A record field of 320 runners is expected at this weekends' Thames Path 100 for the twelfth edition of the race.

The event attracts fast fields and recent winning times have been under 14 hours for the men and under 17 hours for the women. It's possible we will see a new level reached this coming weekend.

Conditions on the trail have been extremely wet through March and April, but as usual, things look to be drying out just in time - with the caveat that rain is expected to fall on Friday and Saturday though it shouldn't be too heavy. 

You can follow the race live via the tracking page here. Start time is 0900 this Saturday 6th May and the final cut off is Sunday at 1300 - 28 hours later.

Here is a look at the likely leading contenders in both the mens and womens races.

WOMEN

Melissa Venables: Melissa was our 2020 North Downs Way 100 Champion - a race that will live long in our memories as it was the first race after lockdown, in August of that year. British 100km Champion in 2016, Melissa has a raft of great results behind her, most recent being most applicable here - a win at the 145 mile Grand Union Canal Race.

Mel Venables

Line Caliskaner: Ran a massive 243km over 24 hours in Barcelona in March of this year, for the win. A performance which puts her amongst elite company indeed. Her 100 mile PB is 16:00 flat which she set as a split on route to a 220km run at Bislett 24hr last year. She has experience on the trail too and could be capable of something special here. 

Sharon Walker: Second at Race to the King in 2019 and third at Race to the Tower in 2022. This year she kicked off her ultra season with a seventh place at our inaugural Hundred Hills 50km.

Renee Haver: Renee was fourth here in 2021, before going on to a sixth place at the Autumn 100 later that year albeit in a faster time.

Emily Newton: Emily looks to be only three years into her ultra career but is off to a prolific start with 20 races in that time. In 2023 she has already run seven, recording six podiums and two wins. Amongst those a second at the Manchester to Liverpool 50 and her first 100 mile finish at the Arc of Attrition where she placed ninth.

Becky Atkinson: 2:55 Marathon PB and a regular sub 90 minute half. 

 

MEN

Paul Maskell: Paul has been one of our most consitent Team GB 24 hour runners in recent years and his improvement is still coming. 265km in Verona in October with a 14:20 100 mile split was a PB for him. He has previously won many other classic ultras on trail too, however. Autumn 100, South Downs Way 100, GUCR, South West Traverse and the Arc of Attrition 100 amongst others.

Pete Windross: 2018 TP100 Champion, Pete has arguably been the most consistent 100 mile runner at our events over recent years. He has no less than 20 x 100 mile finishes to his name including six NDW100s, five SDW100s, five TP100s and four A100s. His PB came at the A100 in 2021 where he ran home in 13:59. In 2022 after setting some GB age group records at our Track 100, he finished second at the SDW100 and NDW100, before dropping with just the final leg to go in the A100. He is back for more!

Pete Windross

Harry Geddes: Harry was Pete's nemesis at A100 last October where he came past him on leg three to win the race in 14:52. He was also fourth here in 2020 so knows the course. 

Geoff Cheshire: Geoff was third here in 2020 in 15:22. That followed a second place at the Autumn 100 a year before where he ran 14:31. Prior to that he had already picked up wins at the Chiltern Wonderland 50 and Race to the Stones. In 2021 he ran home second at the North Downs Way 100 in a superb time of 17:07.

Brandon Talisesky: Brandon hails from the US, and has a number of race wins to his name from recent years, including at this distance, running 16:44 to take the crown at the Great New York Running Expo 100 mile. This year he has opened his account with a win at the Mid-Maryland 50km. 

Matt Gallagher: Seventh here in 2021 in 16:21. In 2022 he finished fourth at the NDW100 before running 16:34 for seventh at the A100.

Kallum Pritchard: Winner of the Robin Hood 100 in 2021 in 15:31.

Peter Abraham: Peter won the Self Transcendence 24hr at Tooting Bec with a total of 231km in 2021, where his 100 mile split was 14:37. He was also third at the Autumn 100 in 2017.

Barry Bryant: After 8 wins in 8 finishes in his ultra career, Barry went off super quick at the 2022 Autumn 100. Whilst things did not go his way, to his credit he muscled out a finish in 17:36 for tenth place. 

Alistair Fitch: The 2:38 marathoner (London 2021) was second at Race to the Tower in 2022.

This year marks the fourth edition of our Track 100 - the UK's only IAU Gold Label event. This race is really the only one of its kind, certainly in the UK and arguably globally. It attracts a very small, elite group of athletes looking specifically to set records - principally at the 100 mile distance but at other splits along the way including 50km, 6 hour, 50 mile, 100km and 12 hour. 

Camille Herron at the Track 100 in 2022 (Photo: David Miller)

In 2019, our first year, we weren't sure if the high standards and story behind the event would attract any interest at all, but eight athletes gave it their all. The mens race was won by Thomas Payn in 12:25 putting him 8th on the British all-time list. The womens race had only one finisher, Debbie Martin-Consani who pioneered the way for everyone to follow.

From there we decided to branch out. With several of our Centurion Ultra Team active members of the ultra set up with Team GB, we had the ability to reach out to other athletes in the 100km and 24hr disciplines to see if they wanted a shot at setting some National but possibly also Continental and even World marks. 

We of course, lost 2020 to covid but got our second event away in April 2021, with a lot of covid restrictions still in place. And the event morphed into something much bigger. All of a sudden runners were shooting for open and age group records at various levels and in total, 14 new marks were set. Aleksandr Sorokin's laid down a new 100 mile mens world record of 11:14, before he decided to push on and set a new 12 hour record as well, running 170.309km in that time. And of course Sam Amend set a new British womens 100 mile record of 14:34. 

In 2022, the ante was upped once again. This time we welcomed Aleksandr back to try to take on the world best 100km mark, having more recently taken the 24 hour world record too. And in the womens race, Camille Herron and Dominika Stelmach took each other on to try to shoot for several world marks, with Sam Amend back to try to improve her own British record. In the end, Aleks blew everyone away once again, running 4:53 for 50 miles he went on to break the 6 hour world record and then the 100km mens world record - coming home in 6:05. 

For Camille and Dominika, it was a tough day, but Dominika was able to set a World FV40 50 mile record of 5:51 and a World Age Group 6 hour record too. Sam Amend did improve her British mark and won the 100 mile race in 14:10. The mens race was won by Alex Whearity but in a superb 12:42, but second was Mike Stocks who broke the World MV50 100 mile record in 13:41. We also saw a first as Claudia Burrough raced her wheelchair and set new World bests at every one of the six marks along the way.

So in 2023 with some late withdrawals, we welcome an elite field of six men and three women, once again all with different ambitions.

In 2021 and 2022 the focus from a number of athletes was on the lower distances and marks but this time almost all of the athletes are shooting for the big one, the 100 mile.

WOMEN

Ingrid Lid: Ingrid has a 100 mile PB of 15:10 set at Bislett in 2021. She finished second at last years TP100, a result she also achieved in 2019. Her target here will be the Norwegian record of 14:25 held by Therese Falk.

Ingrid Lid at the 2022 TP100 where she placed second

Chavet Hills: Chavet hails from Denver, Colorado and has been a prolific racer over recent years. Stand out results have been wins at the Prairie Spirit 100 (twice) and Pony Express Trail 100 where she came home in 17:31. Her 100 mile PB is 16:46 from Daytona 100. She has raced numerous 24hr races and had great results at that format including a win at FANS 24hr, but also plenty of shorter ultras too.

Sarah Sawyer: Sarah has taken on a wide range of ultras in her 10 year career, shooting at a range of different distances and racing in a variety of different environments and terrain types. On the road and track, her standout performances have come at Spartathlon where she was fourth in 2019 and her best 24hr in Germany in 2020 where she ran 208km. In 2021 she raced here and made good progress until the final few hours where her pace dipped just too much for her to make the final 17 hour cut off and she heartbreakingly had to stop within 5km of the finish. She finished 2022 by running a solid 17:40 at Daytona 100.

Sarah Sawyer

MEN

Dan Lawson: Perhaps the most consistent high level performer on the UK scene since the golden days of Don Ritchie, Dan really has done it all and at 50, is still getting quicker. In years gone by Dan has excelled at the long stuff and in formats most similar to this event, he was European 24hr Champion in Albi in 2016. But just last year he exceded his winning distance there by a whopping 12km, running 273km in Verona for fifth place in the same competition. His list of race wins and accolades are too long to mention really. Stand out wins and podiums some as course records on the road/ flat trail at Ultrabalaton, Spartathlon, Badwater, GUCR. He is no stranger to multi day either with his LEJOG record one of his most impressive runs of all. In the past year has has also brought his 10km, half and full marathon times down. A Vet 50 World Record will be the minimum aim and in reality he is capable still, of going for much more besides.

Dan Lawson

Robert Hajnal: Robert comes into the event as the only runner with a declared focus on the 100km distance, with his sights set on the Romanian National Record. He is a storied ultrarunner with incredible success dating back for a decade or more. 9th at UTMB in 2022 followed 7th at Laveredo and a win at 100 miles of Istria. He has countless wins behind him and top ten showings at many of the worlds most competitive long trail ultras. On the road and track, he has a 50km PB of 3:08 and in March he covered 87km in 6 hours in Barcelona as part of his preparation. The Romanian record and time to beat is 6:41:07, from Iulian Filipov back in 2021.

Mark Innocenti: Mark ran 12:34 at the 2021 event in what was a supremely well executed run, that on any other day would have received all of the plaudits, had he not been beaten by a world record run by Aleksandr Sorokin. The Tring runner has steadily brought his marathon best down to 2:27 in London, 2022. This year he's already run 54:09 for 10 miles too. So the speed is all there, but he has accrued much ultra success now too. A 3:02 50km PB, plus wins at the Autumn 100 and Race to the King are stand outs, as was a 7:00 flat 100km performance at the British Champs in 2022. 

Mark Innocenti

Tristan Stephenson: Centurion Ultra Team runner Tristan, set the Thames Path 100 alight in 2022 when he ran home a clear winner in a second fastest all-time performance of 13:59. He has a second and third place at the Arc of Attrition 100 behind him. As well as wins at the South West Traverse and Serpent Trail 100km. His only other ultra distance track event ended early at Gloucester in 2021 but he is already off to a solid 2023 with a win at the EnduranceLife North Cornwall 50km and a big bank of training behind him.

Luka Videtic: Luka is truly a man of the road and track and has improved vastly over recent years. His 2022 season included a break through 265km performance at the IAU European 24hr Championships for 10th, where he recorded a 100 mile split of 13:39 along the way. 

Ciaran Mcaneny: Relatively new to ultrarunning, Ciaran qualified for the event after running 80km in 6 hours on the track in 2022.

 

To follow the race live head over to our Live link here. Lap splits and a live feed will be available from race morning.

The 2023 South Downs Way 50 is the eleventh edition of our traditional season opener. This year it was preceeded of course, by the Hundred Hills 50km and it was great to see so many building up to the longer races there.

Last year the womens race yielded the fourth fastest time ever, by Bethan Male who went on to set a new SDW100 record two months later. The mens race was closely fought but won in a time over an hour slower than Tom Evans' course record of 5:44. As we have seen, anything can happen here on what is truly a runners course. If the weather stays dry throughout the week and with a forecast of bright sunshine on the day, the recent wetter ground will largely dry up, leaving conditions good for fast racing.

Here is a look at the likely contenders in the womens and mens events.

WOMEN

Rebecca Di-Luzio: Winner of the UTS 100km in 2022 and took 9th place at Transgrancanaria Advanced earlier that year. Previous winner of Endurancelife CTS Sussex, on and around the SDW50 course.

Dani Battersby: Third here last year in 8 hours flat and went on to finish fourth at the SDW100 a few months later.

Jen Wood: Ran 129.7km in 12 hours at Gloucester in 2021, putting her seventh on the British Female List.

Amy Sole: Second at the 2022 Arc 50 and past winner of the RAT 50km, with several other podiums to her name at the Classic Quarter and Hurtwood 50km.

Alex Coomber: Second here all the way back in 2015 it is fantastic to welcome the Olympic Skeleton Bronze Medalist back to the race. Her most recent ultra result looks to be a second at the Serpent Trail 100km in 2021.

Rachel Dench: Rachel's third run here, but her first since 2017 when she finished fifth. She has lots of experience behind her, with several wins at events around this length. And she looks to be in good form off of a 2022 season where she won both the North Downs Ridge and Epping Forest 50km events.

Laura McGill: Finished third at the Chiltern Wonderland 50 in 2021.

Meriel Holden: 3:01 marathon PB, ran a 3:08 in London in 2021 and has a couple of more recent shorter ultras to her name.

MEN

Paddy Hamilton: Won the Pilgrims Challenge on the North Downs Way earlier this year. Race to the Stones winner in 2021. 2:23 marathoner though that was from Dublin in 2013.

Lewis Ryan: Lewis is a man with genuine pace, but also a good range. He has won races from 50km up to 100 miles, his most recent coming at the North Downs Ridge 50km a month or so ago where he ran home in 3:30. Marathon PB of 2:35.

Ben Goddard: Fourth at the NDW50 last year, the previous two time winner of the Fox Ultra looks to be the second fastest marathoner in the field with a PB of 2:26. Ran 2:34 at Rome just a few weeks ago.

Liam Mcintyre: A 2:29 marathoner (Manchester, 2022), his only ultra looks to be a win at Race to the Stones 100k, in 2018.

Gatsby Fitzgerald: Third at Manchester to Liverpool 50 last year in 6:33. 

Marius Posa: Best performance of second at Country to Capital (44 miles) in 5:28. Has recently run a 2:39 marathon (Valencia) and a 75 minute half.

 

A huge thank you to the volunteers who will make this event possible, numbering almost 100 over race weekend. And to the South Downs National Park and all of our landlords for allowing us to come back each year. 

Follow the race live over Saturday via the link here (this will switch over to SDW50 later this week).

This Saturday we welcome 375 runners to the inaugural Hundred Hills 50km. Named after the area the race takes place in, one of the three Chiltern Hundreds, the course makes it way through some quintessientially beautiful and remote English Countryside. Starting and finishing in the spectacular Stonor Park, the first of two loops takes runners through Ibstone and Skirmett before dropping them back to Stonor at half way. Then on and out to Hambleden and Bix before coming back to Stonor to finish the 50 kilomotres of classic trail running. 

Live Tracking is available via the website here. But as always we like to have a look at the likely contenders in the overall races so read on for more.

WOMEN

Amy Jo-Clarke: Last years NDW50 champion. Previous wins include Race to the Stones and Hurtwood 50km, both in 2021.

Sophie Biggs: 2022 Chiltern Wonderland 50 champion, she also placed third behind Amy-Jo at the 2022 NDW50. In 2023 she already has a second place at the CTS South Devon Ultra back in Feb.

Tamsin Neale: A collection of fine results in 2022 including top ten finishes at the Autumn 100, Chiltern Wonderland 50 and Race to the Stones.

Celia Waring: Second at UTS50km in 2021, third at the North Downs Way Ridge 50km in 2022.

Dawn Goodwin: Eleventh at NDW50 in 2022 and fourth at Serpent Trail 50km. Faster road runner with a 3:07 marathon in 2022.

Teresa Reason: Fifth at Wendover Woods 50 in 2021. In 2022 went on to second at Chiltern Ridge 50km, third at Serpent Trail 100km and fifth at Hurtwood 50km.

Sharon Walker: Second and third at Race to the King and Race to the Tower in recent years.

Gemma Buley: Sixth at our CW50 and ninth at the SDW50 both in 2022. 

Paula Williams: 2021 Grand Slam 50 mile finisher, collecting fifth at the SDW50 and sixth at CW50 as the pick of her results that year.

