Race Report by Marty McMullan
The Spine Race, known as ‘Britains most Brutal’ is a 268 mile non stop event following the Pennine Way from Edale in the Peak District to Kirk Yetholm in the Borders. The Spine ‘Challenger’ is aptly nicknamed the ‘Baby’ Spine and covers the first 115 miles with the finish in Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales. The Spine Race first came to my attention a few years back and then again while following the endeavours of the phenomenal Eoin Keith and developed from there. Given the extent of the challenge, I thought it best to start with baby steps with the ‘Baby’ option and complete the ‘Challenger’ first.
In 2019 I anxiously joined 150 others at the Spine arch for the daybreak start in Edale, feeling as prepared as I could possibly be. The ‘Baby’ didn’t disappoint and gave everything I’d come to expect but alas was to end abruptly circa. 70 miles in with a stress fracture… gutted. That said, a fantastic experience particularly from a learning perspective and something to build on. Due to missing a place in 2020 and the postponement of the event in 2021, it wasn’t until January this year that I reached the start line again. A little older and none the wiser, I joined a reduced field of 99 others… it doesn’t bode well when over a third of the entries don’t make the start line!
I should add that it’s not as simple as just turning up at the start line… the race itself is almost the easiest part! Apart from the logistics of getting to and from the start/finish, the day prior involves registration and detailed kit checks to ensure compliance with the event rules. Add to that the time taken to pack and repack rucsacs and drop bags and make final adjustments, it’s almost a relief when the whistle blows. After an enthusiastic start through the village of Edale by headtorch, we started the steady ascent onto Kinder Scout. Once up onto the Pennine Way, we don’t drop below a height of 300m until we descend into check point 1. Conditions were wintery to say the least with blizzard conditions overhead and sheet ice underfoot. A last minute decision to add an additional warmth layer under my waterproof at the start line was proving worthwhile. Continue reading
