After the LTP Tri Across America, I was faced with the very difficult question that so often graces all of our lives…
What’s next?
As much as I wanted to have the answer, I didn’t…
Yet, instead of fretting over this fact, I simply became comfortable with this period of time in my life when I felt no need to force anything. I became immersed in the moment and waited for my universe to speak to me…
Eventually, she did.
She actually spoke soft sweet nothings into my ear for awhile, and then one day, she grabbed the megaphone and shouted:
🗣“Time to get your ass back to work… We are going after the 24 Hour Speed Golf Guinness Book of World Record.”
I was ALL IN.
The next several months were dedicated to doing everything in my power to be able to give us the absolute best chance to break the 401-hole record established in 1971 by Australian Ian Colston…
A large part of the preparation was leaning as much as I could about Ian and the event. I dug up as much information as possible about the man and what was considered an untouchable record… Apparently, Colston was a world class professional runner that had several sub 2:30 marathons under his belt. He was also a good golfer which prompted The Bendigo Golf Club in Victoria, Australia to light up the course and use Colston breaking the World Record for most golf holes played in a 24-hour period as a publicity stunt to draw attention to the club. In addition to the course being lit, he was also trailed by four motorcycles for additional lighting and spotting.
While preparing for the event, Colston said he ran 20 miles a day, resulting in consistent 140 mile weeks for 6 months leading up to his record breaking performance…
Using that knowledge, I implemented training weeks anywhere from 100 to 140 miles each week and played rounds of speed golf whenever and wherever possible. By my calculation, playing The Half Moon Bay Ocean Course over 22 rounds would entail 8,000 plus feet of ascent and descent, so I added in a good amount of hill training and speed work as well.
I obviously did not know Ian Colston, but I really looked forward to meeting him. I wasn’t going to waste his time unless I was able to break the record, but if I could pull it off, I looked forward to trading war stories. The detailed article I read about Ian reflecting on the 1971 24-Hour gut wrenching speed golf session was from 2006 when Ian was 70 years old. So by my calculation, Ian should be 82 or 83 today…
On the Friday before the event, Dan Brown, a legendary writer from the Athletic, came out to Half Moon Bay to do a story about the Let Them Play Foundation and the World Record attempt. Dan had hoped to track down Ian Colston for the story, so he reached out to the Bendigo Golf Club…
This is the e mail Dan got back:
Hi Daniel,
Ian Colston died on the 4th of November, 2016, aged 80 years.
He lived in Mathoura, New South Wales, Australia at the time of his death, survived by his wife Elsie.
Photo attached is from South Bendigo Athletic Club’s 50th anniversary/reunion in 2007.
Cheers, Greg Hilson
South Bendigo Athletics Club”
When Dan forwarded me the email, I felt as if I got punched in the stomach. For whatever reason, I felt Ian’s presence the entire time I had been training for the event. I even imagined getting to meet him and how our conversation would go. Of course, I knew that there was a possibility he had passed away, but I was almost certain he was still ALIVE. For somebody I never knew, this hit just about as HARD as it could…
Then, the night before, Dan forwarded an email he received from a guy by the name of Ted Pappas… Ted is an accomplished speed golfer and has gone after Ian Colston’s record several times. Ted also was in contact with Ian up until his passing in 2016…
Dan,
Thanks for the email. I recently heard of Eric’s 12 hour event at 245 holes – what a day! I tried a few months ago to break that but was unsuccessful; had one bad round (nutrition) and finished at 232 in 11 hr 27 min. I’ll likely go back after it again in September or October. All that said, it doesn’t surprise me he’s after Ian’s record… the crown jewel! Another record I’ve barely missed too. Not sure if I’ll go back after the 24 hour record again… something tells me I will but not this year.
Eric’s likely the best endurance golfer on the planet right now so not sure I have any words of wisdom for him on the golf or running stuff.
One thing he might want to hear, and I’d like to pass along, are words from Ian Colston. I was able to speak with him two times via phone. I tried him again last year before my last attempt and unfortunately he had just passed away at just over 80 years old. His wife and I cried and laughed together about the craziness he created and how he enjoyed learning that we’re all still chasing him!
Ian was a great runner in his day. An ultra runner before ultra running existed. He thinks he ran nearly 120 miles in his attempt and had to stop for almost a full hour due to a lightning storm! His words to me were simple, “would ya just go out and run like bloody hell and break the record!” He was proud of holding it so long but desperately wanted to hear back from me each time to see if I broke it.
So my parting words to Eric… would you just go out and run like bloody hell and break the record! Ian would love you to do it and I’d love to connect you with Ian’s wife to deliver the news. Kick some ass Monday! Relentless forward progress.
Ted Pappas
I immediately reached out to Ted and thanked him for the info. Not sure exactly what it was about Ted’s email, but that was the first moment I truly believed that we would break the record…
In a way, our worlds had lined up, and instead of working against each other, Ted, Ian and I all seemed to be pulling the same direction. Maybe I was out of my f*cking mind, but I wasn’t just going to be playing for myself. (I was obviously playing to raise funds and awareness for The Let Them Play Foundation…) but Now, at least in my mind, I was going to be playing with Ian Colston by my side every step of the way.
When we are faced with a great challenge, we need to have a vision that goes far beyond our selfish wants. There is a history that needs to be learned and a respect that must be given in order to fully maximize the experience…
Life is experience and education…
Let’s make sure to educate ourselves about our experiences. 👊
-EB