What is Fell Running? with Nicky Spinks

To quote Mr. Warren Pole, "If you fall in Fall running Fell, now you have something!"

Nicky Spinks is an accomplished fell runner out of northern England.  Nicky and Warren Pole join The Nation to discuss what Fell running is, its origins, and where it fits with trail and ultra running.

We discuss one of the famous fell run challenges, the Bob Graham Round. Named after Bob Graham, who in June 1932 broke the Lakeland Fell record by traversing 42 fells within a 24-hour period, at the age of 42.

Each summer around 100 of the most highly tuned ultra-distance fell runners will attempt the 66-mile, 27,000 ft of ascent within the allotted 24 hours. Only one in three will succeed.  To date approximately 2055 people have completed the single round in 24 hours.

Nicky has set records on the Bob Graham Round in previous years.  In 2016, on her 10th anniversary of overcoming breast cancer, the 49-year-0ld bested the record for the DOUBLE Bob Graham Round.  This covers over 132 miles, 52,000' of ascent over 84 summits.  She did this in an amazing 45-1/2 hours!

Video about the Bob Graham Round with Salomon Running athlete Ricky Lightfoot

Nicky Spinks article re. her Double Bob Graham.

Video of Nicky completing the Double Bob Graham.

We also added a few words to our glossary:

Tussic

Moore

Heather

Jelly Babies

Tops

Clag

Peet

And finally,  to quote Mr. Warren Pole, "If you fall in Fall running Fell, now you have something!"