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2006:
Ran first full ultra distance marathon, the 54 miles non-stop thames meander, finished 39th in just over 10 and a half hours.
Competed in the 21st 150 miles stage race across the sahara desert, the marathon des sables, the year the organizers have said was the toughest on record. in an international field of elite athletes, with the largest contingent from the uk, ben finished in the top 10 britons finishing the 150 miles in 30 hours 25 minutes 56 seconds with a highest overall ranking of 87th on stage 4 (the long day).
Ram 100 miles non–stop up and over the pennines in the inaugural pennine challenge. with only around a 25% completion rate (only 8 finished) ben finished the 100 miles in just over 30 hours, in 3rd place.
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2002:
Climbed kilimanjaro the highest mountain in africa in 2002, in 2 days without acclimatisation.
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2007:
Ran 50 miles non stop in thames path race in just 7 hours 57 minutes finishing joint 9th.
Completed two back to back laps of the yorkshire dales three peaks, in 11 hours 15 minutes, making the decision on the third to stop to avoid serious injury, vowing to return again to complete three laps back to back with no support.
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Successfully summited and traversed denali (mt. mckinley) the highest mountain in north america, one of the coldest mountains in the world and second only to everest in overall difficulty of the continental 7 summits.
The summit and traverse was particularly significant as the team was the only team this year, the first in 4 years and only the 3rd in 10 years to be successful in doing so.
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2008
Rowed across the atlantic unsupported from canaries to caribbean as part of the oyster shack crew along with simon chalk, ian couch, george oliver and michael martin in just 37 days 5 hours and 50 minutes, narrowly missing out on the open class world record.
The team overcame countless water maker problems, the violent breaking off of the rudder twice, 40 foot waves, lighting storms and endured the last 300 miles on just a few chocolate bars and a couple of liters of hand pumped water to make other world records and achievements along the way.
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- The first and probably only, 5 five man crew ever to row across the atlantic.
- The fastest 1000 miles rowed out of the canaries.
- The 5th fastest crossing ever of the Atlantic (any class rowing boat, by any route) - 5th out of just over 200.
- The 2nd fastest crossing ever of the Atlantic in a conventional rowing boat (by any route).
- The fastest crossing ever (any class boat) from canaries to antigua. (done by great circle route i.e. with no real currents or trade winds.)
2009: Ran the ‘50 mile challenge’, a 52.4 ‘country’ miles non-stop double marathon ultra in 9 hrs 40 minutes.
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Ian has served for 17 years as a British Army Officer and has now gone on to establish his own company, Adventure Hub Ltd, providing ultra endurance events, training and support to expeditions and individuals wanting to push their limits.
In his 17 years Ian has travelled widely and has considerable experience in organising, delivery of training and operations and events that test the boundaries of physical and mental endurance.
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Now 38, a husband and father of two small boys Ian comes to the ENDURE expedition from a wide range of activities including ultra running, ocean rowing, scuba diving, climbing, kayaking, mountain biking and the martial arts.
Now out of the Army Adventure Hub is his prime work focus aiming to serve as a single point of contact for a wide range of endurance activities and hoping to provide a service to like- minded individuals in part of a culture characterised by challenging activities, forwarded thinking and determination.
Ian has a history of challenging activities but recently:
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March 2007. Jurassic Coast Challenge. 75 miles in three days over the rugged and hilly Dorset Coast. He used this experience as a training run for later events and despite being unable to train due to work commitments completed the course in good time and then went onto the London Marathon in April.
May 2007. The Grand Union Canal Race. This is 145 miles non- stop running from Birmingham to London. In the 6 months leading up to this event Ian had only been able to fit in 23 training runs including the two events mentioned above so this became a trial of determination. Despite appalling weather and some individuals suffering from hypothermia Ian finished in just over 40 hours.
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November 2007. Record breaking Atlantic row.
Whilst planning a record attempt to row the North Atlantic Ian found out about the Oyster Shack Ocean Challenger and the attempt to set the record for the Mid Atlantic crossing. After interview he was fortunate to be one of those selected for the crew alongside Ben.
The watch pattern during the crossing meant that Ian and Ben rowed together for most of the crossing and a strong friendship emerged. Throughout the row various plans were made for future challenges and Ian learnt of Ben’s plan for the ENDURE expedition. Months later Ian asked to support the crossing and was invited to be the other team member. |
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In the period before the ENDURE expedition Ian has raced across the Gobi Desert and established the first of his own ultra-races as well as planning and preparing with Ben.
“I was delighted when Ian said he wanted to be a part of the ENDURE expedition. I spent 37 daysout on the Atlantic in every condition imaginable and through some pretty hair raising situation, I saw him not sleep for nearly the whole time we were out there, and go without food and water for periods of time, and still perform to the highest level – and most importantly, enjoy the experience!
- Ben Thackwray
“The ENDURE expedition for me characterises what a true adventure today should be. It is still about the pioneering spirit of the great adventurers, the drive to go further, faster, longer and live experiences that few others have the fortune to.
Coupled with this spirit is the desire to advance and use the knowledge and experience of those that have gone before and push the boundaries of the possible through modern technology and materials. (And good old fashioned grit and determination)
Above all it is the fusion of these elements of spirit, science and pure determination in the face of massive discomfort that grips me about the ENDURE expedition” – Ian Couch
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