James Nobles

Name: James Nobles

DOB: 29/03/1991

Hometown: Cheltenham

Sport: Running

When I was a youngster, a coach once told me that I would be better at football if I were to get a bit fitter. So here we are, 20+ years later, no football in sight but having an absolute blast running about in the mountains. It wasn’t until around 2018 though that I started to take things more seriously, and in 2019 I committed to the idea of undertaking the Bob Graham Round. From there, I was hooked.

Get to know James

Tell us about your successes so far?

I kick started my ultra running with the big three rounds in the UK: the Bob Graham in 2020, the Paddy Buckley in 2021, and the Charlie Ramsey in 2022. I loved absolutely everything about the rounds – the recce’s, the routes, the support, and the personal satisfaction of getting back to your start point as fast as you can.

I then turned my sights towards racing, and what better way to do this than entering the Dragon’s Back Race. I used the Lakeland 50 as my warm up race in 2022, and then come September, I was on my way down through Wales. I’d trained for almost a year for the Dragon’s Back, and was incredibly proud to take the win that year.

Since then, I’ve also competed in the Northern Traverse (2023), the Cheviot Goat (2023), the Helvellyn Sky Ultra (2024), and have some unfinished business with the Spine race.

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

I’ve got two big goals for 2024. The first is the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa and then the other is the Spine Race in January 2025. Two very different events and I’m really enjoying the challenge of having to train for both, with the elevation gain being the focus for UTMR and the efficient death march being the aim for the Spine.

Beyond these, I’m quite taken by the idea of the Wainwrights round, but we will just have to wait and see with that one!

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

What’s not to love about running in the mountains. We get to spend an extensive amount of time in some beautiful places, often with friends and likeminded folk, finding the limits of what we are capable of! Sounds pretty good to me!

Which Scarpa shoe is your favourite?

I’m a huge fan of the Spin Planets. Really comfortable shoe over the long distances.

Tell us about your best day running?

I’ll never forget the Bob Graham Round. Almost everything went as well as it could. I had an awesome group of people with me, my family supporting along the way, and a full 24 hours out in the Lake District.

What do you do away from your sport?

Life is pretty full on! I’ve got a busy job as a public health researcher, and so the rest of my time when I’m not running, is dedicated to family and friends. Simple stuff, done well!

Where is your #NoPlacetooFar?

Good question! I’ve got a little worm wiggling round in my brain, telling me that it is a good idea to try and organise a trans or intercontinental expedition, be that by bike or by foot. It might an idea that I have to hold on to for a while, and I’m not sure where it might start or end, but that opportunity to travel through multiple countries over a long period of time is very enticing.