ANDY BERRY - BOB & ME

Andy Berry ran the fourth fastest Bob Graham Round in history, clocking 13hrs 35mins.

The INOV8 athlete flew round the famous 66-mile, 42-peak route amid red-hot conditions in the English Lake District. He ran to record pace schedule over the first of five legs, and was only 13 mins down on schedule upon reaching Harrison Stickle (peak number 21 of 42). But Jack Kuenzle's record (12hrs 23mins) is incredible for a reason, and so it proved again.

To date, only Jack, Kilian Jornet and Finlay Wild have run the Bob Graham Round faster than Andy. That is an immense achievement. Congratulations, Andy.

Speaking 48 hours after his epic run, Andy said: "I'm very proud of what we achieved over the weekend. I was never going to take the next step up in time on the BGR by sitting on the sofa and thinking about it. We dreamed, we shot for the hoop and we missed. But we had the courage to stand up and have a go.

"I was so fortunate in the level of support I received and the calibre of everyone helping was first-rate. It's not every day you have the 2024 English and British Fell Running champion waiting to let you chase him down Halls Fell, Blencathra.

"At the finish I thought that was it for me time-wise on the Bob Graham Round but as the dust settles there are always places to see improvement. Those two things can coexist.

"That's the joy of enjoying the journey - it never ends. It's only ever a question of what to point yourself at next. For me, that's Chamonix and a date with the world's biggest ultra-trail race. Let's recover and get back to work."

INOV8 athlete Andy Berry is this weekend attempting a super-fast Bob Graham Round in the English Lake District.

The famous fell circuit includes 42 peaks, 66 miles and 27,000ft of ascent. The record stands at 12 hrs 23 mins set in 2022 by Jack Kuenzle, who beat Kilian Jornet’s previous best by 28 mins.

Andy – who holds the Lake District 24-Hour Fell Record (78 peaks in 23 hrs 23 mins) – will run supported and has set a schedule to challenge the record, saying: “Failure is a realistic possibility but there’s a chance of success and that’s worth chasing.”

*Follow Andy’s Bob Graham Round attempt via this live tracking map.

*The below blog post was written by Andy prior to this weekend’s attempt.

I was first introduced to the Bob Graham Round 10 years ago. I had just completed my first ever ultra event, The Wall, from Carlisle to Newcastle, 70 miles with not much elevation. I was left with the question that will be familiar to a lot who first come across the round, ‘How do people do 66 miles around the Lake District fells, with nearly the same height gain as Mount Everest, in less than 24 hours?’ It intrigued me, captivated me and inspired me onto a journey.... One with no end in sight!

It began with that first trip around the route. Fully supported and going clockwise, I had spent the eight months from first stepping foot on the route until that day in June 2016 to prepare for my wedding day in the fells (a community adage as the whole day is about you and you can have whatever you want!)

The day was brilliant, everything I dreamed of. It had my friends involved of course, but also it was my first experience of random people I’d never met before that day, coming and giving their time to help me. I finished strong, blowing all my time targets to pieces and finishing in 18 hrs 52 mins. I became club member number 2003 (if you register your round, finish in under 24 hours and then get it ratified through The Bob Graham Club you get a certificate and become a member).

 I remember someone saying afterwards ‘I’m pleased you are finished with that.’ The truth is I knew in my heart that something had changed forever. That feeling of pushing my boundaries and exploring what was possible for me, was the start of a passion, and I didn’t want to let go.

In the January of 2017 I did my first winter round, which is a Bob Graham Round done between the December 1st and the last day of February. Contrary to what some believe, the winter round was a concept based around the limit of available light and not based upon the ground conditions. I also did this round fully supported and clockwise in quite mild winter conditions. Becoming only the second person to go under 20 hrs in winter, I managed to improve my summer time by 10 mins, getting back to the Moot Hall in Keswick in 18 hrs 41 mins.

However, it was between these two rounds that my love affair with the Bob Graham Round really took off. I started being both the friend, and the stranger, who gave up their time to help support others with their dreams. I’ve supported over 30 different rounds or record attempts, with 23 official supports on successful rounds recognised on the club website.

When some runners come to do the round, they make a lot of noise about the community, and how special it is, how they have been obsessed with it for years, and how it means so much to them. Words are easy. Finishing work on a Friday, driving to the Lake District to meet someone you’ve never met in a car park at 2am, running them down the Helvellyn ridge, getting two hours sleep in the car, and going home again is hard, but so worthwhile.

My border collie got so good at the route lines on Leg 2 of the round that I called him my dog positioning system (DPS!) and would encourage people to ‘just follow the dog.’

I met so many like-minded people that it became normal. When I was going through my divorce, it was doing Bob Graham support for a close friend that helped me clearly see who I wanted to be – a person who lives with being in the hills as a primary part of who they are.

The Bob Graham Round taught me that there are a lot of people out there who see the world as I do. That I’m not weird, crazy, stupid or any of the other things people might say or had said. I had found my tribe, it made me feel good, whole, and some of my closest friends have been added to my life through it.

Once let out of Covid lockdown, I expressed my excitement at our freedom with an impromptu solo, unsupported and anticlockwise summer round. It was joy, pure and simple, especially after an intense week at work.

I completed it in something like 20 hrs 30 mins (I don’t have a record of the exact time, but it was about that!) including a 30-min nap on the side of Dollywagon Pike when I simply couldn’t move without a bit of kip.

To complete the set, in the winter of 2023, I decided to pick the best weather I could in the lead up to Christmas and do a solo, unsupported, anticlockwise, mid-winter round. The weather was grim, with a full night of clag, wind and rain, leaving me questioning my life choices. I battled through and completed my set, setting a personal best for the round in 18 hrs 6 mins.

So, why am I telling you all about my history with the Bob Graham Round?

Well, after breaking The Lake District 24-Hour Fell Record in 2023, it reset what I felt was possible for me and led me to draw up a new list of dream goals. Near the top of that list was ‘How close to the Bob Graham record can I get?’ Pretty soon we will find out.

I was there when Jack Kuenzle broke the record, I supported on leg 2. I know how insanely fast it is. Record attempts are always a fine margin requiring a sprinkle of luck. I know that everything needs to line up.

However, I’ve trained hard, and I know that if the stars align, something special could happen and I could do it.

I am fortunate that people will be there to support me, but as ever with these things I am merely the baton that will get passed between amazing people, old friends and new. This is so close to my heart and is something that would mean so much to be the custodian of. That thought alone blows my mind.

As I said, there’s always a bit of luck required to get there and I’m comfortable with that. Ultimately, if I miss the record then I will still have run my heart out, my team will have done everything they could have, and we will have had a great day out in the fells chasing a dream.

I firmly believe that my goal time of 12 hrs 22 mins is only the same as another person’s 23 hrs 59 mins – what is important is the desire to expand your horizons beyond what you currently see as possible.

I would encourage anyone with a dream of doing a Bob Graham Round to just start the process. That is where the true joy is – the people, the fells and the experiences along the way. The Bob Graham Round is not a destination, it’s a journey and no matter whether I, or you, succeed, it’s a journey worth going on.

INOV8 and I share that journey. born in the north of England. Forged in the fells. We dream together.

KIT FOR THE BOB GRAHAM ROUND

TRAILTALON SPEED – Light, fast and loads of grip. I wore this for the recent 126km Transgrancanaria (finished 9th). Love them.

AIRLITE PRO TEE or VEST – Hardly know you’re wearing it. Super-breathable.

RACE ELITE 5” SHORTS – Lots of freedom, comfortable and never chafe.