 

MEN

Dan Weller: Dan recently ran home third at the Arc of Attrition 100 back in January. Previous winner of the Beacons 50, Grand Tour of Skiddaw and the Lakes Traverse. He was second at our 2022 NDW50 in 7 hours flat.

Craig Holgate: Our Ultra Team runner is making a come back after some time away from the sport. Craigs accolades run deeper than any in the field including running for GB Teams in the trail, 100km and 24hr formats. Amongst many other victories he has previously walked away winner and course record holder of the NDW50 and TP100 both twice and has a PB for 100km of 6:53.

Julien Cazorla: Prolific runner with some superb performances behind him. Pick of those a 15:02 for third at the 2021 Autumn 100. 15:56 for second at the 2022 TP100. Has also finished second at the CW50 and fourth at the NDW50 in the past.

Neil Martin: Past winner of the Wendover Woods Night 50km, he enjoyed a stellar year back in 2019 when he finished in the top ten at all of our 50 mile events and won the Arc 50 to boot.

Alistair Palmer: A history of around a dozen or more ultra finishes. Stand out results a second at the 2018 South Downs Way 50, and a fifth at the SDW100 a few months later in a sub 17 hour time. In 2021 he won several shorter lower key ultras. 

Samuel Anderson: Fourth at CW50 in 2022, fourth at WW50 in 2021 and seventh at the 2022 NDW50.

Dan Silvester: 17:05 for eighth at the 2022 TP100 and recently seventh at the North Downs Ridge 50km.

Liam Butler: 2:39 marathon in 2019 and lots of cross country experience could be a good combination.

Tom Hedges: Fourth at our 2021 Wendover Woods Night 50km.

 

This post is specifically designed to look at the detail of all aspects of the kit, footwear, apparel, nutrition and miscellaneous items that you need to think about in order to compete safely and successfully in the Spine Races or indeed, for winter in the mountains.

• Click here to visit the store collection on our website, containing the majority of these products.
• Click here to watch a longform video going into all of the kit for the Spine Race with James Elson (YouTube)
• Click here to read James' race report from 2023. 
• Click here to listen to James' recap podcast of the 2023 event.
• Click here to listen to a British Ultrarunning Podcast conversation between James, Dan, five time finisher Matt Neale and 2023 Mens Race Winner Damian Hall.
• Click here to listen to the Tea and Trails podcast with Eddie Sutton on her 2023 Spine Race. Eddie is a Centurion Coach and third place finisher in 2023. 

This video accompanies this post, going into further detail on all of the items below as well as the drop bag and how to think about packing for the race.

 Clearly a huge caveat needs to be placed at this juncture. Every single person emerging from the Spine will have a different view on kit, how in functions, what minimum requirements are vs what you actually need to carry.

You need to think very carefully about what you need to carry/ have access to and not just what's on the mandatory kit list. The kit list is there as a safety net and often just in case of emergency. What you actually require to stay safe and perform well at the Spine Race goes far beyond it.

We also need to be realistic about cost and what you do and don't need to buy. Some of the kit is very expensive plus there is of course a large energy cost to production and transport in a lot of cases. So consider what you have already that is fit for purpose, what can be borrowed and what can be hired. As time goes on and we are able to put the time and resource into it, hiring kit is something we'd like to get into - many already do this. The facebook group here is a valuable resource in borrowing kit or getting advice on how to look after it.

Cheaper alternatives are available for everything, always look at the compromise though: Weight vs Packability vs Price. We've picked out the best balance of those three things, in our opinion.

And on that note - as a retailer of ultrarunning gear, all that happened as we went sourcing the best kit, was that we started to stock it. So that we could pass on a collection of kit that was all in one place for runners interested in the race - with first hand, real world advice. We don't stock it all but we're getting there. All of the links take you to the best place to find each product. It might seem salesy but believe me when I say I think the biggest saving is actually hopefully on people's time trying to find good advice and being able to ask questions about kit/ shop from us at the same time. We're here for the detail.

However, we are not the authority on Spine Race kit. If you have any questions or want to check if what you have meets kit requirements for the race, then you should contact the Spine Race and Lindley Chambers who heads up their kit side of things, via his email [email protected] . You can also read his advice and tips on kit and kit check on this page here.

What I've done here is distilled down my experience not just at the Spine but of a nearly two decades of racing in all conditions, utilising a wide range of winter kit over and over again - as well as organising more 100(+) mile ultra distance events than anyone else in the country! I know there will be some people who have no idea of who I am so I have included a short bio at the end of this post.

This kit has been used, not actually mainly in racing but in training and on days out on the hill, in winter. You must get used to using the kit, particularly working out what footwear and what layering systems work for you. I am around 65kg, 5ft7 and without tooting my own horn, tend to move towards the mid to the front of the pack in events. I would say days out over the Wainwrights in winter were a turning point for me. Learning to read the forecast, particularly with regards to wind speeds at height, anticipate clothing requirements, navigate in the dark and mist with map and compass and scramble/ climb very difficult ground - these are the skills that make me feel most comfortable in terrible weather. A lot of my racing might also seem irrelevant but you draw on the experience of everything that has gone before, in events like the Spine. Races/ Rounds I've run that help contribute to choices here include Tor Des Geants, Arc of Attrition, Lakeland 100, Western States, Bob Graham, Paddy Buckley, Charlie Ramsay, Leadville, Lakeland, 4Deserts Series (antarctica being the most cold weather specific). But more so things like the Wainwrights in winter, crossing Iceland on foot and many long days out by myself. 

Finally you will find kit suggestions and comments throughout this text which features my own kit. Firstly from two of our team runners - Debbie Martin-Consani who has finished the race twice including a win at the 2022 edition. And Edwina Sutton who finished third in the 2023 race. Finally, from 2023 Mens winner Damian Hall.

A link to the full mandatory kit list for 2023 is available here. All of the below kit meets the criteria for the event. 

Footwear:

Clearly, managing your feet is one of the handful of major things to concentrate your energy on. For some time as a team we had been waiting on the La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX to come out. We'd sat in a team meeting back in April and Jono Wyatt had pulled a pair out and previous race winner and PW Record Holder - John Kelly - sitting to my right, had asked on the spot if he could possibly just take them home with him. They are effectively an insulated, waterproof, lightweight shoe - that looks like a boot due to the gaiter. The sole unit is La Spo's grippiest rubber. The upper is soft, warm and you can dial it in tight or back it off using the boa system. Then there is a Gore Tex gaiter coming up to ankle height, so effectively there are two waterproof layers to the shoe. This kind of shoe has moved the game on with regards to protection from winter/ very wet or cold conditions. It feels like you are wearing a lightweight shoe, whilst getting the protection of a mountain boot (not crampon compatible as the sole is not rigid enough - great with microspikes of course). Others were still wearing regular trail shoes and asking more of their socks but for me whether you are running up the front or scraping cut offs, this shoe does it all. The other model I had in my armoury was the La Sportiva Blizzard. This is again a Gore-Tex shoe with a debris gaiter, and has a metal stud matrix built into the sole unit - essentially built in nano-spikes so you can run across ice without issue (note these will not pass kit check, you still need a separate set of spikes or yaktrax).

The other component of course, is socks. I hadn't worn waterproof socks since the Last Desert Antarctica in 2008. But I got hold of some Dexshell Compression mudder socks and quite frankly they became the most important piece of kit I had. They are impermeable to both water, but also to debris. And at knee height you have to be in a very significant bog or river to get water in the top. If that does happen, they then insulate that water like a wetsuit, and keep your feet warm. 

I had no liner sock, just the Dexshell. I started in the Cyklon Cross. Because it was minus 2-3 in the valleys and 6-7 on the tops all week, every hard surface was covered in ice so I then used the Blizzards for Day 2 and 3. Before going back to the Cyklon Cross for the last two sections. 

All four of the runners mentioned on this post including myself, Debbie, Eddie and Damian all used the same DexShell sock for this race. 

2022 Womens race champion Debbie Martin-Consani used a liner sock in combination with the DexShell and had just as much success with her feet - Debbie talked about her foot route in a post-race intstagram post here. Liner socks should be thin, it is well worth experimenting with both options in your training. Damian Hall comments: 'I too use DexShells and tend to wear a toesock as a liner. The only problem I've had is from feet being too warm in conditions less severe'. Again, test them in training.

With the Dexshell Sock, and then the Cyklon Cross/ Blizzard I had zero blisters (i had one small bit of skin come off at the finish because i tore off a bit of preventative tape too soon with wet skin underneath), zero hot spots, never once got cold feet and always had the grip I needed. I took my shoes and socks off in at the 144 mile check point and the medic asked me where I'd washed my feet - they stayed that clean and clear. The Blizzards - after 40 or so hours began to make my feet tender, I think where the sole is more rigid and the spikes less forgivining but they were priceless for the icy rocks, hence the switch back to the Cyklon Cross. I take half a size up in both to allow space for the thicker Dexshell Sock. 

So as an N of 1 sure, but if you want to get through the Spine without foot issues, there's a good system to try. This is more of an invidivual area than almost any other part of your race strategy, besides nutrition.

Separate Spikes or Yaktrax are part of mandatory kit. Nanospikes won't pass kit check. I would always carry a Yaktrax for speed and weight, but also have my Kahtoola Microspikes in the drop bag. These are essentials for any winter mountain day anyway, will see plenty of use! I've had my Yaktrax since 2008, still going strong.

La Sportiva Cyklon Cross
La Sportiva Blizzard
Dexshell Mudder Compression Socks
Kahtoola Microspike
Yaktrax

Freezing waterlogged paths - but no water ingress or foot problems. 

Kirk Yetholm: Completely blister free, dry feet. (Photo c/o Steve Ashworth)

Lower Body:

All through training including in sub zero temperatures for many hours, I'd worn one pair of tights and lightweight waterproof trousers. But in the race this was simply not enough. I ended up putting on a second pair of tights and then a waterproof trouser. I needed two pairs of tights to stay warm enough at the coldest times. Remembering then that these stayed largely dry through the race, I didn't touch my spare/ third pair but you need to carry one additional pair to that which you are wearing. I can't see getting away with less than three pairs of tights is viable, and a fourth would be wise.

As for the trousers, the Drizzle Pant (unisex) is a light, tapered running waterproof trouser, you feel like you can move fast in them. This was good for almost everything, you could put on a heavier Gore-Tex weight trouser in wetter weather however, that could be a very valuable addition - the Montane Spirit Lite is a Gore Tex Paclite Plus offering 28k HH (extremely water resistant) and a more durable.

On the lower half, Damian Hall, moving on the whole much faster (than almost anyone else!) found that one pair of tights was often enough, with a pair of lightweight waterproof trousers over the top just for the very worst sections. But certainly for us slower movers a bit more protection is worth getting used to in training.

Montane Tight / (Womens Edition) - 3 Pairs
La Sportiva Drizzle Pant 
Montane Spirit Lite Gore-Tex Waterproof Trouser

Upper Body:

This is a huge area, clearly. A good mountain layering system and an understanding of that is worth looking at. I know some runners will simply stick a Buffalo Jacket on and that'll cover almost anything they need. But I prefer the layering because it allows flexibility around conditions.

You should look at having a base layer. Two mid-layers - ideally a breathable fleece type material and a heavier weight fleece jacket, a primaloft jacket and two outer shells - a windproof and a waterproof.

For the majority of the Spine I had on six layers. Base Layer - La Sportiva Jubilee. Mid-weight fleece - the OMM Core Jacket which is super light, breathable and packs suprisingly small. A La Sportiva zip up fleece hoodie / Montane Protium Hooded Fleece. My La Sportiva Primaloft jacket. My Blizzard Windproof. A Montane Gore-Tex Active outer shell which I had on in the wet/ snow showers only. In training, I never had more than three layers on. But thermo-regulation goes out of the window several days in and you need to anticipate wearing far more than you ever will in preparation.

You then also need to have back ups for these layers. They will get wet at some stage. Having spares in your pack and your drop bag, is essential. Here's how and why.

Before a base layer for us men, Eddie Sutton adds 'this sports bra is thick (think free extra warmth) but has no seams and a large surface area to protect back. I had no chafing under arms or on back and it never felt wet so I didn’t get cold.'

A good base layer needs to be able to move moisture away from your body whilst insulating to a high degree here. The truth is at the Spine you are only really sweating up on climbs and even then if you are, you need to look at your effort level. I had several, one on me, one in the bag (that is the mandatory kit rule - one spare base layer not in use) and then a couple in the drop bag. 

A good quality Waterproof Jacket is obviously crucial. Whilst a 10k/10k lightweight jacket will pass kit check, it's absolutely inappropriate to start this race with something that lightweight. The minimum level I'd suggest for the race is Gore-Tex Active. Right now we have the privielege of being able to wear a Gore level jacket which weighs close to nothing. The jacket I had for the majority of the race was the Montane Phase Nano. This is the evolution of the Spine Jacket. They are both Gore-Tex Active which translates to much greater protection than any of the other lightweight (10k - 20k range) jackets, durable, adjustable hood and hem and extremely lightweight. The womens edition of the Phase Nano is not out until September 2023. So the Spine jacket for both men and women and then the Phase Nano Mens from Spring and Womens from Autumn 2023 are the pick of the bunch for me. 

Eddie Sutton comments 'I had run in a montane spine jacket for a few years size 10 one…then about a month before the race I purchased a size 12 one which I wore for the race and was so pleased I did. It enabled me to wear more layers underneath, I had more mobility and it was easier to get the hood up and down. I then took the size 10 in my drop bag ready to double layer if I needed to but we had a dry year!'

Some will point to needing heavier jackets than this - Gore-Tex Pro, higher denier grade material will stand up longer to bad weather, but that is personal preference - again weight vs packability vs protection - I believe Gore-Tex Active in these latest Montane jackets is the way forward. 

You could certainly argue the case for needing one or two spare jackets too - if you are soaked through and keen to leave a check point in a hurry. 

I would put a good windproof up there as just as important as a waterproof. There were times during the race where the wind was up to 40mph and on a -6 temperature reduced wind chill to -15. That cuts straight through a waterproof because of the nature of the material, where a windproof offers substantially more warmth/ protection. It still amazes me how a garment I use almost every day is so neglected in the running world. The Blizzard and Briza are nnot much over 100 grams and provide that layer of protection.

Finally the Primaloft or synthetic layer, go for primaloft/ synthetic and not down. Primaloft/ Synthetic still works as an insulating layer when it wets out but down does not. The Montane Fireball Lite is your outer insulating layer.

M&S Reversible Seamless Sports Bra
La Sportiva Jubilee Base Layer (La Sportiva Blaze - Womens Equivalent) x 4
OMM Core Jacket Mens / Womens
Montane Protium Mid-Layer Hooded Fleece Jacket Mens / Womens
Montane Fireball Lite Insulated Jacket Mens
Montane Phase Nano Mens / Montane Spine Jacket Womens
La Sportiva Blizzard Windproof (La Sportiva Briza - Womens Equivalent)

Headwear:

The main way you will regulate your temperature during the race is by removing or adding hat/ headwear and hoods. Far simpler and quicker than removing layers. The Core Beanie from OMM is breathable, so you don't get a sweaty head. It weighs next to nothing and is made out of primaloft active. 

Another good option is a headband which allows your head to release the heat whilst ensuring you don't get cold ears, which can be a real issue.

Hoods up or down in conjunction with how cold / windy it is - the hood on your windproof being the main one to use.

I also wore a Weather Resistant/ Waterproof Cap for the first day when it rained hardest, just to re-inforce the peaked hood on the waterproof jacket and ensure rain stayed off of my face. 

Take plenty of buffs. We all have them. Good for face covering, extra warmth/ neck cover, head cover and of course wiping stuff up!

