Another challenge looms on the horizon following the culmination in 2012 of 3 years of planning and preparation for the Marathon des Sables (see www.marathondessables2012.blogspot.com for details). 


Shorter overall than the MdS, with just one "stage", but what a stage! Around 72 miles, across 42 Lakeland peaks covering around 27,000 foot of ascent and descent. And all within a 24 hour time limit. To put that in perspective, Everest is 29,029 feet above sea level. That's a lot of hill. 


The Bob Graham Round, or BGR is named after a certain Bob Graham, a Lakeland legend and guest house owner who in 1932 undertook to cover 42 peaks in the Lakes in 24 hours to celebrate his 42nd birthday. I shall be attempting it in my 41st year. 


Those who complete it successfully are eligible to join the Bob Graham Club, an exclusive though, I'm lead to believe, very friendly and welcoming group of ultra runners, fell runners and all round nut jobs. There's about 2,000 members currently I believe. 


The record for the round is 13 hours 53 minutes by the brilliant Billy Bland in 1982, but I don't think I'll be challenging for the record. Not least because I'm planning a "winter round", that being one which takes place between 1 December and 1 March, which is likely to add a certain je ne sais quoi to the proceedings. 


I blame Dan, friend and sometime running partner of old for getting me thinking about this as I wallowed in post-MdS smugness relishing the lack of impetus to train and nursing my feet back to normality. Dan's currently in New Zealand working on a campsite near Wanaka, preparing to run the entire length of the country at the end of the year before returning to the UK. I tik he just wants to prove when he's back that he's fitter than me, hence the "invite" (read: challenge) to join him. Trouble is, he's likely to be right as currently I've not done any real training since April and am a little on the chubby side and a long way off the fine physical form I was for the MdS! Still, time to start doing some training now, and see how it goes. For those who are interested, watch this space and I'll let you know how I get on........