Accomplished fell running veteran Joss Naylor has passed away at the age of 88.
A sheep farmer from Cumbria, British ultramarathoner Naylor was revered as the ‘King of the Fells’ for his extraordinary list of running achievements in some of the UK’s toughest trail environments.
These include breaking the Lake District 24-hour record on not one but three occasions, and, in 1971, for setting the fastest known time of 11 hours and 54 minutes for the Three Peaks Challenge, counting driving time between each mountain.
In 1973, Naylor then became the fastest person to conquer the Welsh 3000s – a mighty quest that involves climbing all 15 peaks in Wales with a height of 3,000 feet or more. His record of 4 hours and 46 minutes stood until 1988. The following year, in 1974, he then set the fastest known time for the Pennine Way, completing the demanding 268-mile route in 3 days, 4 hours and 36 minutes. This record stayed with him until 1989.
Having taken up running in 1960 at the age of 24, Naylor also proved that age is anything but a barrier when it comes to running success. In fact, you could argue that he actually improved as the decades elapsed.
For example, at the age of 50, Naylor traversed all 214 Wainwrights (otherwise known as English fells) on foot in the space of just seven days, 1 hour and 25 minutes. This record, set in 1986, remained unbroken until 2014.
Then, in 1997, at the age of 60, he fittingly celebrated by running 60 Lakeland fell tops in 36 hours. He continued the trend in 2006 when, at the age of 70, he ran 70 Lakeland fells in under 21 hours. This particular challenge saw him cover more than 50 miles and 25,000 feet of ascent. A hugely respected and inspirational figure to runners across the globe, Naylor possessed indisputable determination and an unwavering passion for running in the mountainous wilds of Great Britain.
Naylor spoke to Runner’s World UK when he hit his eighties, feeling no less fond of the sport that was his way of life.
‘When I was 20, I had a back operation and the doctor told me I was designed to be a top athlete,’ said Naylor, thinking back to his natural but quirky entrance into fell running. ‘My first race was the Lake District Mountain Trial in 1960. I didn’t have any running shoes or shorts, so I ran in my work boots and cut the legs off my trousers above the knees.
“I’ve taken a lot from the sheer tranquillity of the Lake District – an appreciation of the landscape, wildlife and plants. For me, running has always been more about getting out in the natural environment than exercise or training”.
His humble, fuss-free approach to running applied to his nutrition strategy, too. Reflecting on his 30-mile run from Caldbeck to Wasdale in Cumbria – a personal endeavour to both celebrate his 80th birthday and remember his dad, who hailed from the region – Naylor was quick to defend his choice of fuel.
“The only food I ever eat on long runs is sandwiches and cake”, he said. “I carry food that you can eat in two mouthfuls without having to break stride. On my Caldbeck to Wasdale run, I drank blackcurrant juice with salt added. As you get older, you learn what you need and what works for you”.
In addition to his running, Naylor was a longstanding patron for the Brathay Trust, a charity that works to improve the lives of young people in need across the North West of England. Using many of his races and challenges as fundraising events, he raised about £40,000 for the charity between 2007 and 2019, and, in 2007, was awarded an MBE for his services to sport and charity.
According to a post shared on Facebook by The Climbers Shop in Ambleside, Naylor passed away on the evening of Friday 28 June “in the company of family and friends”, with a lifetime of running to his name.