OMM Core Beanie x 2
OMM Kamleika Waterproof Cap
Centurion Versatile Head and Neck Wear

Gloves

Understanding combinations of gloves based on how cold and wet your hands might get is obviously as important as any other facet of your kit. If you lose operation of your fingers, you can't eat, undo bottle caps, undo zips/ change clothing. Basically somewhere between inconvenient and dangerous. Getting into this situation was the defining factor for me in bailing off of a second Barkley loop in 2019! I got my kit wrong when the weather turned very quickly and couldnt' navigate or do my jacket up.

A liner glove, with fingers is worthwile and worth having several pairs of. I'd start with one on and one in your bag (mandatory kit). Then a couple more spares in your drop bags.

As a warm overmitt, always go for Primaloft over Down, because when they get wet - the primaloft will still work as an insulating layer. The Montane Prism Dryline is their warm Prism Mitt, super soft, comfortable and light, but with a pertex waterproof layer. I had three pairs. One on. A spare in my pack. One in my drop bag.

Then a waterproof outer glove for really harsh conditions - the Minimus overmitt also from Montane. Just one pair of those. 

Montane Trail Glove (liner glove) Mens/ Womens x 4
Montane Prism Dryline Mitt or Mens Glove / Womens Glove as per preference x 3
Montane Minimus Waterproof Mitt

Pack/ Belt:

During the race I used 2 different packs. I started out with an old S/Lab Peak 20 which was a skimo pack from 2017 - basically an old faithful. Before I got hold of a Montane Gecko 20. It was a case of using what I was used to. I switched to the Gecko 20 at Middleton when the back zip failed on the Salomon and that must have been fate. Because the comfort level of the Gecko is incredible. For me it is the superior option and I wished I had started in it. The best features in my opinion are the adjustable straps across the front which allow cinching around unknown layers of clothing, and the comfortable waist belt that takes some of the load off of your shoulders. But particularly the soft elastane blended material and side pockets. Unlike almost any other pack you can reach straight into them, just down of your waist but close to the front, and stuff them full of almost anything you might need on the run. Honestly they are like Mary Poppins' bag. The fit is exceptional, so comfortable and despite the weight you barely notice you have it on. For me, there was always ample space in the back - I packed light but then added a complete set of spare clothing on the top for easy access and there was ample room. I also used a Naked Band for additional space early in the race, particularly useful for excess nutrition. 

Eddie sutton also used the same back and trained and raced exclusively with it. She comments 'it's a super comfortable pack, I didn’t feel the weight or pack rubbing (but I trained a lot with the pack too!) I brought an extra chest strap from montane and attached that high up which made a huge difference too.'

For further space, the OMM Chest Pod is compatible with almost any vest or pack, by adapating the fastenings that are provided with it - giving you front access to another 4 litres. I have never found I have needed this, but many in the race use this set up.

For greater capacity - if you are someone who plans to carry bulkier jackets, extra food, or less packable sleeping bags etc, then the best 30 litre option is the UD Fastpack 30, or FastpackHer 30. Again with the belt added for more space.

Montane Gecko VP20+
Naked Waist Band
OMM Chest Pod
Ultimate Direction Fastpack 30
Ultimate Direction FastpackHer 30

Centurion Coach Eddie Sutton rocking the Montane Gecko VP20+ en route to third place at the 2023 event (Photo: Steve Ashworth)

Lighting:

My go to lamp for the last 3-4 years now has been the Petzl Swift RL. Light, packable, easy to change rechargeable battery, long lasting and plenty of light and power. But. I found out during the first night that the lamp didn't like just how cold it was here. It's not been asked to do that duration in that cold before and because the battery was front mounted on my head, it was more exposed to that cold and seemed to drain quickly. That is anecdotal, lithium batteries should not drain any faster in that level of cold per se but that was my experience here. The batteries were all fully charged.

So I switched to my Petzl Nao RL which is Petzl's newest headlamp offering. On low reactive setting I got tons of light, more than I ever needed, and one fully charged battery lasted over 20 hours. I would only ever choose this lamp again. It's light, the battery is on the back which balances the weight out on your head, and crucially means it is protected from the bitter cold by your hood/ gets less cold. 

A rear Red LED is mandatory. Rather than a cheap one which will likely break, I attach a Petzl E+Lite which has the added bonus of being usable as a back up emergency lamp with several other settings. 

Petzl Nao RL x 2
Spare Nao RL R1 Batteries - x 4
Petzl E+Lite

20 hours plus on low reactive setting with the Petzl Nao RL - always enough light to move well. (Photo: Steve Ashworth)

Sleep System:  

Full disclosure here, I used this in training and on the freezing cold floor in Bellingham but I did not Bivi out during the race. The Thermarest Hyperion has a comfort rating of 0 degrees C. It is super lightweight, but immensely comfortable and feels substantial despite how small it packs down. It is the minimum rating to pass kit check, but honestly with the Mat, Bivi and Clothing you have, I can never see more than this bag, being required. You can of course find other marginally lighter, extremely expensive alternatives but with performance vs packability vs weight, this is the optimum bag for me.

The sleep pad - I opted for the lightest as once again, I wasn't planning on a bivi unless in emergency - but I am happy having bivi'd on it before that whilst not the most comfortable night, as an insulating layer it does everything you need eg. gets you off of the freezing cold ground which is conducting your body heat away very quickly indeed. The Neo-Air Uberlite inflates extremely quickly and is a pass at kit check. Again it feels substantial. To me, the mat is the least important thing. If you try to inflate a mat like this with little or no shelter in high wind in an emergency you may as well be holding onto a kite. You need to get the bivi out first and try to inflate the mat inside of it whilst pinned down and ideally behind shelter. You need to practice these things in training!

With the bivi, I have again gone super lightweight, almost as light as you can go. The less durable bags eg SOL will fail at kit check. This is a waterproof bag with taped seams and perfectly adequate to keep you protected for short sleeps or awaiting assistance. This isn't a bag I'd hang out in year round for comfort - but that isn't why I am carrying it during this event.

Thermarest Hyperion 32F/0C Sleeping Bag
Thermarest Neo-Air Uberlite Sleeping Pad
Terra Nova Moonlite Bivi

Navigation: 

The Pennine Way is not a well marked trail. You will find finger posts and the acorn symbol in lots of places. But nothing it all in much greater amounts. Map and compass are mandatory kit and for good reason. If you'd had your watch die and/ or your OS App jumping all over the place in heavy clag on the high mountains, you need to be able to use them. Again for me it was a hard lesson on top of Red Pike by myself winter in serious conditions when the electronics all failed that forced me to take 'thumbing the map' more seriously. But, I would use the maps as a back up here because you ideally want hands free for poles, eating and gates. So use the excellent GPX trace, uploaded on your watch. It will tell you when you are going off course and when to make a turn. The Coros Vertix 2 has the longest battery life of any watch going, so we stock that to try to ensure least charging time. 

The handheld GPS you will see some using as a primary navigation device but more often than not it is a back-up. We used it on the Cam Road section on the longest stretch between check points, when my watch died. The Garmin 66S is easy to use even with big gloves on, takes 3 x AA batteries which are easily changed and is essentially bomb proof navigation. You need to learn to use the funcationality before you head out, you will need to upload the right maps for the Pennine Way - it doesn't come with these built in and you will be best off leaving it switched on, so if you do need to use it it is already there with the route and your position on it, not loading up in harsh conditions as you stand around waiting for it.

Reference a compass, I personally prefer a thumb / orienteering compass, but that won't pass kit check here so get a solid reliable compass like the Silva Ranger instead.

Coros Vertix 2
Pennine Way Harveys Map: North and South
Garmin 66s Handheld GPS
Silva Field Compass

Poles:

I'm not sure if anyone went without poles but I'd be suprised. For stability, for measuring the depth of bogs - seriously, and for more efficient forward movement they have to be considered essential. Whilst I am a huge fan of Leki's Ultratrail FX.One Superlight poles which I used for TDG, I have always used a Black Diamond Carbon Z or FLZ pole when wearing gloves. They are super light, durable, fold down quickly and easily when out of use and most importantly have an easy to adjust hand strap so that I am not trying to squeeze the otherwise excellent Leki Shark Glove system over several layers of changing glove types. The FLZ have the added bonus of being height adjustable on the move.

Poles: Black Diamond Distance Z Poles

Stove/ Cooking / Eating System:

Aim for me is to be able to boil water quickly and simply but for it to be reliable. Whilst meths is lighter and more packable, the chance of a leak and the hassle of the longer burn time don't make it worth it for me. So I like gas options. Stoves are tiny these days and I use an Alpkit Kraku screwed straight into the gas canister, with storm proof matches to light. Remember you can't blow these out! So get used to letting them burn out in your hand like a sparkler! The Bugaboo mug from GSI is titanium so super light and useful obviously for drinks at the CPs - it is also good to use on the stove and boils extremely quickly, the 400ml limit you need to carry for kit - also coincidentally the amount you need for most rehydrated meals. I'd say good going less than 5 minutes to brew. The bugaboo will be HOT when you pick it up, but the handle is separated - so make sure you wear a glove and within a minute or two is fine to hold. Again, I wouldn't use this system day to day but on the spine (the bugaboo is not meant for this, it will eventually start to deform if you burn it for ages and ages) but it's everything I need here and more. The Titanium Spork from Optimus weighs nothing. 

For flasks/ water, it's worth carrying insulated soft flasks so that your fluid has less chance of freezing. My flasks froze several times leaving me an issue on those sections. It is also worth carrying a filter bottle which you can then decant, if you choose to or need to fill up from questionable sources.

Alpkit Kraku Stove
GSI 110g Isobutane Gas Compatible with that stove
LifeSystems Storm Proof Matches
GSI Bugaboo Cup
Optimus Spork
Salomon insulated soft flasks x 2
Katadyn Befree Filter Flask 600ml

Medical

Take a decent medical kit with you. Look at what is on the kit list, ensure you have it all but also think - what do I really need to carry? Pre-taping feet and having the right, quick to use tools to do that is something to look at pre-race. I am not a big fan of pre taping, but the conditions at the Spine are unique and by adding tape strategically you can often offset some of the worst problems. Remember, don't get into a check point and rip the tape off. Be careful. Your skin will be moist underneath and will tear more easily, so take extreme care when removing and replacing tape. 

Lifesystems Waterproof Micro First Aid Kit
Lifesystems Blister First Aid Kit

Other Mandatory Kit

Lifesystems Hurricane Whistle - far better than the one that came free with your pack. They will make you blow it at kit check!
Swiss Card Knife/ Scissors - This is an expensive option but essentially gives you lots of other useful kit for almost no weight/ size. The blade passes kit check in length. Cheaper replicas are available.
Bolle Safety Goggles - Light and cheap. Tinted expensive ski/ mountain goggles won't pass kit check, you need a clear goggle. These are worth getting used to in training as they need to be adjusted to feel comfortable. Lots of similar options in their range, must have a headband.
GSI Cathole 'Poo' Trowel and Tissues plus poo bags

Food and Drink

This is perhaps the most individual area of all. My advice to you is to consider carrying not just the 3000kcal minimum you are required to have, leaving each check point, but ensure what you have is going to be appealing and easy to consume over very long periods. 

In races in the past I have consumed exclusively gels - including at Western States in 2011 where I ate 70 Gu's. For this race I took almost no sports nutrition with the exception of some Maurten 320 CAF 100 drink mix primarily for the caffeine overnight. 

The other critical component is thinking about freeze dried meals. You won't need these at the check points which are very well stocked, but you will benefit from them at certain points in between. Either at the 0.5 check points or at the pop up locations with MRT where hot water is given. Or again, if you stop to brew up yourself.

I ate all of these things during the race and these options worked best for me. This is a very individual area however.

Expedition Foods Freeze Dried Meals 
Gu Stroopwaffels
Chia Charge Mini Bars
Clif Bar Mini's
Maurten 320 CAF 100
Succeed! S! Caps

Non Mandatory but Borderline! 

Battery Packs: I used two larger power banks here in my drop bag, to charge batteries between check points. And then two smaller ones here that I carried on my person. Plug sockets whilst available at some check points are far from guaranteed. This system allowed me to charge everything for 5 days, with plenty of power to spare, without ever needing mains power. My watch, headlamp and phone cables, I carried in my bag to recharge on the go - I only needed to do that between Hebden and Hawes due to the length of that section. But it was nice to know I had that option if I needed. 
Lifesystems Ear Plugs - It's noisy in the bunk rooms!
Anti Chafe: Bodyglide
Dry Bags: The Ortlieb 13 litre dry bag fits nicely in the Montane Gecko 20 and is truly waterproof/ hard wearing. I then use lighter Exped Fold Lite Dry bags for other kit and my bags to go inside drop bag bags.
Repair Kit: OMM Waterproof Patches, Cable ties, Duct Tape, KT Tape, bungee. Shoe, pack, pole, clothing repairs are almost certainly going to be required at some stage.

BIO

My Spine Race finish in 2023 came 17 years almost to the day, fter my first ultra.

I began in 2005 and my first big adventure was the MDS. I went on to become the youngest finisher at the time of the 4Deserts Series including multi-stage races across the Gobi, Atacama, Sahara Deserts as well as on Antarctica. In 2009 I began running 100 milers and have finished quite a few of the bigger marquee events to date including:

Western States, Leadville, UTMB, Arc of Attrition, Lakeland, WHW Race, Caesars Camp, Old Dominion, Rocky Raccoon (x 5), Autumn 100 etc.

I've also explored the longer single stage races finishing Badwater, Spartathlon, GUCR, many 24hr races including 2 Silver medals in a GB vest and more recently the Tor Des Geants.

In 2011 I started Centurion Running and we've had a stable of 50 and 100 mile races since that time. I have personally Rd'd over 50 races of 100 miles or more and 30 x 50 milers in that time.

Outside of racing I ran the Bob Graham in 2014, the Paddy Buckley in 2021 and the Charlie Ramsay in 2022 made me the 73rd person to complete the Big 3 in under 24 hours. In 2015, I ran across Iceland with Robbie Britton - a very cold expedition over 7 days/ 200 miles. I completed my Wainwrights journey many years ago with many wonderful solo days out in the hills in all conditions. 

In addition I've run 150 marathon+ events with a PB of 2:43 and finished both Ironman and long distance cycling events.

The Spine Race is one of the few ultra distance events in the UK that resonates beyond the niche end of the running world that we live in. A lot of that has to do with the time of year, the second week of January is not a bumper time for ultrarunning, for good reason. Most organisers stay well clear of the predictably horrible and potentially hazardous conditions. But the pictures and video we've all seen down the years of bog, snow, ice, rain and frankly misery, somehow captivate, when sat in the warm and the dry as we watch the dots inch closer to the finish at an agonisingly slow rate. 

But the main thing I think the media can't convey and really hit home for me running the event this year, was how much darkness there is. You can't shoot that, and for me it ended up being dark for seemingly almost all of the time I was on the trail. 

268 miles along the entire Pennine Way, non-stop and in January is a formidable task. I'd entered ten years previously and failed to start and then a clash with my sons birthday each year had always ruled me out. But this year they'd moved the race back a week. It's one of the few races in the UK that I'd consider to be on the very difficult end of the spectrum and one of even fewer I hadn't had a go at so I thought it was time to see what it was all about.

The report is long and specifically aimed at those interested in running the Spine race, or one of the other sister events. There is a lot of focus on some of the practical side. Logistics, admin, kit etc are almost more important than physical preparation for what is ostensibly an adventure race, far more than it is a running event. An expedition is a good way of looking at it. I will go into depth with reference to the more tangible aspects, because as a runner coming into this years' event I found the information was out there but took a good deal of time to collate and even then, there were quite a few suprises on race day. What is the race really about? How much kit do I need? What are the best options for mandatory kit trading off weight for actually needing to use those items in a pinch. How does the race unfold and where will I get support?

