10 memorable moments from Vernon's Ultra Ultramarathonpublished at 12:11 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 202312:11 GMT 17 November 2023
From flapjacks to the finish line
We're wrapping up our live coverage of Vernon's Ultra Ultramarathon challenge now, a huge thank you to everyone who's followed our updates and supported Vernon with a donation - don't forget there's still time to donate. All the details can be found on the previous post.
As Vernon celebrates reaching his ultimate final summit, we salute him with some of the highlights you may have missed from the last four days, starting all the way back on Tuesday...
Flapjacks hysteria
Nothing quite summed up the challenge like Jeremy Vine pausing a Radio 2 news bulletin on Tuesday afternoon to ensure Vernon was handed a tray of flapjacks by listener Dawn from Belton (not Bolton).
Such was the jeopardy at stake when 1pm approached and Vernon was only 600m away from his pit stop. The news simply had to wait.
Finally, Vernon appeared on air with the message everyone wanted to hear: “Hello Jeremy, we’ve got the flapjacks!”
Kay Vernon meets Vernon Kay
We know Vernon loves his listeners, and few bring him as much joy as Kay Vernon, a near-namesake who regularly appears on the show. But he’s never met her in person - until now.
To help kickstart day two, Vernon was greeted by the one and only Kay Vernon at the start line, to fire off the Wednesday horn.
Having been stood near her for several minutes before being told who she was, Vernon’s reaction was priceless. “OH NO WAY!”
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Barbara’s message brings the tears
Vernon vowed he wouldn’t cry until Friday, but when you need to sob, you need to sob.
Taking a quick rest on Day 2, it was a message from listener Barbara that had our Vernon in floods of tears.
He’d received a letter from Barbara shortly after he started hosting his 9.30am-12pm Radio 2 show earlier this year, thanking him for “bringing an old lady into the light.” The message stayed with him, and as soon as he heard her name read out on air, the tears started pouring.
“Just lift up those feet and keep going,” read Barbara’s message. “I’m sending you lots of hugs.”
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£1 million raised before the halfway mark!
Vernon didn’t set himself any fundraising target at the start of the challenge, but he was bowled over by the news he’d raised over £1 million at the end of Day 2.
Jo Whiley revealed he’d raised £1,224,533, and Vernon was so overjoyed he almost missed the second half of her announcement. “Sorry Jo, all I heard was a million.”
“NO WAY!” He said upon hearing the full total. “I’m going to need a sit down. That’s unbelievable.”
“Do what your mum says!” - Vernon's parents have a word
Our heart warmed when a message from Vernon’s parents Gladys and Norman arrived at the end of day two.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Gladys declared: “All this love and support you're getting is getting to me. I'm so so proud,” before adding: “Give my love to all those people who are around you who are keeping you standing up.”
Norman was more to the point. “Do what your mum says, she's the boss. I told you to walk it though.”
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A Kinder surprise
The highest peak of Vernon’s challenge was a summit up Kinder Scout in the Peak District.
When Zoe checked in with Vernon on Day 3, he assumed he’d been there done that, and casually announced: “We’ve just done the summit, that was a real thigh-burner.”
Vernon had to be gently informed that he had a long way to go and that he’d merely reached the “baby peak” of Kinder.
“We’ve got more to do? Oh, you are kidding me! You are having a laugh! You’ve done me there, you lot.” He took the whole thing in his stride though.
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Vernon hits - and gets past - the wall
“Sorry fellas, I’m just gonna have a cry,” said Vernon on day 3, his toughest stage.
But it wasn’t because he’d been led astray about Kinder Scout’s “peak”, it was because he was emotionally overwhelmed by just how many people he’d seen on the road.
“It’s because of the people you meet along the route. Lots of people are opening up and telling me stuff, and you realise some people have it worse than us.”
Thanks to those people, however, he quickly managed to smash through the wall and dust himself off for the last leg.
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The Flask Lady is found
A rolling narrative of the challenge was Vernon’s mission to find the identity of a woman who’d handed him a delicious flask of vegetable soup.
Such was his enthusiasm at being handed the nutritious mid-run snack, he sped off - flask in hand - and forgot to ask for her name.
The following day, Heather from Bakewell revealed herself as the mysterious soup-shifter, and we could all breathe a sigh of relief…
And when she chatted to Jeremy Vine we discovered the big-hearted blender’s generosity didn't stop at soup sharing – she asked for the flask to be donated to charity.
The generous spirit of YOU, the listeners, keeps Vernon running
From the moment Vernon set off, it became an emotional challenge, as he met thousands of people around the UK who were all out to welcome him.
He heard their stories, they shared their generosity, and he’s finished the run a different man to the one who left Leicester’s Victoria Park on Tuesday.
As every minute passed, it was hard not to get teary witnessing just how many people had turned out to clap Vernon, shout messages of support from the sidelines, and even join our willing runner for a mile or two.
This video sums it up:
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Vernon arrives home to a hero’s welcome
This is what the challenge was all about - journeying from Leicester to Bolton Wanderers’ football stadium and raising over £4 million for BBC Children in Need along the way.
Vernon’s last lap saw him greeted by Zoe Ball and hundreds of listeners - including the wonderful Barbara.
"Physically, mentally, there’s nothing in the tank." he declared after reaching the finish line, with parents Gladys and Norman watching on. "Is there anyone here who can replace a knee?"