Running from Land’s End to John O’Groats: Bob’s 60th Birthday Challenge 

Marathon runner, Bob Yates, will be taking on the monumental challenge of running from Land’s End to John O’Groats for his 60th birthday in support of charity Humanity Direct. In 2014, Bob was living a sedentary lifestyle, but now, 11 years later, he is gearing up to run the entire length of Great Britain!

We recently caught up with Bob to find out what led him to this challenge, his goals and aspirations, and what it means to have the support of his family, friends, and running community behind him.  

"I haven’t always been a runner; I’ve spent most of my life working at a desk and living a sedentary lifestyle! On 4 January 2014, I decided to make a change. After a month of daily treadmill sessions, I joined parkrun and became hooked. Over the next couple of years, I gradually moved from 5k to 10k and eventually to half marathons. It wasn’t until 2016, when I ran my first London Marathon that I truly caught the marathon bug." 

Going from a desk-bound lifestyle to running the London Marathon just two years later is a massive achievement but also a big lifestyle change, physically and mentally. Bob also explains how his life has changed socially since becoming a part of a club: 

"Running has hugely expanded my social circle. Most runners are genuinely lovely people who care about each other, and I’m very lucky to have such supportive clubmates at Handy Cross Runners. I always chat to people at Ultra events, and it’s a great way to meet new people with similar interests."

"I can honestly say joining Handy Cross Runners has been one of the best things I’ve done to enhance my enjoyment of running. The support, camaraderie, and opportunities offered by the club have enthused me to continue expanding my running journey. Today, it's still the best value of any money I spend."

Running the length of Britain is a huge mental and physical challenge, from his experience Bob told us that mindset is 50% of the battle when it comes to completing such an event. You might be wondering what inspires someone to sign up to run the length of Britain, for Bob it was a Facebook post: 

"Land’s End to John O'Groats was always one of those mystical running challenges that people talk about. That is, until late 2021 when I saw a post by Rat Race promoting their new Run Britannia event – a distance of 1634km – over 1000 miles of some of the country’s outstanding national trails. I deliberated for weeks. Could I undertake such a distance? Was I silly for even contemplating it? After all, I would be turning 60, but what better way to mark it than doing something extraordinary?"

Bob acknowledges that the challenge is bound to come with both difficulties and opportunities. Like any runner tackling such a challenge, he admits to fears about his body holding up and the inevitable exhaustion of day after day of running on such a tight schedule. He explains what he’s been doing to prepare for these: 

"I’m determined to enjoy it and just grind it out. To get myself in the right condition, I’ve been concentrating on distance running, taking on an average of one Ultra [marathon] a month during 2024 amongst my general training."

However, these concerns are balanced with the excitement that the challenge brings: 

"I’m really looking forward to meeting new friends, sharing the inevitable highs and lows, and seeing the beautiful places I’ve yet to visit. It will be so satisfying to complete the event convincingly and be able to join the small group who can claim to have run from Land’s End to John O'Groats."

When talking about previous setbacks in his life, Bob explained that he was involved in a serious motorcycle accident when he was 17, leaving him with injuries that he had to be mindful of throughout his running journey. However, this hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his running goals: 

"I’ve had a couple of challenges. [The accident] left me with a badly damaged foot, so I need to be careful about the footwear I choose. But with the right products on my feet, I feel confident to pull this challenge off."

For those of you feeling inspired by Bob’s upcoming challenge and commitment, he has some advice to share: 

"With work and preparation, we can achieve far more than we believe. The biggest limiting factor is our own mindset. Change that, and you can achieve so much more!"

Bob has so far raised £222 of his £10,000 target for Humanity Direct and is determined to reach his goal. We wish him the best of luck with his challenge!