As a retailer, as I went through my own kit for the race, I began to reach out to suppliers of the best items that we didn't already have in store- and put together a collection of the best kit, footwear and clothing for this unique event. You can find full details on that below this report and the store collection here.

You can read the full kit list post here, or scroll to the bottom of this report.

This may mean that unless you are planning on running the Spine, some of this is a bit heavy or dull and for that I'm sorry, but I will try to keep the story going.

James crossing Cotherstone Moor Mile 135 at the 2023 Spine Race (Photo c/o Steve Ashworth)

Preparation

I am not a great lover of lots of kit, in fact I complained after TDG back in September that I'd had enough of packing a big drop bag and thinking carefully about what I might need 100 hours into a race. Well, let me tell you that only got significantly worse here. 

I spent as much time sorting kit out as running and hiking in training for the race. 

The physical preparation is easy to cover. I began after a month of rest post-Tor. Two x 200 mile plus races in four months is a big toll and I wouldn't rush to do that again, but it was just how it worked out for me this time. During November I got some steady consistency away, then a big week to start December - with a low key 50km event followed by a four day recce on the second half of the Spine with one of our coaches Eddie Sutton and Jayson & Kim Cavill. It was brilliant fun, a great way to see the course and left me excited about the race in a way I hadn't been before. I'd also run the third section with a friend of mine and five time finisher Matt Neale. And seen various other bits when pacing John Kelly and Damian Hall on their FKT attempts. The only bit I hadn't seen was the first 90 miles. These recce's were most useful for testing kit but particular footwear. I felt I really had that dialled in and you can read a much more in depth look at the footwear solution I found and which worked, at the foot of the report.

And on that note - as a retailer of ultrarunning gear, all that happened as I went sourcing the best kit, was that we started to stock it. Both so I could get it a bit cheaper for me (!!) and so we could pass on a collection of kit that was all in one place for runners interested in the race - with first hand, real world advice. We don't stock it all but we're getting there. All of the links take you to the best place to find each product. It might seem salesy but believe me when I say I think the biggest saving is actually hopefully on people's time trying to find good advice and being able to ask questions about kit/ shop from us at the same time. We're here for the detail.

However, we are not the authority on Spine Race kit. If you have any questions or want to check if what you have meets kit requirements for the race, then you should contact the Spine Race and Lindley Chambers who heads up their kit side of things, via his email [email protected] . You can also read his advice and tips on kit and kit check on this page here.

Back to the story.

The final weeks were a blow for me. I got ill on Christmas Day which wiped out the peak weeks and left me struggling to be fit on the start line. Probably a similar story to most people! But the start line beckoned and I was sure I was well enough to give it a decent shot.

The Start

The start of the race is in Edale, Derbyshire, a lovely village at the foot of the Kinder plateau. To be eligible to start, one must of course pass an epic kit check, see again further down the post for that detail.

Dinner the night before in the Ramblers Inn where we were staying was low key and ideal, the pub is between the start and Registration. The main thing on the agenda was the forecast. It looked like we were going to have a miserable half a day to start, low temps, wet sleet or snow, frozen ground up high and some wind. But after that it just looked bitterly cold. I was delighted which I think was the general consensus....

At the start line with Kim Collison and Eddie Sutton. Weather classicly Spine-esque (Photo c/o Steve Ashworth)

The start itself was a muddy wet affair, very Spine like and off we went at 0800 Sunday into the wild. 

Day 1 to CP1 at Hebden Bridge is about 46 miles, mostly in daylight for me. It was a bit frenetic as these things always are and whilst the ground was frozen underfoot in places, it was 'a tiny bit wet' in others.

Triple River Crossing at Black Hill on Day One (Photo c/o Steve Ashworth)

It's not an especially hard section, Kinder was a bit of an icy mess but is short lived. The second half of this section is mostly flat and good going so quick time is made. But I felt dreadful as I approached Stoodley Pike, the huge monument marking the end of the tops before the check point. I just felt like the virus hadn't passed, I felt ill. And i couldn't see how that couldn't leave me feeling worse and worse over the coming few days. At Hebden I asked what the protocol was for dropping. I ate a meal served by the wonderful volunteers, decided to go to bed for several hours and just lay there checking train times and moaning on whatsapp to people who probably needed to go to sleep. But then I got up and ate again, with all timings already out of the window I took all of my experience in hand and looked at it logically. I felt shite, but well enough to get to the next check point. It was mostly dry out, in fact it was snowing on the moors which was fine. Let's just go one stage at a time, break it down into tiny sections and take it a bit at a time. See how far I could get, you can't drop at CP1.

Leaving Hebden I motored past half a dozen people, because I was now towards the back of the pack having initially arrived there in 11 hours and leaving in 16. This helped my mental state, unfortunately. Sad as it is when you're moving well versus others around you it makes you feel artificially better than you had before. Then I caught up with Eddie Sutton who was having her own issues, notably with fueling. We formed up and spent much of the next 24 hours together, as we had done in the recce's, just forging ahead to Hawes. We shivered in a tent in Lothersdale with the tri club, trying to stay warm. Enjoyed a breakfast of pain aux chocolat and a coffee on the baby changing table in the toilets at Gargrave. Passed Marco Consani and Graham Connolly having a sleep on the ground. And wend our way to Malham Tarn check point. These small oases in such long sections were welcome. A 30 minute maximum allowed stay time meant a quick freeze dried meal and then off and away. Next up, Fountains Fell and Pen Y Ghent and Eddie was having a harder time moving well on the icy descents. It seemed wise to try to stick together through to Hawes however, certainly more enjoyable and our invisble bungee was just long enough that I'd ping ahead and she'd catch me up before i got cold.

Eddie on the flanks of Pen-Y-Ghent at Sunset

Down into Horton, things got a little uglier as the temperature very tangibly dropped off of a cliff. It had been cold, well below zero but it felt like it fell to a whole new level as the sun disappeared for the next 16 hours. I ran ahead to Horton and started sorting kit and a brew down in the toilet block as a bloke I'd met in the village explained there was no MRT station or check point there. Eddie had some navigation issues, so I went back up the road to find her and then back to the haven of the toilet block. We got all of our kit on, and I mean ALL of it. Before having a couple of hot drinks, getting the remaining food together and setting off for the 15 miles or so to Hawes. 100 metres later we were inside the warm cosy interior of the caving club check point that had been just up the road, drinking coffee and eating a cheese sandwich. Oh well! The Cam High Road sucks. It's a long gradually ascending drag and the cold was real. I was just about the right side of warm enough but that was with a very strong marching pace.

Then the descent to Hawes and with 39 hours elapsed, 108 miles were in the bag. Just 160 to go.

Hawes to the Finish

Four hours at Hawes of which two were broken sleep, then off and up Great Shunner Fell. Eddie left just in front of me and we started the climb together before I pressed on a little over the summit and across to Keld reading room, where David Bone made me a lovely cup of tea. On to Tan Hill I passed Eddie again and made my way across Sleightholme Moor, one of the boggiest least enjoyable sections of the PW, but which on this day was frozen almost solid. The ice was inches thick in places, truly spectacular and I was extremely grateful for that! Then I hit Gods Bridge and Half Way, where Steve Ashworth had popped out to shoot some more of the race and got me attempting to look like a runner past the reservoirs before I motored on to Middleton Check Point.

Half Way There Photo: Steve Ashworth 

Middleton was the best laid out check point on the course, with big tables to sort gear when you came in, a nice big open room with a fire for eating and resting, and then bunk rooms for some rest. Which by now were quiet. The way the race spaces out even by this stage is pretty dramatic. From the frenetic noisy first two CPs up to this point of total calm. The volunteers here were sensational. From Jess and his crew in the kitchen, to the medics looking at feet and the people helping with kit sort and check out in the main arrival room.

It was at Middleton that I ran in to Matt Neale. We'd been leap frogging the whole way, saying hi and bye at regular intervals. But our races aligned here. I had two hours sleep to Matt's three, we got up, ate a second plate of Jess's chicken korma and decided to head off at the same time into the third night. 

We absolutely motored along the flat path past High Force, through the icy rocky mess of Falcon Climts which in my opinion is the best bit of the course. That remote, dead end valley which ends in Cauldron Snout waterfall feels wild and remote and I think it's spectacular. Cauldron Snout was iced up, the rocks were hard to handle and despite Matt and I having a lot of experience in the mountains (huge self pat on the back here as completely coincidentally we happen to be Finishers 72 and 73 of the Big Three UK Rounds), it was sketchy at times and it was easy to imagine some runners having a bit of a melt down in there. We stopped to put more clothing on just the other side in the lee of one of the incredibly remote farms and from there, picked up second placed lady Hannah Rickman who was an absolute pleasure to share the trail with. She was bright and clearly enjoying the adventure with a big smile despite the bitter cold. Over High Cup Nick, the descent to Dufton marking 100 miles to go was the first time the sleep monsters hit hard. The path to Dufton is a big wide open track and I was asleep on my feet. I led down there but I would constantly stop and ask if we were going the right way - Matt was incredulous, 'of course we are there's literally no other path' so on we stumbled. When we hit Dufton, we made our way to the small hall where there's again a 30 minute time limit on your stay. We lay on the floor and woke up 27 minutes into that 30, with a volunteer gently prompting us to get up and get out. This photo may sum up the sensation of that moment. 

Looking good at Dufton (Photo: Lizzie Faithfull-Davies)

The climb up Cross Fell went ok, but it was so cold up on the plateau and the snow had drifted in to cover all of the slabs so it was tough going. It felt truly wild and Arctic up there, by far the most epic part of the course. Eventually we crested the ridge as the sun rose, and nipped into Gregs Hut for John Bambers incredible spicy noodles and a tea. What an absolute haven that is and everybody is rightly truly grateful to John and his team for manning it. It's a real highlight of the race.

Matt and I ran pretty much the entire 10km descent down the track to 'Annie's house' in Garrigill where we had some tea and toast, she welcomes all of the runners , shoes and all, into her kitchen. WOW. Then the final few miles to Alston we shared with Hannah again. Alston is a real moment I think, you know you are going to be ok from there, it's 80 miles to go but feels like the beginning of the end. A cracking meal and a good sleep for a couple of hours and Matt and I departed again together, via the Spar where we bought a special meat pie to celebrate with in the toilets at Greenhead - because there's nothing else for 40 miles on this section! I'll distill the rest down to the best anecdotes. We moved really well through the remainder, making up many places and not conceding any, overall we'd saved a lot in the first half and that allowed us to really enjoy the second.

At Greenhead we got into the toilets and lay down for a few minutes, grabbed a space on the floor and sorted ourselves out. Some luxury pie was eaten as one of Matt's army mates surprised Matt, hannah and I with some tea in the middle of the night. In a disabled loo. In a deserted car park. On Hadrians Wall. Only in the Spine Race.

The Wall is a stunning section, though tough and we ran that well, but in the woods the other side we started to lose the plot to sleep again. So we lay down in the trees for literally 3 minutes until the cold woke us up. God it was horrendous moving again after that.

Eventually we made Hornystead Farm, four miles out from the last check point where there was some soup on the go and Matt and I enjoyed a lovely nap together on the mattress. I promised I'd never tell, but.... It felt good to finally get some warmth after a bitterly cold 15 or so hours.

We sped on to Bellingham where we planned one more sleep before dealing with the final section. It was absolutely freezing in the check point and the sleeping accomodation was mat and bag on the wooden floor, which was a shame and impacted how much rest we got. But we sorted ourselves out and got off. 

The one issue we had over the last two days of the race was that our CP breaks were coinciding with the 8 hours of daylight, so practically the entire second half of the race was done in darkness. That, was hard.

We moved really well to Byrness, it took us four hours to cover nearly 16 miles and we were well pleased at how we were going. We had our final 30 minute limited stay at the check point there with my old friend Duncan Anderson providing some much needed grub having volunteered literally all week - and then up and over the Cheviots. It was seriously cold up there, but beautiful. At times the trail was compacted by runners who had gone before and there were some faster miles, but the snow had drifted in on others and there was no path at all. Knee deep and worse post-holing up the Cheviot itself was truly something special to finish with, maybe a 50 minute mile up there, but then it was almost all down hill and we were still super strong. Matt remarked that if someone had asked us just to crack on and do another stage or two or three we probably could have just fine. It felt like we were right in the rhythm of the race. 

Steve Ashworth came out to take some final photos and video a few miles out from the finish. Job done.

Descending the Schill, the final hill on the course (Photo c/o Steve Ashworth)

And just like that we were in Kirk Yetholm. A low key finish somewhere around 0430 in the morning, a shake of the hand, quick plate of food and back down the motorway to the National Running Show. 

Photo c/o The Spine Race

What's it all about

The questions I have been asked dozens of times at the Run Show and the Arc of Attrition which we worked both of in the 8 days post race, were:

- Have you recovered yet?

I recovered quickly. My feet were good and there were no substantial aches or niggles so I was able to sleep well, straight away, albeit with the regular night sweats in full gear - they are pretty horrible. Each day I napped in the afternoon then slept a full night and was relatively quickly, back a normal routine. We ran out on the coast path on the Saturday, 8 days after finishing and that went relatively well!

Compared to the Tor, the damage was incomparably less. After TDG I had bad blisters, horrendous all body swelling, needed to sleep every 90 minutes or so for about a week, couldn't feel my toes for 3 weeks afterwards and generally felt wrecked. 

Perhaps because I expected to be worse this time, and it wasn't so bad, all was a success!

- Would you do it again?

Probably not - never say never but - probably not. Prefaced with I am extremely proud of the finish and it was a true adventure - a rare thing in this world, with an incredible community of people around the race which make it very special indeed. But for me, the joy in running is why I do it, not just the challenge of finishing something. In the last two years I've run the Arc of Attrition 100 twice, the Paddy Buckley, the Charlie Ramsay, TDG and the Spine. They are all up there in the difficulty stakes, and I'd do any one of them again apart from the Spine. Three main reasons. The amount of darkness at the Spine means that you are severely limited in being able to actually enjoy the surroundings. And for us with our CP times falling in daylight hours, my memory of the race is bascially a ten foot bubble of headlamp and my watch gpx trace. Secondly, the amount of kit and terrain underfoot makes running extremely difficult - it is just extremely slow going. Thirdly, the Pennine Way is wildly beautiful in places, but atrociously managed in others. There are far too many low lying field paths that have been destroyed by farming, both animals and vehicles. Lots of very bleak moorland. Sections which you frankly cannot believe are part of our oldest National Trail. Even in summer it is in many places, a mess. There are jewels in her crown, incredible highlights that are up there with the very best scenery and trails we have here, but you miss so many because of the dark and they are at times spaced out by miles and miles of terrible ground.

The reason to do it again would be to be part of the wonderful Spine community. The volunteers were out of this world and clearly the race has a magic feel around it which is second to none. It will mean the world to you if you can finish this one.

- How hard was it?

Very difficult, terrain, weather, amount of kit, amount of darkness, overall distance - all make it extremely hard. Not as hard as the Tor in my opinion. And one must always look at the finisher rate/ times. To finish within 7 days is I believe a reasonable ask. There are runners who struggle to finish our events in 30 hours, who will routinely finish the spine a half a day inside the cut off. But to push it at the Spine, to race it hard, is truly up there in the overall list of things I've personally had a go at.

KIT AND LOGISTICS

This area of the post is specifically designed to look at the detail of all aspects of the kit, footwear, apparel, nutrition and miscellaneous items that you need to think about in order to compete safely and successfully in the Spine Races or indeed, for winter in the mountains.

