Individual Ridgeway Challenge
Hanno Nickau

23rd July 2003, 4am, Ivinghoe Beacon

At this year's Ridgeway Relay Challenge, Headington Road Runners have won all team categories, so I thought we should have also a first claim on the newly introduced Alan Joslin Trophy for individually running the entire Ridgeway in the fastest time. (See quote below) To that end, I decided to give it a first go on WEDNESDAY, 23RD JULY.

Hanno Nickau has finished the Ridgeway Challenge in
16 hours 48 minutes and 18 seconds!!!!!

Thanks to my son, Simon Nickau (simon@nickau.f9.co.uk) for maintaining this page during the Challenge keeping everyone informed about my progress.

This success would not have been possible without my support crew who kept my spirits high all the way long, namely my wife Marie-Anne Fischer and her friend Gerald Walker who stayed with the Challenge from leaving Oxford at 2.30am until coming back just before midnight. They run with me alternating for the first 34 and the last 6 miles and made sure that I got my nutrition for the whole 86 miles. Helen Turley and Laurie Hurman joined at 10am and stayed to the finish providing a second suport car, and running for around 15 and 30 miles respectively. Andy Spears ran with me for 20 miles from Streatley. My triathlon coach Mike Dunmore cycled with me from Streatley to Ogbourne St George taking over the thinking for me and making sure I maintained my high level of carbo intake, when even eating and drinking seemed to be one effort too much. For the last 10 miles John Worth took over on the bike and together with Laurie and Marie-Anne who were running again they made sure that I kept on target for a pre-9pm finish. A HUGE THANK YOU to all of them and to all who emailed and phoned to wish me good luck during the day.