Howard Dracup

Tell us about your successes so far?

My biggest Ultra Running success so far, has to be the time when I broke the record for the “Ste Parr Round” aka “The Lakes 2500s” in 2020.

The Steve Parr Round is a Fell/Mountain running challenge in the Lake District and you have to touch all the Wainwright’s tops above 2500ft. Steve Parr set the record in 1984 in a time of 42hrs 54 minutes. The record stood for 36 years until I broke it in September 2020 in a time of 42 hrs 36 mins covering approx. 115 miles and 42,550ft of elevation!

What are you working on? What are your goals for the future?

Currently I’m working on myself and my coaching skills so that I can be a better coach and help more people in the sport. I’m also working towards finishing my mountain leader qualification. Running wise I have 2 big races this year. I have The cape wrath ultra in May and The dragons back race in September.

Why do you run? What do you love about running?

I trail run because I love the feeling. You get into a good flow and switch off. Nothing else matters and everything’s so simple, all you need to do is put one front of the other and focus on getting from A to B. I like the sense of disconnect that it gives me.

Which Scarpa shoe is your favourite?

Am I allowed 2 favourites? My favourite is the Ribelle Run, their so comfy and light and have a built in gaiter so it’s stops debris and bits of scree etc getting inside the shoe.

My 2nd favourites are the Spin Infinity’s, they are super comfy and I love the Megagrip Sole, it sticks to pretty much everything!

Tell us about your best day running?

There are too many days to be honest! But there’s one day in particular that stands out to me. In April last year (2021) I had a go at the George Fisher Tea Round. It’s a 30 mile loop starting and finishing from Fishers in Keswick with around 10,500ft of elevation.

The day started off really grey and dull but as I got above 700m there was a spectacular cloud inversion and I spent the rest of the day pretty much running above the clouds! It was superb!

What do you do away from your sport?

Away from the sport I do a few things. By trade I’m a water and gas installer, so Utilities. But I don’t really do much of that anymore, I did that for around 15 years. More recently I have become a running coach, more specifically a performance coach for Ultra Runners. I also work part time in an Outdoors/Climbing shop.

Where is your #NoPlacetooFar?

My no place too far… I’d quite like to have a go at a solo, unsupported Wainwright’s round one day. Simple but brutal and very rewarding to pull it off...

OR Mars and the moon. I'd love to train to be an astronaut