Secrets Of The Round
Tips from the fastest completers for taking on Ramsay’s challenge
IT took almost 40 years for a total of 100 runners to complete one of Scotland’s most extreme mountain challenges. Incredibly, in the last two years, the number of completers has surged to 170.
The goal is to finish “Ramsay’s Round”, which is an arduous route of 90km (56 miles) with more than 8688 metres (28,500 feet) of ascent, in less than 24 hours.
The circuit starts and finishes at Glen Nevis Youth Hostel near Fort William, Highlands, and takes in 24 of the UK’S highest mountains, including the tallest, Ben Nevis.
All but one of the mountains are classed as Munros – Scottish peaks of more than 914 m (3000 ft) – and they are located amid a relentlessly rugged and wild landscape.
Ramsay’s Round was devised by the circuit’s namesake, Charlie Ramsay, from Edinburgh, as an extension to Tranter’s Round of 19 summits over 58km (36 miles), devised by Peter Tranter.
Ramsay set the first record on July 9, 1978, when he finished two minutes inside a self-imposed 24-hour limit. In doing so he created a challenge that for many years had a comparatively low profile.
Then, in the mid-1980s, the late Chris Brasher, a highly regarded British track and field athlete and co-founder of the London Marathon, began to spread word about Ramsay’s Round, resulting in a steadier stream of runners. Yet, due to its gruelling nature, the number of sub-24-hour finishers crept up by only a few each year. By 1998, only 20 runners had achieved a sub-24-hour and, at the end of 2015, the total was 84 runners. In the following year, 12 more added their names and the 100th Ramsay’s Round was reached on May 2017.
Since then, it appears the floodgates have opened and in 2019 a bumper 36 added their names to the log.
Charlie Ramsay, who is still an enthusiastic follower of the endurance running arena, believes one of the main reasons for the spike in numbers is a change in lifestyle.
“Key to a successful finish is the weather, or rather spotting the right weather window,” Charlie says. “Because people have more flexible working arrangements and the ability to travel more easily to the Highlands for recces, as well as to attempt the Round, they have a greater chance of success.
“Back in the early days, we all worked 9-to-5, finished on a Friday and then had to take our chances on the weather.
“Now people come on any day of the week and adjust work and home schedules to suit.”
Greater awareness of the mountain circuit, as well as other “classic” British mountain rounds, such as the Bob Graham in the English Lake District and the Welsh Paddy Buckley, has led to more people aiming for a finish. The more people who do so, the more knowledge and information there is to share.
“I see more runners helping each other, sharing details, routes and planning,” Charlie says. “Of course, developments such as the internet and the Ramsay’s Round map by Harvey Maps, has helped.”
Yorkshire runner Nicky Spinks, a former holder of the fastest female time, agrees.
“The more people who do the round, the more people
find out about it and the easier it becomes for people to find advice and also supporters,” she says.
As more runners take it on, there is also the bid to go faster. For more than a quarter of a century, Derbyshire runner Adrian Belton’s time of 18 hours and
23 minutes set in August 1989 remained the fastest.
Then in June 2015, Jez Bragg, from Dorset, finally sliced off 11 minutes. Weeks later, the record was lowered again, by Jon Ascroft, from Edinburgh, to 16 hours 59 minutes.
Another remarkable record was set by Jasmin Paris, also from Edinburgh, in 16 hours 13 minutes on June 1, 2016. Previously the fastest ladies’ time, held by Nicky Spinks, was 19 hours and 39 minutes.
Last year, on July 6, Es Tresidder, from Banavie, near Fort William, set the newest record of 16 hours 12 minutes, just a minute faster than Paris.
Nicky believes there are many factors for speedier finishes, including improved footwear design, lighter kit, tried-and-tested nutrition and knowledge of the route.
“All of these things contribute to running faster over long periods of time,” says Nicky, the only runner to have completed a “double” Ramsay Round.
For Es, it’s the knowledge of what other runners have already achieved that makes faster times possible.
“Mostly, I think it’s that the pace you set out at is dictated by what other folk have done before you.
“If the record to beat is 18 hours, it takes a bold runner to set out on a 16-hour schedule.
“The 16-hour pace felt ridiculously fast when I set out, but I also had the knowledge that Jasmin had run that fast and so I hoped I had a chance of also being able to.”
Support from the friendly hill-running community is
often key to both a successful completion and a faster time.
David Lintern, whose book The Big Rounds has brought many people to the challenge, makes the point that Es’s fastest finish followed, in the grand tradition of hill-running, challengers helping each other out.”
“Es was paced on his final leg by Paris,” says David, “who set the previous record in 2016. For that record, she was paced on her final leg by the previous holder, Ascroft.
“This is normal in the community and illustrates the generosity and openness of the scene. From what I’ve seen, these challenges are really not about who beats who and by how much – they are personal challenges.”
For Jamie Aarons, of, Carbeth, East Dunbartonshire, a spontaneous decision last June to attempt to simply finish Ramsay’s Round, ended up a sub-24 hour triumph thanks to the support of friends and strangers.
“Ramsay’s Round in under 24 hours had seemed impossible to me,” Jamie says. “Instead, I planned a relaxed round and as part of my training for an Andorra race.
“I turned to the internet and social media with a plea for strangers to join me.”
What happened to Jamie took her by surprise. “Thanks to five strangers, two friends and my partner – as well as countless gels and two litres of cola – I was supported and fuelled to achieve the round in 23 hours, 50 minutes. I will always be grateful to those who helped me.”
Despite the recent rise in numbers, Ramsay’s Round remains a genuine feat of endurance. It’s an unmarked route in wild terrain and includes challenging and exposed ridges. Only half a dozen have finished in under 20 hours.
“Try walking it as a continuous round,” says David, “or even just running a single leg, and you’ll see it’s really tough to keep going – you have to give everything.”
To find out more visit www.ramsaysround.co.uk