• Click here to visit the store collection on our website, containing the majority of these products.
• Click here to watch a longform video going into all of the kit for the Spine Race with James Elson (YouTube)
• Click here to read James' race report from 2023. 
• Click here to listen to James' recap podcast of the 2023 event.
• Click here to listen to a British Ultrarunning Podcast conversation between James, Dan, five time finisher Matt Neale and 2023 Mens Race Winner Damian Hall.
• Click here to listen to the Tea and Trails podcast with Eddie Sutton on her 2023 Spine Race. Eddie is a Centurion Coach and third place finisher in 2023. 

This video accompanies this post, going into further detail on all of the items below as well as the drop bag and how to think about packing for the race.

 Clearly a huge caveat needs to be placed at this juncture. Every single person emerging from the Spine will have a different view on kit, how in functions, what minimum requirements are vs what you actually need to carry.

You need to think very carefully about what you need to carry/ have access to and not just what's on the mandatory kit list. The kit list is there as a safety net and often just in case of emergency. What you actually require to stay safe and perform well at the Spine Race goes far beyond it.

We also need to be realistic about cost and what you do and don't need to buy. Some of the kit is very expensive plus there is of course a large energy cost to production and transport in a lot of cases. So consider what you have already that is fit for purpose, what can be borrowed and what can be hired. As time goes on and we are able to put the time and resource into it, hiring kit is something we'd like to get into - many already do this. The facebook group here is a valuable resource in borrowing kit or getting advice on how to look after it.

Cheaper alternatives are available for everything, always look at the compromise though: Weight vs Packability vs Price. We've picked out the best balance of those three things, in our opinion.

And on that note - as a retailer of ultrarunning gear, all that happened as we went sourcing the best kit, was that we started to stock it. So that we could pass on a collection of kit that was all in one place for runners interested in the race - with first hand, real world advice. We don't stock it all but we're getting there. All of the links take you to the best place to find each product. It might seem salesy but believe me when I say I think the biggest saving is actually hopefully on people's time trying to find good advice and being able to ask questions about kit/ shop from us at the same time. We're here for the detail.

However, we are not the authority on Spine Race kit. If you have any questions or want to check if what you have meets kit requirements for the race, then you should contact the Spine Race and Lindley Chambers who heads up their kit side of things, via his email [email protected] . You can also read his advice and tips on kit and kit check on this page here.

What I've done here is distilled down my experience not just at the Spine but of a nearly two decades of racing in all conditions, utilising a wide range of winter kit over and over again - as well as organising more 100(+) mile ultra distance events than anyone else in the country! I know there will be some people who have no idea of who I am so I have included a short bio at the end of this post.

This kit has been used, not actually mainly in racing but in training and on days out on the hill, in winter. You must get used to using the kit, particularly working out what footwear and what layering systems work for you. I am around 65kg, 5ft7 and without tooting my own horn, tend to move towards the mid to the front of the pack in events. I would say days out over the Wainwrights in winter were a turning point for me. Learning to read the forecast, particularly with regards to wind speeds at height, anticipate clothing requirements, navigate in the dark and mist with map and compass and scramble/ climb very difficult ground - these are the skills that make me feel most comfortable in terrible weather. A lot of my racing might also seem irrelevant but you draw on the experience of everything that has gone before, in events like the Spine. Races/ Rounds I've run that help contribute to choices here include Tor Des Geants, Arc of Attrition, Lakeland 100, Western States, Bob Graham, Paddy Buckley, Charlie Ramsay, Leadville, Lakeland, 4Deserts Series (antarctica being the most cold weather specific). But more so things like the Wainwrights in winter, crossing Iceland on foot and many long days out by myself. 

Finally you will find kit suggestions and comments throughout this text which features my own kit. Firstly from two of our team runners - Debbie Martin-Consani who has finished the race twice including a win at the 2022 edition. And Edwina Sutton who finished third in the 2023 race. Finally, from 2023 Mens winner Damian Hall.

A link to the full mandatory kit list for 2023 is available here. All of the below kit meets the criteria for the event. 

Footwear:

Clearly, managing your feet is one of the handful of major things to concentrate your energy on. For some time as a team we had been waiting on the La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX to come out. We'd sat in a team meeting back in April and Jono Wyatt had pulled a pair out and previous race winner and PW Record Holder - John Kelly - sitting to my right, had asked on the spot if he could possibly just take them home with him. They are effectively an insulated, waterproof, lightweight shoe - that looks like a boot due to the gaiter. The sole unit is La Spo's grippiest rubber. The upper is soft, warm and you can dial it in tight or back it off using the boa system. Then there is a Gore Tex gaiter coming up to ankle height, so effectively there are two waterproof layers to the shoe. This kind of shoe has moved the game on with regards to protection from winter/ very wet or cold conditions. It feels like you are wearing a lightweight shoe, whilst getting the protection of a mountain boot (not crampon compatible as the sole is not rigid enough - great with microspikes of course). Others were still wearing regular trail shoes and asking more of their socks but for me whether you are running up the front or scraping cut offs, this shoe does it all. The other model I had in my armoury was the La Sportiva Blizzard. This is again a Gore-Tex shoe with a debris gaiter, and has a metal stud matrix built into the sole unit - essentially built in nano-spikes so you can run across ice without issue (note these will not pass kit check, you still need a separate set of spikes or yaktrax).

The other component of course, is socks. I hadn't worn waterproof socks since the Last Desert Antarctica in 2008. But I got hold of some Dexshell Compression mudder socks and quite frankly they became the most important piece of kit I had. They are impermeable to both water, but also to debris. And at knee height you have to be in a very significant bog or river to get water in the top. If that does happen, they then insulate that water like a wetsuit, and keep your feet warm. 

I had no liner sock, just the Dexshell. I started in the Cyklon Cross. Because it was minus 2-3 in the valleys and 6-7 on the tops all week, every hard surface was covered in ice so I then used the Blizzards for Day 2 and 3. Before going back to the Cyklon Cross for the last two sections. 

All four of the runners mentioned on this post including myself, Debbie, Eddie and Damian all used the same DexShell sock for this race. 

2022 Womens race champion Debbie Martin-Consani used a liner sock in combination with the DexShell and had just as much success with her feet - Debbie talked about her foot route in a post-race intstagram post here. Liner socks should be thin, it is well worth experimenting with both options in your training. Damian Hall comments: 'I too use DexShells and tend to wear a toesock as a liner. The only problem I've had is from feet being too warm in conditions less severe'. Again, test them in training.

With the Dexshell Sock, and then the Cyklon Cross/ Blizzard I had zero blisters (i had one small bit of skin come off at the finish because i tore off a bit of preventative tape too soon with wet skin underneath), zero hot spots, never once got cold feet and always had the grip I needed. I took my shoes and socks off in at the 144 mile check point and the medic asked me where I'd washed my feet - they stayed that clean and clear. The Blizzards - after 40 or so hours began to make my feet tender, I think where the sole is more rigid and the spikes less forgivining but they were priceless for the icy rocks, hence the switch back to the Cyklon Cross. I take half a size up in both to allow space for the thicker Dexshell Sock. 

So as an N of 1 sure, but if you want to get through the Spine without foot issues, there's a good system to try. This is more of an invidivual area than almost any other part of your race strategy, besides nutrition.

Separate Spikes or Yaktrax are part of mandatory kit. Nanospikes won't pass kit check. I would always carry a Yaktrax for speed and weight, but also have my Kahtoola Microspikes in the drop bag. These are essentials for any winter mountain day anyway, will see plenty of use! I've had my Yaktrax since 2008, still going strong.

La Sportiva Cyklon Cross
La Sportiva Blizzard
Dexshell Mudder Compression Socks
Kahtoola Microspike
Yaktrax

Freezing waterlogged paths - but no water ingress or foot problems. 

Kirk Yetholm: Completely blister free, dry feet. (Photo c/o Steve Ashworth)

Lower Body:

All through training including in sub zero temperatures for many hours, I'd worn one pair of tights and lightweight waterproof trousers. But in the race this was simply not enough. I ended up putting on a second pair of tights and then a waterproof trouser. I needed two pairs of tights to stay warm enough at the coldest times. Remembering then that these stayed largely dry through the race, I didn't touch my spare/ third pair but you need to carry one additional pair to that which you are wearing. I can't see getting away with less than three pairs of tights is viable, and a fourth would be wise.

As for the trousers, the Drizzle Pant (unisex) is a light, tapered running waterproof trouser, you feel like you can move fast in them. This was good for almost everything, you could put on a heavier Gore-Tex weight trouser in wetter weather however, that could be a valuable addition.

On the lower half, Damian Hall, moving on the whole much faster (than almost anyone else!) found that one pair of tights was often enough, with a pair of lightweight waterproof trousers over the top just for the very worst sections. But certainly for us slower movers a bit more protection is worth getting used to in training.

Montane Tight / (Womens Edition) - 3 Pairs
La Sportiva Drizzle Pant 
Montane Spirit Lite Gore-Tex Waterproof Trouser

Upper Body:

This is a huge area, clearly. A good mountain layering system and an understanding of that is worth looking at. I know some runners will simply stick a Buffalo Jacket on and that'll cover almost anything they need. But I prefer the layering because it allows flexibility around conditions.

You should look at having a base layer. Two mid-layers - ideally a breathable fleece type material and a heavier weight fleece jacket, a primaloft jacket and two outer shells - a windproof and a waterproof.

For the majority of the Spine I had on six layers. Base Layer - La Sportiva Jubilee. Mid-weight fleece - the OMM Core Jacket which is super light, breathable and packs suprisingly small. A La Sportiva zip up fleece hoodie / Montane Protium Hooded Fleece. My La Sportiva Primaloft jacket. My Blizzard Windproof. A Montane Gore-Tex Active outer shell which I had on in the wet/ snow showers only. In training, I never had more than three layers on. But thermo-regulation goes out of the window several days in and you need to anticipate wearing far more than you ever will in preparation.

You then also need to have back ups for these layers. They will get wet at some stage. Having spares in your pack and your drop bag, is essential. Here's how and why.

Before a base layer for us men, Eddie Sutton adds 'this sports bra is thick (think free extra warmth) but has no seams and a large surface area to protect back. I had no chafing under arms or on back and it never felt wet so I didn’t get cold.'

A good base layer needs to be able to move moisture away from your body whilst insulating to a high degree here. The truth is at the Spine you are only really sweating up on climbs and even then if you are, you need to look at your effort level. I had several, one on me, one in the bag (that is the mandatory kit rule - one spare base layer not in use) and then a couple in the drop bag. 

A good quality Waterproof Jacket is obviously crucial. Whilst a 10k/10k lightweight jacket will pass kit check, it's absolutely inappropriate to start this race with something that lightweight. The minimum level I'd suggest for the race is Gore-Tex Active. Right now we have the privielege of being able to wear a Gore level jacket which weighs close to nothing. The jacket I had for the majority of the race was the Montane Phase Nano. This is the evolution of the Spine Jacket. They are both Gore-Tex Active which translates to much greater protection than any of the other lightweight (10k - 20k range) jackets, durable, adjustable hood and hem and extremely lightweight. The womens edition of the Phase Nano is not out until September 2023. So the Spine jacket for both men and women and then the Phase Nano Mens from Spring and Womens from Autumn 2023 are the pick of the bunch for me. 

Eddie Sutton comments 'I had run in a montane spine jacket for a few years size 10 one…then about a month before the race I purchased a size 12 one which I wore for the race and was so pleased I did. It enabled me to wear more layers underneath, I had more mobility and it was easier to get the hood up and down. I then took the size 10 in my drop bag ready to double layer if I needed to but we had a dry year!'

Some will point to needing heavier jackets than this - Gore-Tex Pro, higher denier grade material will stand up longer to bad weather, but that is personal preference - again weight vs packability vs protection - I believe Gore-Tex Active in these latest Montane jackets is the way forward. 

You could certainly argue the case for needing one or two spare jackets too - if you are soaked through and keen to leave a check point in a hurry. 

I would put a good windproof up there as just as important as a waterproof. There were times during the race where the wind was up to 40mph and on a -6 temperature reduced wind chill to -15. That cuts straight through a waterproof because of the nature of the material, where a windproof offers substantially more warmth/ protection. It still amazes me how a garment I use almost every day is so neglected in the running world. The Blizzard and Briza are nnot much over 100 grams and provide that layer of protection.

Finally the Primaloft layer, go for primaloft and not down. Primaloft still works as an insulating layer when it wets out but down does not. 

M&S Reversible Seamless Sports Bra
La Sportiva Jubilee Base Layer (La Sportiva Blaze - Womens Equivalent) x 4
OMM Core Jacket Mens / Womens
Montane Protium Lite Mid-Layer Hooded Fleece Mens / Womens
Montane Phase Nano Mens / Montane Spine Jacket Womens
La Sportiva Blizzard Windproof (La Sportiva Briza - Womens Equivalent)

Headwear:

The main way you will regulate your temperature during the race is by removing or adding hat/ headwear and hoods. Far simpler and quicker than removing layers. The Core Beanie from OMM is breathable, so you don't get a sweaty head. It weighs next to nothing and is made out of primaloft active. 

Another good option is a headband which allows your head to release the heat whilst ensuring you don't get cold ears, which can be a real issue.

Hoods up or down in conjunction with how cold / windy it is - the hood on your windproof being the main one to use.

I also wore a Weather Resistant/ Waterproof Cap for the first day when it rained hardest, just to re-inforce the peaked hood on the waterproof jacket and ensure rain stayed off of my face. 

Take plenty of buffs. We all have them. Good for face covering, extra warmth/ neck cover, head cover and of course wiping stuff up!

OMM Core Beanie x 2
OMM Kamleika Waterproof Cap
Centurion Versatile Head and Neck Wear

Gloves

Understanding combinations of gloves based on how cold and wet your hands might get is obviously as important as any other facet of your kit. If you lose operation of your fingers, you can't eat, undo bottle caps, undo zips/ change clothing. Basically somewhere between inconvenient and dangerous. Getting into this situation was the defining factor for me in bailing off of a second Barkley loop in 2019! I got my kit wrong when the weather turned very quickly and couldnt' navigate or do my jacket up.

A liner glove, with fingers is worthwile and worth having several pairs of. I'd start with one on and one in your bag (mandatory kit). Then a couple more spares in your drop bags.

As a warm overmitt, always go for Primaloft over Down, because when they get wet - the primaloft will still work as an insulating layer. The Montane Prism Dryline is their warm Prism Mitt, super soft, comfortable and light, but with a pertex waterproof layer. I had three pairs. One on. A spare in my pack. One in my drop bag.

Then a waterproof outer glove for really harsh conditions - the Minimus overmitt also from Montane. Just one pair of those. 

Montane Trail Glove (liner glove) Mens/ Womens x 4
Montane Prism Dryline Mitt or Mens Glove / Womens Glove as per preference x 3
Montane Minimus Waterproof Mitt

Pack/ Belt:

During the race I used 2 different packs. I started out with an old S/Lab Peak 20 which was a skimo pack from 2017 - basically an old faithful. Before I got hold of a Montane Gecko 20. It was a case of using what I was used to. I switched to the Gecko 20 at Middleton when the back zip failed on the Salomon and that must have been fate. Because the comfort level of the Gecko is incredible. For me it is the superior option and I wished I had started in it. The best features in my opinion are the adjustable straps across the front which allow cinching around unknown layers of clothing, and the comfortable waist belt that takes some of the load off of your shoulders. But particularly the soft elastane blended material and side pockets. Unlike almost any other pack you can reach straight into them, just down of your waist but close to the front, and stuff them full of almost anything you might need on the run. Honestly they are like Mary Poppins' bag. The fit is exceptional, so comfortable and despite the weight you barely notice you have it on. For me, there was always ample space in the back - I packed light but then added a complete set of spare clothing on the top for easy access and there was ample room. I also used a Naked Band for additional space early in the race, particularly useful for excess nutrition. 

