Andy's Biog

Now you know a little about Adam, here’s an introduction to the other half of team “Tyne and Weary”:

As with Adam, I have always been active. Growing up with two equally sporty and competitive brothers and parents with a passion for the outdoors provided the platform for my love for the hills. As a child and young teenager I particularly enjoyed the countless trips to the Lakes, Peaks and Scotland; enjoying quality time with family and friends in nature’s very own, and undeniably beautiful, playground.

At school my interest and determination to succeed every sport under the sun meant that running didn’t really feature as my predominant sport until I went to University; early success at school cross country was simply a fortunate by product of spending so much time playing other sports. It was at school that I met Rosie, my beautiful and very understanding and supportive Wife. To quote one of my favorite musicians, Rosie is “the rock upon which I stand” and I wouldn’t be writing this, planning my attempt at the TransAlpine, without her seemingly endless support and encouragement for my affair with the mountains. At School I also established a long term and much valued friendship with Michael Robinson, who introduced me to the concept of taking running to the fells.

It was with Michael that I successfully attempted my first Mountain Marathon; the B Class at the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon in the Lakes in 2005. Pushing myself charging around in the wind, cloud and rain over the rugged hills was a new and fast paced adventure - I was hooked for life. Despite my relative sense of achievement, Steve Birkenshaw and Morgan Donnelly won the elite course in a quicker time than our time for the B – from then on they have been my idols and I continue to dream of considering myself in the same bracket as them. A navigational mistake on Day 1 inspired me to work on my navigation, and after joining the orienteering and xcountry clubs at university I got to meet Adam. The competitive person within me was gutted to discover he had narrowly beaten me over the same course, but it was great to find a like minded runner.

University life consisted almost entirely of sport and engineering and my speed and navigation improved significantly. The flexibility of student life provided a welcome opportunity to spend time with Rosie, but also to escape to Scotland to take out some hills. By the time I left University I had clocked up 230odd Munros, most of them as increasingly epic solo /Rosie supported backpacking trips, helping me establish a particular strength in covering rough terrain and navigating myself over long days in the hills.

The improvement in fitness and mountain skill was evident as Michael and I progressed to successfully complete the A and Elite Class at the OMM in consecutive years. Recognising the significance of our first Elite (Lowther Hills 2007) our mantra had been ‘to complete, not compete’. Finishing in the dark, overcoming exposure, fatigue and lack of sleep and taking 18hours over the two days it was a physical, mental and emotional challenge but proved to myself that completing the Elite was possible, now my target was to compete...

2010 saw the only year that I have not competed in the OMM, but a new partnership with Adam began following a successful run at the Highlander Mountain Marathon. We have since competed together with increasing success at a number of Mountain Marathons and after a 7th place finish in the LAMM Elite and 7th place finish on the 61mile Fellsman I now consider myself to be sneaking up on my ambition to ‘compete’ as an Elite mountain runner.

Having established a home and future for Rosie and myself in the North East the hills are never far away (unlike for Adam!!) and the local woods and countryside provide ideal training and opportunity for Rosie and I to relax together. As reflect on my progress and achievements in 2011 I am very much looking forward to bigger and better things in 2012, the Transalpine is one great opportunity to do just that...