British mountain guide becomes first winter runner to complete Wainwright’s 214 peaks

On Dec. 1, James Gibson from Ambleside, U.K., set out to become the first person to run Wainwright’s 214 peaks in the winter. After 200 hours of running in blistery conditions, Gibson arrived back in the town of Keswick, U.K. on Dec. 9, to finish his journey and become the first man to complete this feat in the middle of winter. Gibson finished his record-setting journey in eight days, six hours and 44 minutes.

Here is the history behind the run: The Wainwrights consist of 214 mountain peaks inside Britain’s Lake District National Park – all peaks are taller than 1,000 feet (304 metres), except one. Traversing all the Wainwright’s in one consecutive run involves 523 kilometres of distance and ascending 36,000 metres. Since Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guide to Lakeland Fells was published in the 1950s, summiting these peaks has become a goal for many British ultrarunners. The rules of the Wainwrights record are simple: runners must start and finish in the town of Keswick, a town located in the national park, and they can take any route they like, as long as they summit each of the 214 peaks.

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What made Gibson’s journey unique was the wind, rain, snow and ice he had to endure. A wicked snowstorm hit the coastal mountain range on the sixth day of his journey, resulting in him descending back to the valley. As the storm blasted through, Gibson and his crew resumed, trekking through a foot of snow. As Gibson reached the last peak, he celebrated with a beer before returning to Keswick to finish.

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When he finished in Keswick, the previous Wainwright record-holders Steve Birkenshaw and Paul Tierney, who both ran this challenge in the summer, were there to greet him in the village. Gibson was supported by over 60 friends and local businesses that offered hospitality to him on the route.