Eddie sutton also used the same back and trained and raced exclusively with it. She comments 'it's a super comfortable pack, I didn’t feel the weight or pack rubbing (but I trained a lot with the pack too!) I brought an extra chest strap from montane and attached that high up which made a huge difference too.'

For further space, the OMM Chest Pod is compatible with almost any vest or pack, by adapating the fastenings that are provided with it - giving you front access to another 4 litres. I have never found I have needed this, but many in the race use this set up.

For greater capacity - if you are someone who plans to carry bulkier jackets, extra food, or less packable sleeping bags etc, then the best 30 litre option is the UD Fastpack 30, or FastpackHer 30. Again with the belt added for more space.

Montane Gecko VP20+
Naked Waist Band
OMM Chest Pod
Ultimate Direction Fastpack 30
Ultimate Direction FastpackHer 30

Centurion Coach Eddie Sutton rocking the Montane Gecko VP20+ en route to third place at the 2023 event (Photo: Steve Ashworth)

Lighting:

My go to lamp for the last 3-4 years now has been the Petzl Swift RL. Light, packable, easy to change rechargeable battery, long lasting and plenty of light and power. But. I found out during the first night that the lamp didn't like just how cold it was here. It's not been asked to do that duration in that cold before and because the battery was front mounted on my head, it was more exposed to that cold and seemed to drain quickly. That is anecdotal, lithium batteries should not drain any faster in that level of cold per se but that was my experience here. The batteries were all fully charged.

So I switched to my Petzl Nao RL which is Petzl's newest headlamp offering. On low reactive setting I got tons of light, more than I ever needed, and one fully charged battery lasted over 20 hours. I would only ever choose this lamp again. It's light, the battery is on the back which balances the weight out on your head, and crucially means it is protected from the bitter cold by your hood/ gets less cold. 

A rear Red LED is mandatory. Rather than a cheap one which will likely break, I attach a Petzl E+Lite which has the added bonus of being usable as a back up emergency lamp with several other settings. 

Petzl Nao RL x 2
Spare Nao RL R1 Batteries - x 4
Petzl E+Lite

20 hours plus on low reactive setting with the Petzl Nao RL - always enough light to move well. (Photo: Steve Ashworth)

Sleep System:  

Full disclosure here, I used this in training and on the freezing cold floor in Bellingham but I did not Bivi out during the race. The Thermarest Hyperion has a comfort rating of 0 degrees C. It is super lightweight, but immensely comfortable and feels substantial despite how small it packs down. It is the minimum rating to pass kit check, but honestly with the Mat, Bivi and Clothing you have, I can never see more than this bag, being required. You can of course find other marginally lighter, extremely expensive alternatives but with performance vs packability vs weight, this is the optimum bag for me.

The sleep pad - I opted for the lightest as once again, I wasn't planning on a bivi unless in emergency - but I am happy having bivi'd on it before that whilst not the most comfortable night, as an insulating layer it does everything you need eg. gets you off of the freezing cold ground which is conducting your body heat away very quickly indeed. The Neo-Air Uberlite inflates extremely quickly and is a pass at kit check. Again it feels substantial. To me, the mat is the least important thing. If you try to inflate a mat like this with little or no shelter in high wind in an emergency you may as well be holding onto a kite. You need to get the bivi out first and try to inflate the mat inside of it whilst pinned down and ideally behind shelter. You need to practice these things in training!

With the bivi, I have again gone super lightweight, almost as light as you can go. The less durable bags eg SOL will fail at kit check. This is a waterproof bag with taped seams and perfectly adequate to keep you protected for short sleeps or awaiting assistance. This isn't a bag I'd hang out in year round for comfort - but that isn't why I am carrying it during this event.

Thermarest Hyperion 32F/0C Sleeping Bag
Thermarest Neo-Air Uberlite Sleeping Pad
Terra Nova Moonlite Bivi - We will have these in stock from end of March 2023.

Navigation: 

The Pennine Way is not a well marked trail. You will find finger posts and the acorn symbol in lots of places. But nothing it all in much greater amounts. Map and compass are mandatory kit and for good reason. If you'd had your watch die and/ or your OS App jumping all over the place in heavy clag on the high mountains, you need to be able to use them. Again for me it was a hard lesson on top of Red Pike by myself winter in serious conditions when the electronics all failed that forced me to take 'thumbing the map' more seriously. But, I would use the maps as a back up here because you ideally want hands free for poles, eating and gates. So use the excellent GPX trace, uploaded on your watch. It will tell you when you are going off course and when to make a turn. The Coros Vertix 2 has the longest battery life of any watch going, so we stock that to try to ensure least charging time. 

The handheld GPS you will see some using as a primary navigation device but more often than not it is a back-up. We used it on the Cam Road section on the longest stretch between check points, when my watch died. The Garmin 66S is easy to use even with big gloves on, takes 3 x AA batteries which are easily changed and is essentially bomb proof navigation. You need to learn to use the funcationality before you head out, you will need to upload the right maps for the Pennine Way - it doesn't come with these built in and you will be best off leaving it switched on, so if you do need to use it it is already there with the route and your position on it, not loading up in harsh conditions as you stand around waiting for it.

Reference a compass, I personally prefer a thumb / orienteering compass, but that won't pass kit check here so get a solid reliable compass like the Silva Ranger instead.

Coros Vertix 2
Pennine Way Harveys Map: North and South
Garmin 66s Handheld GPS
Silva Ranger Compass (coming to store soon!)

Poles:

I'm not sure if anyone went without poles but I'd be suprised. For stability, for measuring the depth of bogs - seriously, and for more efficient forward movement they have to be considered essential. Whilst I am a huge fan of Leki's Ultratrail FX.One Superlight poles which I used for TDG, I have always used a Black Diamond Carbon Z or FLZ pole when wearing gloves. They are super light, durable, fold down quickly and easily when out of use and most importantly have an easy to adjust hand strap so that I am not trying to squeeze the otherwise excellent Leki Shark Glove system over several layers of changing glove types. The FLZ have the added bonus of being height adjustable on the move.

Poles: Black Diamond Distance Z Poles

Stove/ Cooking / Eating System:

Aim for me is to be able to boil water quickly and simply but for it to be reliable. Whilst meths is lighter and more packable, the chance of a leak and the hassle of the longer burn time don't make it worth it for me. So I like gas options. Stoves are tiny these days and I use an Alpkit Kraku screwed straight into the gas canister, with storm proof matches to light. Remember you can't blow these out! So get used to letting them burn out in your hand like a sparkler! The Bugaboo mug from GSI is titanium so super light and useful obviously for drinks at the CPs - it is also good to use on the stove and boils extremely quickly, the 400ml limit you need to carry for kit - also coincidentally the amount you need for most rehydrated meals. I'd say good going less than 5 minutes to brew. The bugaboo will be HOT when you pick it up, but the handle is separated - so make sure you wear a glove and within a minute or two is fine to hold. Again, I wouldn't use this system day to day but on the spine (the bugaboo is not meant for this, it will eventually start to deform if you burn it for ages and ages) but it's everything I need here and more. The Titanium Spork from Optimus weighs nothing. 

For flasks/ water, it's worth carrying insulated soft flasks so that your fluid has less chance of freezing. My flasks froze several times leaving me an issue on those sections. It is also worth carrying a filter bottle which you can then decant, if you choose to or need to fill up from questionable sources.

Alpkit Kraku Stove
GSI 110g Isobutane Gas Compatible with that stove
LifeSystems Storm Proof Matches
GSI Bugaboo Cup
Optimus Spork
Salomon insulated soft flasks x 2
Katadyn Befree Filter Flask 600ml

Medical

Take a decent medical kit with you. Look at what is on the kit list, ensure you have it all but also think - what do I really need to carry? Pre-taping feet and having the right, quick to use tools to do that is something to look at pre-race. I am not a big fan of pre taping, but the conditions at the Spine are unique and by adding tape strategically you can often offset some of the worst problems. Remember, don't get into a check point and rip the tape off. Be careful. Your skin will be moist underneath and will tear more easily, so take extreme care when removing and replacing tape. 

Lifesystems Waterproof Micro First Aid Kit
Lifesystems Blister First Aid Kit

Other Mandatory Kit

Lifesystems Hurricane Whistle - far better than the one that came free with your pack. They will make you blow it at kit check!
Swiss Card Knife/ Scissors - This is an expensive option but essentially gives you lots of other useful kit for almost no weight/ size. The blade passes kit check in length. Cheaper replicas are available.
Bolle Safety Goggles - Light and cheap. Tinted expensive ski/ mountain goggles won't pass kit check, you need a clear goggle. These are worth getting used to in training as they need to be adjusted to feel comfortable. Lots of similar options in their range, must have a headband.
GSI Cathole 'Poo' Trowel and Tissues plus poo bags

Food and Drink

This is perhaps the most individual area of all. My advice to you is to consider carrying not just the 3000kcal minimum you are required to have, leaving each check point, but ensure what you have is going to be appealing and easy to consume over very long periods. 

In races in the past I have consumed exclusively gels - including at Western States in 2011 where I ate 70 Gu's. For this race I took almost no sports nutrition with the exception of some Maurten 320 CAF 100 drink mix primarily for the caffeine overnight. 

The other critical component is thinking about freeze dried meals. You won't need these at the check points which are very well stocked, but you will benefit from them at certain points in between. Either at the 0.5 check points or at the pop up locations with MRT where hot water is given. Or again, if you stop to brew up yourself.

I ate all of these things during the race and these options worked best for me. This is a very individual area however.

Expedition Foods Freeze Dried Meals 
Gu Stroopwaffels
Chia Charge Mini Bars
Clif Bar Mini's
Maurten 320 CAF 100
Succeed! S! Caps

Non Mandatory but Borderline! 

Battery Packs: I used two larger power banks here in my drop bag, to charge batteries between check points. And then two smaller ones here that I carried on my person. Plug sockets whilst available at some check points are far from guaranteed. This system allowed me to charge everything for 5 days, with plenty of power to spare, without ever needing mains power. My watch, headlamp and phone cables, I carried in my bag to recharge on the go - I only needed to do that between Hebden and Hawes due to the length of that section. But it was nice to know I had that option if I needed. 
Lifesystems Ear Plugs - It's noisy in the bunk rooms!
Anti Chafe: Bodyglide
Dry Bags: The Ortlieb 13 litre dry bag fits nicely in the Montane Gecko 20 and is truly waterproof/ hard wearing. I then use lighter Exped Fold Lite Dry bags for other kit and my bags to go inside drop bag bags.
Repair Kit: OMM Waterproof Patches, Cable ties, Duct Tape, KT Tape, bungee. Shoe, pack, pole, clothing repairs are almost certainly going to be required at some stage.

BIO

My Spine Race finish in 2023 came 17 years almost to the day, fter my first ultra.

I began in 2005 and my first big adventure was the MDS. I went on to become the youngest finisher at the time of the 4Deserts Series including multi-stage races across the Gobi, Atacama, Sahara Deserts as well as on Antarctica. In 2009 I began running 100 milers and have finished quite a few of the bigger marquee events to date including:

Western States, Leadville, UTMB, Arc of Attrition, Lakeland, WHW Race, Caesars Camp, Old Dominion, Rocky Raccoon (x 5), Autumn 100 etc.

I've also explored the longer single stage races finishing Badwater, Spartathlon, GUCR, many 24hr races including 2 Silver medals in a GB vest and more recently the Tor Des Geants.

In 2011 I started Centurion Running and we've had a stable of 50 and 100 mile races since that time. I have personally Rd'd over 50 races of 100 miles or more and 30 x 50 milers in that time.

Outside of racing I ran the Bob Graham in 2014, the Paddy Buckley in 2021 and the Charlie Ramsay in 2022 made me the 73rd person to complete the Big 3 in under 24 hours. In 2015, I ran across Iceland with Robbie Britton - a very cold expedition over 7 days/ 200 miles. I completed my Wainwrights journey many years ago with many wonderful solo days out in the hills in all conditions. 

In addition I've run 150 marathon+ events with a PB of 2:43 and finished both Ironman and long distance cycling events.

 

The sixth edition of the Wendover Woods 50 kicks off this coming Saturday 12th November at 0930 in what promises to be an exciting end to our race 2022 race season. It is of course, also the culmination of the 50 mile Grand Slam. Both the mens and womens fields run deep and in both races we can expect some fireworks. Join us via the website here all day Saturday for live tracking and leaderboard updates. Here is a run through the likely leading contenders on the day. 

WOMEN

Fiona Pascall: Prior to 2021 Fiona picked up some good results in EnduranceLife events before winning the Fellsman in April and the Tour De Helvellyn in December of that year. In 2022 she set an incredible new Lake District 24 Hour Record, improving the mark to 68 summits in 23:26, surely one of the top handful of ultra performances by a British athlete this year.

Rebecca Di-Luzio: Following a previous life as a gold medal Commonwealth rower and semi-pro cyclist, Rebecca has turned to running only more recently. In 2022 she has already picked up a win at the UTS 100km and ninth at the hugely competitive TransGranCanaria Advanced Race - 65km.

Sophie Power: Sophie has recently represented GB in the 24hr format at the European Champs, where she covered 211km for 36th place. Earlier this year she finished sixth at our South Downs Way 100 and second at the Fox Ultra. She has a huge breadth of experience behind her with ultras ranging from the short to the very long, featuring in the top ten at many of those events.

Sophie Power (Photo: Leonard Martin)

Rachel Lindley: Having featured regularly in previews through this year, Rachel continued her fine streak at the Chiltern Wonderland 50 in September. She heads up our 50 mile slam table and wins the award for consistency. SDW50 - 6th, NDW50 - 5th, CW50 - 3rd. All in finishing times betwen 8:10 and 8:48. In January she was also fifth at the Arc of Attrition 50. She was fourth at this race last year and this will be her third running of it.

Sarah Hill: Also Grand Slamming, Sarah was our 2021 SDW50 champion. Much like Rachel, she has had a hugely consistent year with 7th, 6th and 8th at our three other fifty mile events in 2022.

Sarah Hill

Claire Kanja: Fourth at the South Downs Way 50 in 2022, following a second at this event in 2021 as well as a second place at the Night 50km earlier that year. She also has three top ten finishes including a second at the Autumn 100 to her name in recent years.

Claire Kanja

Stacey Sangster: Second at our South Downs Way 50 earlier this year in 7:48.

Claire Howard: Eighth at our South Downs Way 100 back in June, she has four other first or second places at other shorter ultras this year including a blazing fast 7:12 for 50 miles at the Manchester to Liverpool ultra. Prior to this year she has been a regular feature on the Hardmoors scene and in 2020 won the 55, 60 and 110 mile events, all in one season.

Una Miles: Third at the Arc of Attrition 100 earlier this year. Previous winner of the Devon Coast to Coast ultra.  

MEN

Alex Whearity: Winner of our Track 100 earlier this year in a time of 12:42, good enough for eleventh fastest British 100 mile of all time. He then went on to represent GB at the 24hr European Champs in September where he finished 14th with a PB of 261km. He has had many fine results over recent years and continually improved, much to his credit. This might be on the short and the hilly side for Alex but there is no doubt his all round ability still makes him the one to watch!

Alex Whearity on his way to a win at the 2022 Track 100

Ian Hammett: Ian is having some 2022, with wins at all three Canal Races (and the Slam) as well as a tilt at our Track event in April. The profiles of those events don't exactly match Wendover, but he has recently moved to Penrith and now has the Lake District to train in. In the past he's done a huge range of events. Stand out results having been a win at our Thames Path 100 in 2019, before going on to third at the South Downs Way 100 and then sixth at Spartathlon later that season. He's finished on the podium at many of our other 50s over the years too.

