so. After a quick tap of the summit cairn, we pushed on towards Robinson. Dave was masterful here, picking the best lines and guiding us around the slow, rocky sections so we could keep moving well. Once we hit the top, all that stood between us and the finish was a steep grassy downhill and the trail back into Keswick. My quads were completely done by this point, so I opted for the classic bum shuffle, it wasn’t pretty but it got me down without disaster! By the time we dropped into the valley bottom, I glanced at my watch and saw I had nearly an hour to cover the 7 flat kilometres back to Keswick. It was all in my hands now, and with that, the confidence started flooding back.

When we rolled into Little Town, my final road support crew was waiting. Paul, never one to miss an opportunity to have a laugh and take the mick shouted, “What are you playing at — have you seen the time?!” I plonked myself down, swapped my fell shoes for road shoes, and pulled on my Pennine club vest, ready for the last push into Keswick. All the hard work and dedication I’d poured into this attempt came crashing over me on that final push to the Moot Hall. I cruised through Portinscale, getting a few “well done” shouts from passers-by, and then, as I came into Keswick past the Co-op, I saw it — the Moot Hall. Dave and Stevie just yelled, “Go for it!” and I emptied the tank, sprinting into the town centre. The cheers from my friends hit me before I even reached the steps. I jogged up, touched the doors, and that was it — I’d made it. A member of the Round’s team handed me a pint, and in that moment everything was perfect. I completed the Bob Graham Round in 23 hours and 48 minutes. Something I’ll carry with me forever.

I want to say a massive thank you to my brilliant team of hill and road support — without them, there’s no way I could have done what I did. So to David Ahearn, Stevie Knowles, Anna Wildman, Jo Ellis, Paul Swindles, Stefan Bramwell, Sue Richmond, Geoff Briggs, Toby Savage, and Caroline Leigh — I’m so grateful to each and every one of you legends.  I’d also like to give a big shoutout to Colin Barnes and Barnes Walker Landscapes — my employer — for helping sponsor a lot of the kit I needed for the round. Thanks so much for the support! And last but not least the Outdoor licence legends Neil Summers and Joe Light. As well as Chloe Hadfield, Gab Wieland, James Cummins, John Barnes and Moss Keough, for all the cheering on at Honister and of course the Moot Hall!  Huge thanks also to Salomon for supplying the S/Lab Ultra Glide 3 ahead of my BG attempt—unbelievably comfortable and the perfect choice for those final trail-to-road kilometres into the Moot Hall. Equally grateful to Mountain King for the Trail Blaze poles—ultra-lightweight carbon yet tough enough to handle nearly 24 hours in the fells. They were an essential part of my kit, and I wouldn’t have been without them. Highly recommended!

Next up on the calendar is the 5 Valleys Ultra—59km from Ambleside to Keswick, taking in a stunning mix of trails and fells on the 27th of September. Really looking forward to testing the legs again on this beautiful route. Fingers crossed for a place in the ballot for another huge challenge next July… and of course, the big goal for next year: the Montane Lakeland 100.

All the best, Jordan.

Keep up to date with Jordan’s fell running journey HERE.