Taking on the Hartley Slam – John Kelly Interview

In the summer of 2020, world class athlete John Kelly took on The Hartley Slam – a Fastest Known Time (FKT) record attempt on The Pennine Way and then The Grand Round within 40 days of each other to raise funds for Blueprint for All and break the long-standing records of Mike Hartley. 

Ultrarunner Magazine caught up with John and discussed his latest achievements.

Discovery & the Goldilocks of Difficulty

Setting up new challenges like this is really about discovery for me.  Discovering the landscapes, the beautiful new places along the way and finding out more about myself and how I respond to the challenges as well as the difficulty they bring with them.

Mentally, when things are good, I’m really trying to take it in, absorb it and appreciate that I’m able to be out there to enjoy the experience.  When times are bad, I try to do the same as I still have to appreciate the journey but I also really draw from previous experiences and memories of when I’ve faced similar challenges and situations.

I set challenges in the ‘Goldilocks Zone of Difficulty’.  It is something I originally encountered in grad school. If you make it too challenging, you get frustrated and give up, yet if it isn’t challenging enough then it may become boring and not engaging.

It is about getting right in the zone where it is engaging, it is tough but the goal is within reach, a carrot on a stick type of thing.