Record-breaker Hall smashes Pennine Way
BOUNDING unfettered from the confines of the long lockdown, Damian Hall announced his return to action with another staggering record-breaking achievement.
The Box-based ultra marathon runner and former Running Bath/chronicle athlete of the year set a new record time for completing the 268-mile Pennine Way from Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders to Edale, Derbyshire.
Hall, who is a member of Corsham Running Club, completed this iconic challenge, which is Great Britain’s oldest – and arguably toughest – National Trail, in a time of 61 hours 35 minutes 15 seconds to slash over three hours from the previous record.
“To my mind this is the big one in the UK so this stands right up there for me among my achievements,” said Hall, aged 44.
“Maybe in years to come I’ll look back at this as the best achievement in my career. Obviously, there is the Land’s End to John O’groats run but that is mostly on the road so doesn’t appeal to me at all.
“After that it is the Pennine Way so I am really chuffed and felt quite overwhelmed at the finish.”
Overwhelmed and incredibly tired as to break the record, he snatched only 40 minutes of sleep in short power-naps from the 6am start in the Scottish borders on Wednesday to the finish line on Friday evening at 7.34pm.
To sustain that requires immense physical and psychological strength and Hall has shown that in abundance in his career. Indeed, he opened 2020 by adding the Paddy Buckley Round – a 61-mile circuit comprising 47 Welsh mountain tops winter record to his existing summer one.
And, of course, some years ago he set a record for the 630-mile South West Coast Path from Minehead to Poole, the UK’S longest National Trail, which is when the idea of tackling the Pennine Way first occurred to him.
“I started thinking of doing it but I remember writing about Mike Hartley’s 1989 record in the Pennine Way guidebook before I got into running and thinking ‘That’s insane, I could never do that,’” explained Hall.
“But with no races to aim for during lockdown it felt like the right time to tackle it.”
So did fellow Brit John Kelly, who actually narrowly broke Hartley’s record just the week before only to have it well and truly ripped from his grasp by Hall. With the support of his sponsors inov-8 Hall gathered together a team of volunteers to help him with the effort, ensuring he had people to run with plus nutritional support at crucial points.
In addition, his team also helped clean the famous trail of litter as they ran, stuffing it in their packs before handing it to support team members at road crossing meet-up points. Indeed, the whole operation was certified as carbon-negative.
“It was a huge team effort and I couldn’t have made it happen without the support of my road crew, pacers and the people we met along the way,” said Hall.
“I had the inevitable low spells, but the incredible team got me through them.”
Fortunately, the weather conditions were benign but the lack of sleep took its toll.
“In ultra running we talk about the ‘sleep monsters’ and managing sleep deprivation is a big challenge,” added Hall.
But it is challenges like that which Hall thrives upon so what next?
“A good rest,” said Hall. He deserves it.
■ THERE was the first track and field action last week as Yate & District AC staged a small, strictly controlled open meeting at the south Gloucestershire headquarters.
Three Team Bath athletes managed to secure entries with Alice Wilson winning the under-15 girls’ 75m hurdles in a time of 12.20secs, into a 1.4m headwind.
In the 100m Team Bath junior Ben Game clocked 11.45secs into a headwind (-1.4m) and Joe Carter ran 11.70secs in the same heat.
■ Athletics coverage in the Chron is sponsored by Running Bath