Rub Shoulders with the Stars at the Theatre by the Lake
If you are a would be traveller or new to the outdoor world then there is no better time to rub shoulders with and be inspired by famous climbers, mountaineers, adventure racers and explorers. You can hear the true adventurer’s latest tales of reaching new heights and exploring the far flung corners of the world. Keep a close eye on the website for updates of Speakers at the Keswick Mountain Festival 2009.
To date we can confirm that for the biking world Mark Beaumont will be speaking about his epic journey around the world assisted by pedal power. Prepare to be exhausted listening to Rosie Swale Pope talk about her four and half year run around the World! Mike Stroud will be reliving some of his Epic Adventures and Jez Bragg will be wearing us all out talking about his Long Runs.
Tickets can be booked NOW at the THEATRE BY THE LAKE KESWICK
Mike Stroud - From Ice to Dust
Mike Stroud - From Ice to Dust
Mike Stroud is best known for his undertakings with Sir Ranulph Fiennes. They first teamed up between 1986 and 1990, making several attempts to reach the North Pole on foot and unsupported. These included a record breaking journey from Siberia which raised more than £2.4 million for charity. Following this, they switched their attention to Antarctica where in 1992/93 they succeeded in completing the first unaided walk across the continent from coast to coast via the South Pole. This entailed more than 1500 miles on foot dragging all their supplies and equipment without help from other men, animals or machines. At times, temperatures fell to less than -50 centigrade with winds exceeding 100 miles per hour. On his return Mike was awarded the OBE for ‘Human Endeavour and Services to Charity’ and the Polar Medal for ‘Services to Arctic and Antarctic exploration’.
Since that last Polar journey, Mike has continued his interest in extremes, with ventures including the 1994 ‘Marathon of the Sands’ - a Trans-Sahara multi-marathon, and the 1995 and 96 ‘Eco-Challenge’ adventure races - team events using skills such as climbing, canoeing, horse-riding, rafting and mountain biking to race non-stop across hundreds of miles of back country. In the 1996 Eco-Challenge held in the mountains of Western Canada, his team ‘Fit For Life’ included not only Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Rebecca Stephens MBE, but his 72 year old father Vic. In April 2002, Mike completed the first unsupported, non-stop run across the Qatar desert, covering 200 km in just 3 days, and most recently, he and Sir Ranulph completed 7 marathons, in 7 days, on 7 different continents, again for charity. He has also featured as the expert on endurance in the TV series ‘SAS - Are you tough enough?’ and presented and narrated the BBC series ‘The Challenge’. Mike’s presentation gives an account of these ventures, not only describing the physical and psychological hardships that he and Sir Ranulph endured, but using the topics to illustrate how vision, planning, teamwork and determination can make any idea successful. Despite describing truly desperate conditions, his presentations also never lack for humour!
Mark Beaumont -
Circumnavigation of the Globe by Bicycle
Mark Beaumont
At the age of 12 Mark Beaumont cycled across Scotland from Dundee to Oban, but only after his mother persuaded him that Land’s End to John o’ Groats was a long way!
However aged 15 he tackled the 1038 miles from John O’Groats to Lands End and completed his first solo ride which raised £3,000 for Charity.
After graduating from Glasgow University with a degree in Economics and Politics Mark decided to follow his dream and spent a year planning and training to become the fastest person to cycle round the world.
On Friday 15th February at 1530, he completed his 18,000 miles circumnavigation of the globe by bicycle and arrived back at the Arc de Triomphe 194 days and 17 hours after leaving there on 5th August 2007. The total distance cycled was 18,297 miles through 20 countries. Guinness World Records have verified all the data and confirmed Mark as the new Guinness World Record holder by a margin of 81 days.
Jez Bragg - In the Long Run
Sponsored by the North Face
The North Face
Jez Bragg
Twenty Seven year old Jez has been running competitively for only four years, but since making a winning debut as an ultra distance runner in The Marathon of Britain multi-stage race in 2004 he has gone on to establish himself as one of the best in the UK, both on the trails and the road. Jez has won the majority of the races he has taken part in the UK including many of the classic ultra distance trail races in the North of England and Scotland. In June 2006 Jez set a new record for The West Highland Way, the UK’s most-walked long distance path, knocking 42 minutes off the previous record to complete the 95 mile route in 15 hours 44minutes. In addition to the record for the full route, Jez also holds the course records for the two other West Highland Way based races covering the bottom and top halves.
In 2007 Jez also stamped his mark on the UK ultra distance road running scene by winning the UK 100km Championship in Edinburgh whilst competing for the England team in the annual anglo celtic plate race. Subsequently, in September 2007, Jez represented Great Britain in the combined 100km World & European Championships finishing in 18th and 10th places respectively.
Jez is based in the Midlands and juggles his training in the Shropshire hills and Peak District around his 4-day-a-week job as a construction project manager.
In his talk entitled in the Long Run Jez will speak of his experiences of running ultra distance races around the world, when and why he started running, highlights of his running career, his training and lifestyle and quest to inspire others.
Jez Bragg is one of The North Face sponsored athletes.
Rosie Runs Around the World! - Prepare to be exhausted
The entries to the Keswick Triathlon may be full but prepare yourself to feel exhausted as Rosie Swale Pope talks about Rosie’s run around the world! It only took her 4 and ½ years. What a lady. Take a look at her website rosiearoundtheworld.co.uk
Rosie Swale Pope
“On the 2nd of October 2003 her 57th birthday, Rosie set off to run around the world. Solo, self supporting and on a low budget. Her wish to do a complete circle of the earth. The death of her husband Clive from prostate cancer, taught Rosie more than anything about how precious life is; How short it can be, that you HAVE to grab life, do what you can while you can, and try to give something back. Rosie is back after 4 and half years and ready to tell her tale.
So Run to Keswick and if you can prove you are going to run the furthest to get to her talk I will give you a FREE pair of tickets or perhaps even a picky in the local paper with Rosie herself!!
