Bradford's Iain Taylor beats gruelling Lakes challenge

Iain Taylor took less than a day to climb 42 Lake District peaks

A Bradford College tutor has become the third fastest runner to ever complete one of the UK's most gruelling winter endurance tests in the Lake District.

Iain Taylor took just 22 hours and 44 minutes to climb 42 mountains.

Facing temperatures as low as minus six, he is one of just 21 runners to finish the 68 mile course - known as the Bob Graham Round - during winter.

The challenge included Skiddaw, Helvellyn, Scafell and Scafell Pike - all of which are over 3,000 ft high.

It was Iain's second attempt to finish the course during the winter months.

He said: "I tried it the year before and was waist deep in snow, whereas this time it was mainly ice and really hard snow which was easier to run on."

Sleep deprivation

After starting at 4am, he finished the course nearly a day later despite suffering from a painful knee injury and sleep deprivation.

While nearly 2,000 people have completed the Bob Graham Round in summer, Iain's success means he has now become one of an elite band of winter fell runners.

The gruelling Bob Graham Round includes a total of 42 mountains

It took Iain four years to prepare for this year's run, which saw him driving to the Lake District on 24 separate occasions in the previous year to learn the route he would run.

He also carried out training in Scotland, Wales and the Yorkshire Dales.

Iain said he faced some challenging moments during his run.

"A couple of descents were quite dangerous," he said.

"I was going down a really narrow gully that was really iced up and the two people I was with stopped to put their spikes on.

"Stupidly, I forgot mine so I had to go down without them on so I was really cautious."

Champagne reception

Greeted by a champagne reception, local people and well-wishers came out to cheer Iain to the finishing line at Moot Hall in Keswick at 3am - nearly 24 hours after he first set out.

Iain said: "After reaching Skiddaw, the last summit, I had enough time to be able to walk the last five miles.

"That was a bit of an anti-climax.

I had people with me at every leg to carry stuff for me, keep me going and keep me company Iain Taylor, fell runner

"I had always imagined having just a few minutes left and having to sprint to Moot Hall, shedding clothing as I went."

Iain praised the support he was given by a team of 30 people, including 15 "pacers" and others who had provided food and moral support.

"I had people with me at every leg to carry stuff for me, keep me going and keep me company," he said.

"They helped me massively. They all kept me going and I did not want to let them down.

"It was very humbling."