Ed Knudsen: Ed dropped out of the Autumn 100 with an injury, having picked up the win at the North Downs Way 50 earlier this year. In between times he has run the Dragons Back, placing ninth. He has a raft of wins and podiums behind him and is particularly strong at this distance. 6:19 at the South Downs Way 50 for second in 2020 and a win at the Chiltern Wonderland 50 in 6:34 in 2019 stand out. Let's hope he is recovered.

Pierre Meslet: Pierre finished an incredible ninth at the 2021 MDS. This year he has lowered his Marathon PB to 2:35, running withing the Centurion Coaching stable of athletes. He is no stranger to the hills however, with finishes at UTMB, UTMF and TGC.

Scott Newburn: Third at the Northern Traverse 190 mile earlier this year. Resident of the Lake District, Scott has finished just outside the top ten at Lakeland 100 and was fourth at Lakes in a Day in recent times. 

Tim Bradley: Second at the Summer Spine Challenger in 23:38 earlier this year. Eighth at the Cheviot Goat Ultra in 2019.

Sam Harper: Third at this years NDW50 in just his second ultra.

Kevin Shannon: Third at the Night 50km here in July before running home twelfth at the North Downs Way 100. Sixth at the fifty here in 2018. 

Mark Shannon: Kevin's brother, sixth at the Night 50km earlier this year, previously finished eleventh and eighth at this event.

The eleventh edition of what has always been the final 100 miler of our season and we are very excited indeed to welcome a full field of 250 runners, aiming to finish this now classic course in under 28 hours. As has become a regular feature in recent years, the mens and womens races are packed full of past champions and worthy contenders. Here's a quick dive into the leading athletes we expect to see on race day.

WOMEN

Debbie Martin-Consani: Debs has one of the deepest resume's in the sport and it's a pleasure to welcome our Centurion Ultra Team runner back to this event for the third time. She has finished second here twice, including last year. But with the exception of the much less regularly held Wendover Woods 100, this remains the only one of our hundred milers that she hasn't won (Track 100, TP100, SDW100, NDW100). The former GB 24hr team athlete has also taken home victory at some of the more prestigious UK ultras including Lakeland 100, GUCR and of course the Spine Race which she won earlier this year. 

Debs Martin-Consani at this race in 2021

Mari Mauland: Mari won this race in 2017 in a time of 17:28. A year when she also finished top of the podium at the TP100 and NDW100 too. In recent years she has focused as much on the 24hr format as any other, clocking a best of 221km and a 15:35 100 mile split set a different 24hr just last year.

Wendy Whearity: Current GB24 Hour Team member, Wendy has run this race many times - eight to be precise - with a lowest finishing position of seventh. Quite some consistency! Her fastest performance on this course was back in 2016 when she ran home in 17:54. 

Melissa Montague: Melissa has five years of superb results behind her in her ultra career, over a variety of distances. Her best results in the long stuff include a win at the Ridgeway Challenge, second at both the TP100 and GUCR and a whole raft of wins and podium finishes at shorter ultras.

Anna Brown: Anna was pipped to the NDW100 crown back in August, finishing just thirteen minutes back of first place. She also finished the SDW100 earlier this year coming home in eleventh place.

Anna Brown ran home second at the 2022 NDW100 back in August

Renee Haver: Fourth at the TP100 and sixth at this event in 2021, in a time of 21:41. No events so far in 2022.

Ally Whitlock: Fifth at the Thames Path 100 earlier this year, she also ran home fourth at Wendover Woods Night 50km in July. Last year Ally finished fourth at both the SDW50 and SDW100. 

Tamsin Neale: This looks to be Tamsin's first 100, but follows a fourth at the Chiltern Wonderland 50 last month and an eleventh at the SDW50 back in April.

MEN

No less than six previous winners of our events start this edition of the Autumn 100.

Peter Windross: Missed out on the win here last year by just 10 seconds, becoming only the second person to break 14 hours at this event with a 13:59:31. Previous Grand Slam 100 mile champion and winner of both the SDW100 and TP100, this year he already has a second place at SDW100 and NDW100. Now a Vet 50, Peter just seems to be getting quicker as time goes on.

Peter Windross at this event in 2021

Mark Lynch: Winner of this years NDW100, over taking Peter in the final stages - and runaway leader of this years Grand Slam of 100s, Mark also incredibly, leads the 50 mile Slam table. He is having quite the year.

Justin Montague: First appeared at one of our events back in 2012, when he finished runner up at the second North Downs Way 100. He has gone on to many fine results over the years, racking up top tens, podiums and race wins at dozens of classic British ultras. This year he has taken a second place at the Kennett and Avon Canal Race, won the Thames Challenge Stage Race and finished second at no less than three XNRG events.

Juhanna Kirk: 2020 NDW100 Champion. So far this year Juhanna has finished fifth at the mighty Northern Traverse, and won the Weald Challenge 50km.

Ed Knudsen: This years NDW50 Champion and previous CW50 winner, Ed has also finished runner up numerous times in our 50 mile events. However, his only previous 100 is the 2017 Autumn 100 which he ran in 19:38.

Ed Knudsen on his way to victory at the 2022 NDW50

Ed Catmur: Old faithful, anyone who has read a preview before will have seen Ed's name. This will be Ed's 28th 100 mile race with us. His PB is still on this course in 2020 when he ran 15:38 for second.

Harry Geddes: Did superbly well at what look to be his first two 100s. Fourth at the 2020 TP100 and at the 2021 A100 in 15:27 and 15:31 respectively. 

Matt Gallagher: Seventh at the 2021 TP100 in 16:21 and fourth at this years NDW100. Several wins and podiums over the last few years in shorter (up to 50 mile) ultras, in addition.

Justin Senkbell: Over from the US, Justin looks to have a 100 mile best of 16:54 from Tunnel Hill 100 and this year has a second place finish at Blackbeards Revenge 100 back in March.

James Bennett: A frankly insane number of races for James so far in 2022. Including our 100 mile Grand Slam. The Canal Slam plus the Warwickshire Ring and at least five other 100 milers. Best results inlude a third place at GUCR and Leeds to Liverpool.

Barry Bryant: Five wins at Green Man ultra events and two at the Ox 50. No other results, just a 100% win record across those seven repeat events.

GRAND SLAM

20 Grand Slammers are looking to complete their fourth and final 100 miler of the 2022 season to earn themselves the coveted Slam Buckle and a place in the history books. See the list / leaderboard of the final contenders here.

Follow the race live from 0900 Saturday 15th October 2022 via this link.

All photos c/o Jack Atkinson/ Know Jack Media

TDG is simultaneously many things all at once, a dichotomy within itself. Italian culture and the mountain community lift this race above any other, but as always one must not focus too greatly on the detail, as it will detract from the overall beauty. There is magic at every turn at this event and may that never change. Apart from some of the descents, they could change some of them. This post is incredibly long, but I would guess you are reading this because you are interested in running the race or discovering a little more of what it is really about. So I am going to release the shackles and type away, good luck making it through. 

This race is beautiful in every way. The community of the Aosta embrace you as I have never been embraced in a race before. Every single person in the towns and villages, at the Rifugios, at the Life Bases and out on the trail - offer Bravo! Vai Vai! Forza! And smiles of encouragement. Nothing was too much trouble, anywhere. It feels like they are truly grateful that you want to come and run their event. The race, these mountains and this valley are the essence of who they are. There is no hint of commercialism about it - everything is geared towards the runners and their mountains. The only other time I have experienced this is at Spartathlon, where the Greek community welcome you the same way. It feels fitting that the most epic road race and the most epic mountain race have the same thing at their core. This could not be more a departure from some of the direction our sport has taken in recent years.

These mountains and hence this event are on a truly massive scale, again compared to almost anything else. It is cliche to look at numbers. But that is often how I rationalise what I am facing as a runner. Over the years people seem to have both underestimated and wildly overestimated how big this race is. But there's no need, we have enough data now to see. The race is 220 miles or 355km, with 26,000m or 86,000ft of climb and descent (full strava of the route here). What does that mean? Please know I state these things only to offer a frame of reference. 

• When you get to Cogne the second life base, you have run only 105km but ascended 30,000ft. That's the same distance as the Bob Graham Round, with 4000ft more climb. And you're not yet a third of the way in.
• To get to the third life base you have to descend 8,000ft in one go and then you re-ascend 7,500ft straight out of the other side. Ben Nevis is 4,400ft. The entire climb of our SDW50 is 5,500ft. It is really hard to train for that in Wendover Woods.
• The fourth section of seven, from Donnas to Gressoney is 35 miles and has 18,000ft of climb, roughly the same amount as the entire of Lakeland 100 or Western States.
• It means it is 3.5 times longer than the other big race that starts in Courmayeur two weeks prior - UTMB CCC. TDG also has an additional 30% climb and descent per mile.

The terrain underfoot is varied. To a Lakeland runner, it is rough in places but ultimately all on trail and therefore reasonable going. To someone coming from the groomed trails of TMB or the west coast US, it is rough and technical as hell. The weather is changeable. It is the mountains. It will be sunny, it will rain, it will be windy and it will probably snow. 150 hours, the final cut off, is a long time.

Ultimately it still feels a bit like a well kept secret. Despite the fact it is now 13 years old with a deep history. Most people still think the big one happens the other side of Mont Blanc two weeks prior. But this is where it's really at. Shh, don't tell anyone. I jest. This isn't Barkley. They want and need you to come to this race. 

PRE-RACE

Training had gone very averagely indeed. A 23:23 Ramsay Round in late June had gone well and gave me confidence that after recovering, I had time to build again towards the Tor. But I never really got going. A couple of longer days out, with Drew Sheffield in Snowdonia and with Matt Neale in the Lakes did help. But I was mostly restricted to reps of a 300ft climb in Wendover Woods. It's for sure better than nothing, but it is not ideal. I peaked at a 50 mile week with 15,000ft of climb. This is not really enough to be competitive. No acclimitisation was possible. No visit to the high mountains. But, I felt confident enough. 

Several of us decided to get together to drive out, reduce our carbon footprint and share the laughs. My travelling companions were - 'Hopes of a Nation' Damian Hall, 'GUCR King' Pat Robbins and LL Cool J - Jack Atkinson who was going to shoot the race for La Sportiva but crew for us, too.

The 12 hour journey down to Courmayeur in the Love Wagon went well and we arrived in good spirits 2.5 days pre-race.

Courmayeur is a marvel. Incredible mountains face you at every turn. The restaurants are out of this world and the atmosphere amazing. But for authentic Italy, you go to the other side of the river where the sports centre sits and head back along the trail to quaint old sleepy Dolonne. Happy family holiday memories from when the kids were babies are rooted here for me, so it is always special coming back.

The beautiful pizza shop in Dolonne. I have a pic of the kids doing the same thing.

All 'enjoyed' my ranting in advance, about registration. At the Tor, you arrive to pre-register before registration opens. They don't tell you this, you find out when you arrive with your kit and you are turned away with a raffle ticket. Now you have to go home and then wait for the website to show they are nearing your number, before coming back hours later. Then you show up with all of the mandatory kit. Then they give you a bib number, the famous yellow drop bag, take your photo and send you home again without checking your kit. One is left bewildered and asking only.... why? Because this is the way it works here. Relax, enjoy the company of the people around you and soak in the atmosphere. 

This is the essence of the race. TDG is incredibly well organised, with some truly wildcard, classically Italian elements thrown in. 

I have two other part-time jobs in addition to Centurion Running. One is as La Sportiva Run Team manager here in the UK and one is as Petzl Run Community Manager. The heart of this race and the heart of these two family owned, classically robust yet aesthetically beautiful mountain brands are one and the same thing. It was with great pride that we got our community of Brits together pre-race, most of whom we look after with either La Sportiva, Petzl, or both. An amazing time was had by all and to the credit of our British contingent, almost all had phenomenal races. Sabrina Verjee, Damian Hall, Pat Robbins, Sophie Grant, Natalie White, Kim Collison and many others. More on that.

Two nights before the start of TDG, we met for dinner and saw off the Tor Des Glaciers runners. As if you thought the numbers above didn't cut it in terms of difficulty, those taking on the Glaciers route are facing an additional 120km and 15,000ft of climb, on top of the regular TDG route. With no course markings, visits to more remote Mountains and Refuges, and with the first life base 100 miles into the event. And it starts at night. My best swearing companion Paul Tierney, after three successful Tors, lined up and to be honest looked a little anxious in the starting pen. I felt anxious for him. We followed him out through the town and he was roared through his first mile by the best of British. Tor Des Glaciers. No way. Or actually maybe....

RACE DAY

The race kicked off in two waves on Sunday morning. 1000 for the faster guys and girls (higher ITRA rankings) and midday for the slow coaches (don't bother having ITRA rankings) - which happily for me included Paddy. Paddy is a better runner than me, always has been and always will be. Not by a lot, but maybe just a few percentage points. We have shared many long days and nights on the trail and road over the years. As room mates on the 24hr team. Helping each other over the latter stages of GUCR, Autumn 100 etc. I knew he would catch me up and I knew that could work out into some shared miles at some stage. But little did I know just how great a thing this would turn out to be.

Damo and I walked up to the start, he went into the fast persons area, I shuffled in the back. And BANG we were off through town. Cow bell galore. 

Show me your deep blue hero pose

If I say I am a numbers guys, John Kelly would laugh at me. He is a numbers guy. His excel sheets to generate splits for the race run 5 tabs deep, providing me a PolyGAP approximate time for each check point, refuge and life base. For this event I had put 100 hours into Johns simulator and printed off little crib sheet cards of each section so I had a rough idea of how long each was going to take. 

There are six Life Bases, so it makes sense to break the race up that way. Those locations are where you get to see your yellow bag which contains your spare kit and supplies. They have showers, beds, full meal service, wine and beer. Your crew person can meet you there. So people lean into those locations very heavily.

But there is a far better way to break it all down. Because some of the sections Life Base to Life Base are enormous. 

DAY 1

The first climb up to Col D'Arp is a beauty and immediately shows off the different ecosystems you pass through on every climb and descent. Down in the valley, temperatures are warm, a river is flowing and the villages are alive with cow bells and cheers. Up to 2200m you are moving through pine forests, on either sweeping or very steep trail. Littered with rocks and roots but shaded in the day and protected from the worst of the rain, they are a comfort blanket. From 2200m to 2700m you are in the Alpine meadows. Complete removal of tree cover means expansive views, sweeping vistas and the sound of cowbells, with most of the high alpine cattle farming at this altitude. From 2600m and above you are in to the terrain of the mountain proper. Nothing but rock, scree, cliff and boulder. Lifeless and epic. 

An epic rush off of the Col all the way down to La Thuile at 20km - this is the very smoothest and fastest descent of the entire course. One would be grossly misled by running only this section in preparation. I am by far, last Brit from the aforementioned group at this point. I imagine I am a long way back in the queue up the first climb. But I am here to finish and patience will conquer all.

The two climbs that follow are steep and busy with hikers. With visits to two small Rifugio's, a runner is still bustled along by the crowds. From the exposed ridge at the top of Col Crosatie at 32km, there is the first sense of exposure. But this race is clever. It gives that sense of drama and scale without requiring anything even approaching a legit scramble. There are many places however that to fall would be disastrous and the very poignant memorial to the Chinese runner Yuan Yang, that passed here in 2013 during the race, sits just after the Col. The Italian lady in front of me made the sign of the cross and stopped to offer a prayer there and so I did the same.

Down to the valley and the first Life Base at Valgrisenche strikes the tone for the descents in this race. They go on forever. I could be heard at times to moan about the course, having reached the Life Base. The reason is that the descents are so long. Any missing distance the organisers neglect to include in their underestimation of the course, falls into these descents. I am well known for telling runners in race briefings not to show me their Garmins at the finish line. That a trail race is never exactly 100 miles. But, BUT, when you are averaging 30 minute miles because it's that steep and that rough, if the organiser is out by 5km a section, which they are, then that adds 90 minutes to every descent. or 5-7 hours over the course of the race. That 90 minutes takes you from bouyant, excited to tick another section off, to beaten down mentally and physically. You get used to it, but it was my biggest single takeaway on how to prepare better for next time. Allow for it.

