Many congratulations to Jez Bragg on achieving a new record of 18 hours 12 minutes for Ramsay’s Round, a 24 hour hill running challenge based around Glen Nevis and the Lochaber Mountains in the Scottish Highlands. The established route for the challenge starts and finishes in Fort William, and takes in various peaks, including Ben Nevis, Great Britain’s highest mountain. It involves a total distance of 58 miles and 25,399 feet elevation.  Although many have tried, only 80 people have succeeded over the years in completing the Round in under 24 hours, so Jez joins a distinguished group, with the added distinction of breaking a record which has stood for 26 years.  Jez is one of the country’s leading Ultra Distance runners, and recently finished second The Fellsman, a fell race taking in each of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, Penyghent, Whernside and Ingleborough.  The Ramsay’s Round isn’t the only record held by Jez.  In December 2012, Jez commenced the Te Araroa, a trail extending from the northern tip of North Island, New Zealand, to the southern tip of South Island, over terrain which varies from reasonably passable to practically impossible (including a kayak crossing from North Island to South Island), a distance of 3,000km,which Jez completed in 53 days, 9 hours and 1 minute, a record which still stands.

Ultra running is becoming quite familiar to BAC!  Three BAC athletes took part in Endure 24, a 24 hour relay race over a 5 mile loop of forest trails at Aldermaston, Near Reading, over the weekend 12 – 14 June.  Anthony Clark competed as part of the Profeet team, which finished 4th in the mixed category, 6-8 athletes, completing 41 laps.  Anthony ran his six laps in 30.16,30.17, 30.49, 32.18(night), 31.18 and 30.55.  Chris O’Brien‘s team, Bugface, was in the 3-5 athletes, mixed, category and was 24th of 79 having completed 31 laps.  Chris‘ seven laps were 34.29, 36.04, 36.23, 40.30. 43.06 (both in the dark), 39.20 and 40.37. Paul Hill also competed, but at the time of writing details of Paul‘s team and individual results aren’t to hand.

Meanwhile, Simon Hearn took part in a more ‘normal’ event on 14 June, namely the Swansea Half Marathon.  Simon‘s sense of achievement in running a PB of 1.30.29 was only slightly marred by the fact that he didn’t break 1.30 – but it’s only a matter of time!  Simon was 141st of 3396 finishers.

Approximately 30 of BAC‘s road and cross country runners, and their friends and families, descended on Casa Brazil, Old Christchurch Road, on 10 June for a very enjoyable evening and excellent food.  Word is that the next ‘social’, a beach barbeque, is already being discussed.  Many thanks to Gemma Bragg for organising it all.