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Cairngorm 4000ers Record

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There were two factors that both worried and excited me in equal measure as I set out to attempt the Cairngorm 4000ers record. The first was the weather: it was fairly blustery and a familiar wall of cloud hugged the plateau around Braeriach, as it often does. Cairngorm itself was clear and despite a few very light showers I hoped the cloud would blow off before I got across the Lairig Ghru. The other factor was that I didn’t know exactly what Ally Beaven’s 2017 record was, having been unorganised and then suffered in the morning from the frustrating technological calamity known as “the internet is broken”. So I set off with Paul Raistrick’s split times and the knowledge that Ally had broken this 2007 record by several minutes, exact quantity unknown! I last ran the route in April 2017 when there was a fair bit of spring snow still around. This made several parts slow going, and some sections of whiteout navigation from Cairn Toul onwards had augmented this. Still, I felt pretty p...
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Welsh 3000ers Record

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For me a good challenge involves pushing myself in the mountains. For it to be really engaging it would need to involve at least some technical ground - rough tracks, scree runs, a wee bit of scrambling. It would be about speed but also stamina, a route that would push me hard. Racing is good, but an ‘against the clock’ solo adventure is often better. You’re still racing your biggest rival and harshest critic. As an example, when I first started reccying the Cuillin Ridge Traverse in 2012 I had no idea if the record was even possible for me. I’d have guessed my chances were below fifty-fifty. The unknown factor is key to the allure: daring to try, trying in the face of possible failure. Records have a magic about them too - a lifetime of experience, often days of planning, hours of exact physical and mental execution summarised to just a time. A time to strive for; to beat. And of course, the older the record the bigger the draw. With time grows a mystique: both enticing and cautionar...
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Tranter's Round Record

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I set out at 0805hrs on Saturday 1st October 2016 and completed an anti-clockwise Tranter's Round in 10hrs 15minutes 30seconds. I have been interested in the Tranter Round for a long time. Last February, myself and Tim Gomersall completed a Winter round on skimo ski mountaineering equipment in 17hrs 35mins (see  http://gomountaingoats.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/skimo-tranter-round.html ) My focus over the past year or so has moved to longer races and runs. Competing in the Tromso Skyrace (3rd place, 6hrs 55mins) and Glencoe Skyline (4th place, 7hrs) as well as long runs in the hills have improved my stamina and distances. Supporting Jasmin Paris on her Ramsay Round Record (I did the third leg which was about 35km I think) was eye opening and sociable. Interest in long distance records seems to be on the increase. I like this: racing is good, but just going out and doing a long route for the challenge / fun of it is probably even more appealing to me. Looking at previous split tim...
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