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Four Seasons in One Day – The Spine Race 2025…

Winter finally arrived in the UK a week before the 2025 Spine Race began, and I looked forward to snow laden days on the course.  I wasn’t to be disappointed, but I hadn’t predicted the speed of the melt..!

My drive north to the first checkpoint at the White House PH began clear, but the road soon became comical as I crossed the pennines.  Stories of a rammed Peak District kept me clear of the park, and I chose the larger (but boring) roads.   Preparation is everything, not only for the runners, but also everyone involved in the race.  My car was laden with spare kit, food, stoves and enough gear to sit out a blizzard if I had to.  I arrived at the checkpoint and was greeted by the folk from Rossendale and Pendle MRT teams.  They had set up an inflatable tent with brew kit and lighting, which made for a very comfortable stay on a bitterly cold night. There was hardly a breath of wind, and though it was cold, it was hard underfoot, which made the runners very happy.  Put 10 knots of wind into the equation, and it would be a very different race..!

I teamed up with Ian, and we walked across the dam wall at Blackstone Edge to stretch our legs.  Below us the lights of Manchester lit the horizon, yet above, the  moon was bright and the constellations were out.  Sadly a bank of cloud obscured the sky later, but it a delightful night to be out on the moor.

We were moved north to Colde, where a diversion at Hebden Bridge was causing some fun, and counted an ever lengthening list of runners through as the night lengthened.  Their head torches shone bright from almost a mile away, and again, people were full of spirit.

I’m no runner, but I’ll always help others.  At times I feel inadequate on an event like this, seeing so much fitness and energy, which is way above my own.  I then look at my own life, always on the go, but not at this pace.  We all need to live at our own pace.

Our first shift ended at Midnight and a relaxing bed at Earby Hostel felt very comforting.

Day two dawned calm and clear, but the changing ground conditions were hampering the runners.  Initial deployments soon moved and after a very roundabout drive, our station was only a mile from where we started..!  Darkness soon fell and the tail end of the Challenger South came through, some hobbling, some going strong, but all filled with the resolve to complete the course.  This for me is the spirit of racing, watching people fighting for every step to complete a huge challenge.  They were chatty, and moving in groups during the darkness, which kept morale high.  Not long afterwards, the leaders of the full spine race were hot on their heels – having set off 24 hours before.  These people (for me anyway), are a different beast.  Dedicated, focused and fast.  I admire their dedication, but it’s not a sport for me.  Injury has made me a Tortoise, not a Hare.

Cloud obscured the stars and the air felt damp and warm.  Ice and water sat together on the roads, making for a fun drive to the next bed.  Movement is everything for the runners, but also for the Safety Teams.

We slept (like the dead) near Ingleton and after a relaxing wander into the village, deployed to Horton in Ribblesdale.

The forecast rain came, and came, and came.  Standing in a  car park, watching runners through might not seem the best way to spend an evening, but everyone was in great spirits and we did get a break, driving up onto the fells to check road conditions.  Farmers had ploughed the snow away, which forced the pouring rain into streams down the roads.  Hardly ideal running conditions..!

A late brew at Hawes YHA at least warmed our bones, before an early morning drive to Bowes, to sleep on a hall floor.  Oh the life.

The next day dawned with bright sunlight and warm air.  We took a walk around the beautiful Bowes Castle, before deploying to the hills above Langton Beck YHA.  Little snow was left on the ground, but there was plenty of water around.  Diversions for flooding and ground conditions were in place and we walked up to Cow Green Reservoir to assess conditions.  The sunset was burning red and the full moon lit the night sky.  Stars and planets shone, and the runners came through looking strong and determined.  The night was cold to start with, but cloud cover and fog slowly engulfed the land and we could feel the damp settling.  The clear skies were stunning though , and this is another reason why I enjoy working on the Spine.  No lights, few people and the stars looking down on us.  It did feel a bit it like a scene from ‘An American Werewolf in London’ though..!

The next morning, the weather had changed again.  Bitter cold and snow was replaced with burning sun.  I walked through Weardale, with sweat pouring from my brow.  My car was packed with full winter kit and now I needed shorts.

A quick drop by the legendary Alston checkpoint, brought tea and cake, before Ian and I deployed on Hadrian’s Wall at Steel Rigg.  Once again, the stars shone out and the moon rose brightly.  We were joined by BBC Look North who interviewed a number of runners in the darkness.  Everyone looked really strong and I was amazed with their energy.

Thursday dawned bright and I wandered the hills in search of more history.  The ruins of Thirlwall Castle and turrets on Hadrian Wall took my eye, so with boots on I sweated up the hills and crags.  The nights may be cold, but the days are ridiculously warm.  The runners seem to be enjoying the improving conditions, but it was still slippy underfoot.  As our shift started, Ian and I watched a few runners through Slaggyford Station, before  heading to Alston YHA to watch the final runners come through.  The tail end of the race is a tough place to be, always under pressure from the timed cut offs, but the support is huge.  People were glued to their phones, cheering the tail end in, before the door closed.

My last shift was a peaceful one. The sun set beautifully over Bellingham, and the night saw the tail end coming through. No panic, no chaos, just calm realisation of the work still to do. I looked back at the week and thought of the weather, the countryside and the people. As I say, I’m no runner, but I can appreciate a challenge. The sheer drive and determination to complete that challenge, any challenge is what drives many of us on this earth. It can be a race, a project, or an idea. To care, to help and to support. Whatever the challenge is, mental and physical strength is everything.

Talking of challenges – Alaska here I come…

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