Joss Naylor, the revered British ultramarathoner and fell running legend, has passed away at the age of 88. Hailing from Cumbria, Naylor was renowned as the ‘King of the Fells’ for his extraordinary accomplishments in some of the UK’s most grueling trail running environments.
Naylor’s running resume was nothing short of awe-inspiring. He broke the Lake District 24-hour record not once, but three times. In 1971, he set the fastest known time of 11 hours and 54 minutes for the Three Peaks Challenge, which involves climbing the three highest peaks in Yorkshire while accounting for the driving time between each mountain.
Naylor’s feats only continued to impress. In 1973, he became the fastest person to conquer the Welsh 3000s – a formidable challenge 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 just 3 days, 4 hours and 36 minutes – a record that remained unbroken until 1989.
What made Naylor’s accomplishments all the more remarkable was that he took up running relatively late in life, at the age of 24. Yet, as the decades passed, his running prowess only seemed to improve. At the age of 50, Naylor traversed all 214 Wainwrights (the fells of the English Lake District) on foot in just 7 days, 1 hour and 25 minutes – a record that stood until 2014.
Naylor continued to push the boundaries of what was possible well into his later years. In 1997, at the age of 60, he celebrated by running 60 Lakeland fell tops in 36 hours. And in 2006, at the age of 70, he ran 70 Lakeland fells in under 21 hours, covering more than 50 miles and 25,000 feet of ascent.
Despite his extraordinary achievements, Naylor remained a humble and grounded figure. He spoke fondly of the natural beauty of the Lake District and the joy he found in simply being out in the wild. His nutrition strategy was equally unorthodox, relying on the simplest of fuels – sandwiches and cake – to sustain him on his long runs.
In addition to his running exploits, Naylor was a longstanding patron of the Brathay Trust, a charity that works to improve the lives of young people in need across the North West of England. Through his races and challenges, he raised an impressive £40,000 for the charity between 2007 and 2019, and was awarded an MBE in 2007 for his services to sport and charity.
Joss Naylor’s passing marks the end of an era for the world of fell running. His extraordinary accomplishments, unwavering determination, and humble approach to the sport have cemented his legacy as one of the true greats of endurance running. The ‘King of the Fells’ will be deeply missed, but his inspirational story will continue to motivate and captivate runners around the globe for generations to come.
