What is the Bob Graham Round?

It's a fell running challenge in the Lake District involving 42 peaks, 66 miles, and about 27,000 feet of ascent, all completed within 24 hours. It's not an organized race—you choose when to start and navigate the route yourself.

What was Helene Diamantides's Bob Graham Round record time?

She set a women's record of 19 hours and 11 minutes in 1989. This came after her first record of 20 hours and 17 minutes in 1988, and the time remained competitive for several years until Anne Stentiford ran 18:49 in 1991.

Did Helene Diamantides ever race again after she stopped competing?

Yes, she returned for the 2012 Dragon's Back Race, twenty years after winning it in 1992. She finished as first woman and fourth overall, though she'd stopped regular competitive running after the early 1990s.

Who Are They?

Helene Diamantides: The Doctor Who Set Women's Fell Running Records and Then Stopped Racing

In the 1980s, Helene Diamantides held multiple women's fell-running records, including the Bob Graham Round. She ran, worked as a GP, and quietly stepped back from competition without announcing retirement. Her records stood for years while she carried on walking.

10 September 20267 min read