In 2022, Eleanor “Elsey” Davis gained notoriety on the international trail racing scene, racking up wins and becoming a North Face athlete.
And now, just six days into the new year, she’s already made a new running record.
On Jan. 6, Davis broke the women’s winter Bob Graham record, completing the classic trail in 20 hours and 21 minutes. That beats the previous women’s record by nearly an hour and a half, which was established in Dec. 2018 by Sabrina Verjee. She completed the trail in 21 hours and 49 minutes.
For the uninitiated, the Bob Graham Round has a well-deserved reputation as a grueling, difficult trail. This Lake District fell running challenge (also known as hill running) traverses 42 fells over 106km, with 8,230m of elevation gain.
The challenge is named after Bob Graham, the runner who first completed the route in under 24 hours back in 1932.
Just a few weeks ago, two other runners each broke the solo, unsupported winter Bob Graham Round record — within 24 hours of each other.
She’s away! Elsey setting off at 22.00 on her Winter BG in good spirits. Bit wet & windy atm but should clear away later. Go well Els. pic.twitter.com/jCjVSlZxdV
— Duncan Richards (@duncsjr) January 5, 2023
Davis earns place in the spotlight
Elsey Davis could fill a trophy shelf with the trail races she won last year.
In July, she finished first among women at the Eiger Ultra Trail in Switzerland. In August, she won the Scafell Marathon and ran for Britain at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships.
Still going strong, she took home a win from Ring of Steall in September. Then Davis got an invite to the Golden Trail World Series for the first time, where she finished third after three days of racing in the Azores.
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As if all that wasn’t enough, she managed to finish eighth in the UTMB OCC, and joined Britain’s team for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in the fall.
“This phenomenal year of running happened in parallel to Elsey’s demanding work life as a trainee GP, and comes off the back of her spending much of 2020 working on the COVID wards,” the UK’s Trail Running Mag wrote.
In 2020, Davis had planned to run in the London Marathon. She ended up treating COVID patients instead, the UK’s Runner’s World reported.
