Kev's big weekend.

Good luck to you for the weekend Kev. Hope all goes well. Will be thinking about you. X
TC and Andrew

Kev - no matter what the outcome you are a legend in my eyes for even attempting to do what you are doing  

Well done Kev on achieving your goal. Brilliant news. Really pleased for you. Enjoy your well earned rest.
TC and andrew

The Bob Graham round has 5 legs, usually people take a short 10/15 minutes brake after each leg and get fresh support runners/pacers. Below is a write up of the last leg, even if you are not a runner you might enjoy it. It might be a little difficult for those who are not involved with Ultra Distant running/cycling events to believe some of the events but they are all true. Enjoy.



Sometimes the facts and fingers of a Bob Graham round tells so little of the story, I will not tell the whole story now in this post but quickly to thank those who helped me achieve the BG and mention what was perhaps the defying leg of the round.

Thank you to Louise (my wife), friends, family, Annan and District Athletic Club (must be the best running club in the world in its own way) and the Fell runner Association forum, without you lot I couldn’t have achieved it.

LEG 5 in now or never.

In the second half of leg 4 I was struggling and it was looking like the grave yard of the BG as it is sometimes called was about to get another headstone, I came into check point 5 at Honister around a 1 hour down, sitting in the chair I was pretty done in, while theoretically it was still possible it was hanging in the balance, if I didn’t man up it could have slipped from my grasp. I had 3 pacers and a Navigator for leg 5 but then like the cavalry to the rescue club mates and pacers that had already done one or even two legs stepped forward to run the leg, some had only planned to go the top of Dale head, or just stop at the road. In the end they all stopped with me to the end.

I set my mind to it, still trying to work out if I could do it, I said to one of my pacers going up Dale Head, “I am not going to do it” he said “you will complete it”, I said “not in 24 hours” he didn’t answer, I just thought to myself I am not going this far to fail! I dug deeper than ever before, pushing myself as hard as I could it was now or never. Running in the dark Roy and Rory ran in front route finding, while John, Shirley, Nigel, Gordon, Andy ran with me lighting the way picking the best path feeding me gels and mint cake, somehow we hit Robinson in 2 hours! 16 minutes up on 22:30 schedule and ran in the dark, next we had the descent off Robinson, this was one part of the Bob that I have never recced, I had done out and back from both ends but not this bit.

Up until this point I had noticed while running on the grass it looked like long grass but I knew it was short, I thought it was just shadows and just got on with it. Coming down Robinson I thought my head torch was playing up as I had a strange shadow at the bottom of my eyes, hitting grass farm track I realized that my eye sight was going, I had a black line like a blind slowly working up my eye cutting down my vision, (I had read about the phenomena in a book by a USA Ultra runner) I knew I had reach the gate before the tarmac while I still had vision ,as that running and pick my way on the track while being guided would slow me down too much. I pushed as hard as I could even telling one pacers to get out the way! Once I got to the gate “I shouted my eye sight gone! Somebody hold my hand a guide me”. With John holding one hand and his partner Shirley holding the other I ran with my eyes shut, I found that after running with my eyes shut for a while the at the line restricting my vision had receded , but as I ran with my eyes open it started to come back.

I got to Newlands Church where I was going to change to my road shoes, also here were waiting were my “road runners” Andy and my brother Steve. I said I am not stopping; I was wearing my old InoV8 318 trail running shoes and knew these were good on the road. Now Andy and Gordon grabbed a hand each, somebody said we have 70 minutes, I thought then, I can do this! By now Graham and Dave from other legs had joined us, at each hill the lads gave me a commentary, downhill coming, the road’s flat, uphill now! At the first up hills I opened my eyes and said run it or walk it, but after the first two hills I didn’t even open my eyes just said run it. As we approached the foot bridge we met a couple coming the other way, with Gordon and Andy holding my hands Gordon shout out don’t worry we are a gay threesome! Down the foot path somebody held the gates open but with three of us running abreast Andy kept getting nettled much to Gordon amusement. Over the bridge and now a straight run to Moot Hall, somebody had shouted we had been clocking 8 minute miles, if it wasn’t for the pain in my left shin from shin splits I could have gone quicker. My brother had only taken up running 10 months ago after I asked if he would pace for me on leg 5, afterwards he said he did a personal best for 5 miles that night running with me doing it in 40 minutes. So in the high street I picked up the pace and kicked for the finish, the late night revellers were milling about, I think if any of them had got in the way they would have been lynched by my supporters! Up the steps kissed the door of Moot Hall job done.

Afterwards in the pub somebody said it was like a Rocky film, at Honister I came in out for the count hardly able to keep my eyes open my left leg is wrecked, my right was a little better, as I sat on my chair my crew worked on me to get me out for the final round, I was behind on points and the 7 foot Russian was laughing at me, I needed a knockout punch to win. The crowd was going mad cheering me on (my supporters) I ran myself until blind to knock the Russian out!

I dedicate my round to those who rounds I have supported on and you haven’t quite made it yet, because it was the little bits of things I learnt on your rounds I was able to bring to mine and make it a success.

To, Daz, Brian, Bill, Roy and Richard for you, your time will come. Then to Len, who at nearly 80 now tried 6 times and never quite got there, one for us against the mountains.




The after effects.

I also collapsed twice in the BB and asked the wife who she was as she helped me to my feet.

I got shin splints in my left leg at about 35 miles in, I ran the rest of the round in pain when running down hill and the flats only when climbing did it ease.

The shin splints in my left leg which prompted a visit to A+E as a precaution. (see photo), The doctor shook his head and said "amazing what the body will do if the mind is determined enough".

In life some people say they have given 100%, at the end that day I can say I did and know it was true.

Kev as I keep saying you are an absolutely amazing guy - for guts and determination I so
so so admire you - in my eyes you truly are an ADAC Legend    

cazalegg wrote:Kev as I keep saying you are an absolutely amazing guy - for guts and determination I so  
so so admire you - in my eyes you truly are an ADAC Legend    

Cazza I could never have done it without friends, family and ADAC, I think this photo say it all.

I have been asked to put a link on for the Brain Tumour Charity who I was raising funds for


https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/kevinplummer1

Thanks everybody.

Kev