I'm only 9.5 hours into the race at Valgrisenche, haven't needed the my Petzl yet. So in I pop for my first catch up with Jack. I briefly stop in the restaurant for a big plate of pasta and my first beer of the race. Then hike up to the small outdoor crew area to pick up all of my nutrition from him for the next section. Section one is no gimme but section two is a monster. It's a close call between this next part and the middle section for most gruelling. We have three col's to pass before the next Life Base at Cogne and we will visit 3000 metres+, twice.

I leave Valgrisenche after 15 minutes or so, feeling good and looking forward to the next climb. Hiking up through the woods, past the Chalet De L'Epee Rifugio where I officially withdrew last year and on to Col De Fenetre, the highest point I reached in the 2021 event.

Last year I opted to bin the race, hike back to Valgrisenche and fly straight home to be with family after some terrible news the week before. I shouldn't have even flown out to the race in the first place, but we live and learn. So getting through this point meant something extra. Col De Fentre is beautiful. A stunning view from both sides. The descent the other side is steep and loose before shallowing out down to Rhemes Notre Dames. I stopped there for another bowl of pasta soup before getting all the clothes I had on for the next section up to Col Entrelor. Paul T had warned me about this section. The first climb was ok, the second climb was a **** and the third and final climb was an absolute ****. Entrelor was steep both up and down - the air at 2500m was thin enough that to my unacclimatised lungs it was a big struggle just to catch breath and move well. That persisted through the whole race. 

Down to Eaux Rousses, the final valley of section two, I had the luxury of meeting Jack. And I was in a low place. Cold, tired and daunted by the idea of Loson and the 3299m to follow. So I did the first of many of my planned table naps. I nap almost every day at home. And usually I'll do it for between 1 and 10 minutes. Just laying still, switching my brain off and clearing the head, buys me productivity in the afternoons. It is most definitely a skill that has and will prove extremely useful in these type of events. I planned to use it extensively. Head on the table, 1 - 2 minutes asleep - that would, I learned, buy me 4-6 hours of feeling fresh again. A most worthy trade off.

I left Eaux Rousses enlightened and moved well up the climb over Loson, before the staggeringly long descent to Cogne, 24 hours into the race. 

DAY 2

Life Base number two, beautiful day outside. Jack there with the supplies, it was another quick turn around and straight out of the door - no need to stop here. Plus the next section is a total doozy with only one (5,000ft) climb and one (30km - 8,000ft) descent. What I had failed to pick up on was that the Refuge up the top of the climb was shut. No water. At this stage I was with Will Weidman a US runner and neither of us had registered this issue. We ran dry well short of the col and then got increasibly dehydrobonky (that is a word) as we crested the top. Down the other side we hit a Refuge that was only open to Tor Des Glaciers runners, before an extended additional descent to Refuge Dondenna. What a stop that was. We were absolutely ruined coming in there. Dry as a bone, salt encrusted faces, we lurched in and destroyed several cokes. Before the guys moved us to the back room and sat us down to await a lovely bowl of salty soup. I did regret how long this took, I felt better quite quickly, but Will definitely did not, so I moved off and made my way down to Chardonney.

A brief check in with Jack there and just the rest of the descent to Donnas Life Base to go. Excuse my language but this next section was total bullshit. You will now hear this often. It took four hours to do 11 miles. The trail was littered with rocks, roots and leaves, several of the swinging bridges were missing planks and seemed like they were about to fall into the chasms below. A couple of extremely punchy climbs were dropped in and then we spilled out into a town which felt like Donnas, looked like Donnas but was quite a long way from Donnas. With 34 hours on the clock and just the one, two minute nap in the bank, this extensive descent was not that welcome. 

Anyway, Donnas came and I sat down outside with Jack, Robbie Britton and Rob Sinclair. Robbie - our Head of Endurance at Centurion was there to crew Natalie White (who does all of our social media) and is a TDG veteran. She seemed always slightly ahead, I had seen her leaving Cogne but otherwise she was this ghost ahead on the trail. And then, the big moment, Paddy rolled in. And our races aligned.

The plan was a shower, short sleep and then off on the monster climb. Ally Beaven, famous author and raconteur had left my numerous messages throughout the race as I asked him about upcoming sections and his advertising of the Donnas to Gressoney part, coming up next, needed work. 

'It's the longest section of the race and in some respects the hardest. The first climb took me 5 hours 20. However many climbs you think there are on that leg, there are more'. Music to the ears after 155km and 36 hours in the bank.

We tried to sleep at Donnas and did manage to lay down for 75 minutes. But our estimations had us about 40 mins of broken sleep time. We were up before the alarm. In fact we never once needed the alarm throughout the race, we always woke up way ahead of it going off. We got up, left around 2300 and Paddy and I forged our first miles together. 

That night went really well. To have company was a big bonus. Paddy and I have always seemed to be able to pass the time on the trail with chat ranging across any and all subject matter. It made that 5 hour climb to Rifugio Coda fly. On the way up to there, we dropped into Perloz. A lady there had this jug of orange juice. We drank almost all of it. It was just incredible.

Coda is half way through the race. Allegedly. In the black of the night, the lights of the lowlands stretched away for miles and it was pretty spectacular. About an hour after that, we hit that twilight zone around 0400-0500 where the brain is overpowering your body to try to get it to sleep and we were both wandering all over the trail. So I suggested a dirt nap. We both lay on a rock in the middle of the trail for a 2 minuter. I snapped back awake after 60 seconds, and Paddy slumbered on. I thought I'd let him have 5 minutes, during which Will Weidman came running past and whispered 'hey man all good' to me. I thought it was just fantastic how normal it seemed to be lying down on a rock up a mountain at 0400 and we're whispering to ensure we didn't wake the other runner up. We arose and we got back to it. As dawn broke, the sunlight poured energy back into the tank and off we rocketed at 30 minute mile pace over the coming miles. 

This section as Ally rightly pointed out, just went on and on. Climbs were relatively short, but significant. Descents rough, unrunnable in many places. But progress was made and it felt like we were breaking the race. Some huge highs and some bottomless lows soon followed. First the high of the check point at Lago Chiaro. Pat sat down for the usual soup and pasta. But I could smell more. A baguette with huge, hot thick slices of bacon and cheese was handed to me. As we both partook in yet another half a can of beer each in what was now become a ritual at every check point. Beer and a bacon sandwich. There are no words to do justice to how good that was. I thanked the guy several times from the bottom of my heart. 

Then came another section of total bullshit. Having seemingly started the descent to the town of Niel, the trail inexplicably first went up an extremely steep ridge. Then crested a col and continued to go on and on and on countouring, lulling one into believing the descent was starting but never actually doing so. Patience ran thin. Shrugs and chuckles at the farce were exchanged. And to make matters worse once we did start descending, some rain and the wet rock caused me to do a full pirouette, before crashing and smacking my face straight into a rock. Luckily it was just my front lip and left hand left reeling. The teeth did not get knocked out, I didn't seem to have any other effects except a mouth full of blood. And so we pushed on and hit the 200km mark. Another meaningless, meaningful landmark. 

200km, only 100 miles to go

Niel was wonderful. We caught up with Jack, Robbie and Rob. And then Jack with his press pass was able to shoot us out on course up the next climb - Col Da Lasoney. A moderate 1000m climb to end the section felt actually really manageable and the thoughts of getting to Gressoney now front of mind. This section was truly enjoyable and some of the more straight forward running.

Climbing out of Niel

You can just pick out Pat and I on the plateau, just after leaving Col Lassoney at around the 205km mark 

We rolled into the Life Base there, with that section having taken us 19 hours. It's strange to say that it didn't feel that long but it didn't feel that long. Perhaps we were getting used to the race and this way of life. Having had around 50 minutes of sleep to this point in the 55 hours we had been travelling, we opted for a sleep. It was a tough call where to do it. We could sleep in the bouldering hall there, or we could push on to the Rifugio up the first climb out of the town. But the deciding factor was once again, Ally Beaven. We were almost exactly on Ally's splits from 2021 and he had been faced with this very same decision. The wild card factor was Tot Dret - the 130km race from Gressoney to the Finish sharing the majority of the TDG route, due to start at 2100 from the town. If we hit the Rifugio for sleep at 2000 as we planned, 900 runners would then come ploughing through us there. Or we could sleep at Gressoney and make our way out, just behind them. 

We lay down for about 60 mins in the bouldering hall and once again had probably 40 mins of broken sleep. We rose, sorted our stuff out and headed off into the night. Strange to feel like we were on the homeward stretch with two full days, 85 miles and 30,000ft of climbing still to go.

Meal Time at Gressoney. I remember being very happy about how things were going at this point, it just doesn't look that way. Perhaps because we'd finished a 19 hour non-stop effort to get there. 

Getting ready to exit the Life Base at Gressoney. 220km down, 130km to go. 

Out of Gressoney a couple of flat miles were pleasingly jogged at a decent clip. We ran through the Tot Dret start area, literally 20 minutes after it began and it was a strange sensation passing through this ghost town at night that so recently had been the centre of so much energy. You could almost still feel it in the air. Spectators were flowing back past us in the opposite direction. As we began the 5,000ft ascent of Col Pinter, we could see the train of headlights from the Tot Dret runners high above. But it wasn't long before we caught one. A Turkish chap on the open hillside was already lost and anxious. We pointed out the markers to him and he fell into a train of four behind us. But before we knew it he had sat down on a rock again. We persisted to the col where we found the Tot Dret sweepers promptly clearing the back of the pack. Pat informed them they had left a man a long way behind and they were adamant they had not. We were pretty robust with our point - they needed to go back, eventually they did yield. Hopefully he isn't still up there. 

After this, is where my brain blanks out. It was turning to the small hours of the morning again and we had now been on the go for 65 hours. With maybe 90 mins sleep. We were both starting to see things in everything we passed. Faces in the rocks, people and animals in the trees. We essentially slept walked through most of the second half of that section. We tried another 2 minute dirt nap, it helped but more briefly. We then ascended Col Tourmalin and the Rifugio at the top was about 100 degrees inside. We had to just get out straight away, it was inducing sleep just stood there. What perhaps helped now was that it had started to rain. We had been warned the next section was slippery, exposed and had large drops which the rain would add some spice to. And Pat admitted to me just after this that he had felt that the terrain there, the dark, the rain and our state of mind had taken him to the edge of what he thought was safe and ok to pass. I just wanted to lay down and sleep. I couldn't always tell who Pat was. I knew that I knew him but I couldn't remember his name. I'd try to get close to the back of his pack so I could read the name printed on the bib but I kept reading it as Peter Rabbit instead of Pat Robbins. This is where being together, made a difference. We were both experiencing the same things, so it was amusing rather than worrying. We kept each other moving when it would have been easier to succumb to a sleep at a Refuge. Pat would start talking to me, get no acknowledgement, so would wave his pole grips in front of my face and I would snap out of it. He seemed to be coping slightly better with the sleep deprivation than me. 

Our partnership was now forging deeper and deeper. Paddy's strength climbing, his superior fitness I could just about hang on to without over cooking it. I would move better on the descents, which have always been my forte. And our old 24hr days meant that any flat section got treated to the ultra shuffle that is second nature for us both. 

DAY 3

We eventually rolled into Valtournenche and the second to last life base, with the sun just rising. For several days after the race I couldn't picture that Life Base. I still can't remember any of the descent to there. What we did there is a blur. I know we both lay down for our usual 90 minutes, but never got near that, with a snatched 45 for me and even less for Paddy, all we could do. It just feels so inherently wrong to be asleep in a race when the clock is still ticking, I guess. Next time I would go for 15 min Rifugio naps for sure.

So we pushed on out, and took on the section over to Ollomont. It was now that my watch just died on me. We then missed some markings and ran off down a side trail for quite some distance before we recognised we weren't seeing any signage. I thought we'd gone wrong by a few hundred metres but again Pat the voice of reason suggested it was way more. He was right. But the rest of the morning went well. We were bouyant, feeling ok and had a whole day of light ahead of us. Over to Rifugio Magia was rough, time consuming and heavy going but good progress was made. At Magia I had a two minute table nap, Paddy bought four ice lollies and ate three. I woke up had one and off we went. But the next section was I'm afraid to say it, some more total bullshit (just to caveat once again, these trails are out of this world beautiful, in fact this next section gave us the best mountain vista we saw the whole time, but the distance and elevation change were wildly different to the race profile, taking two hours longer than we thought - hence the bullshit). We climbed up to Rifugio Cuney and then spent an age rolling up and down at altitude, in rolling clag, before an almighty view of the peaks appeared before us at the top of the final descent to Oyace. Everyone says the descent to Oyace goes on forever. It is longer than that. The flags disappeared, we had to go off of intuition at times. We passed Tot Dret Runners who were already over cut off. A Danish runner was lost 'for six hours' in the woods (it could have been six minutes for all he knew). Before we got down to Oyace, only to have to climb again before the descent to Oyace. When we got there, Jack was parked up with a full pizza, chips, sandwiches, Fanta's, headlamp batteries. Basically making our lives about 400% better than 15 minutes before. 

The next section was some total bullshit. Due to landslides there was a course change. Tierney said that the removal of Col Brison made the event basically redundant and it didn't count if we finished. But I am pretty sure I would rather we had just gone over that last climb to Ollomont. Every rock now looked like a dog or a cat.

I would wear one pair of shoes the entire event, my La Sportiva Akasha II's. They were cushioned, had decent grip and supremely comfortable with the breathable toe box. I had had zero blisters up until Gressoney. However now the terrain was loose, muddy, unavoidably making shoes wet and for the first time, causing blisters to start raising their heads. There was a lot of climb. Then a descent to a check point. Then a lot more climb, then an horrific descent on white slick rock, covered in water, with pine cones littered over the top. Pat's watch broke. Then he slipped and fell, ripping a hole in his waterproof with his pole. He told me to go on whilst he had a bit of alone time, so I did. Meanwhile Ollomont remained out of our grasp. A worst case two hour section, became four hours. And then we hit the black ribbon of tarmac up into Ollomont, Paddy jogged up to join me. The world was ok again. And we had just one section to go.

DAY 3

Our feet were in a state now and the rain was forecast to be heavy until around 0500. So we made the call to spend 3 hours here, get sorted and then leave at 0500. Pat got his feet taped and fell asleep having his blisters lanced, while I lay in a cot with my now elephant sized legs elevated on my drop bag. Then we swapped, and I also passed out as the woman sorted my blisters and taped my feet. Then we ate and pushed on into the last day. The last day! I would say we managed 60 minutes of broken sleep here taking us to 3 hours or so for the race. Plus the two minuters. But far more resting time. We did waste too much time no sleeping or moving, though I understand against most we were told we were pretty efficient.

A lovely 5,000ft climb straight out of the gate and most of the way up, we reached the most idyllic Rifugio so far. You drew back the curtain to a small stone room with wood burner and a few comfy seats. We could have stayed, but in went the soup and off we went to Col Champillon

Down the other side of the col to a farmstead, with the check point in the farmers kitchen. We tried the cheese he stated proudly was made on site. I slept for 2 minutes on the table. Refused some Ouzo and off we went. On a flat section to Bosses and the last town check point before the Finish. By now, Pat had a knee issue on the left side and I on the right. Running was still possible but with the inherent feeling that the knee could collapse at any time. It was frustrating, we ran plenty but it was just a bit slower than it could have been. So it was now we began to look at the clock and our 100 hour target, that had been there hovering throughout. With Pat having started two hours behind me, there was seemingly a possibility he could still aim for that mark. I felt he could move quicker without me but as he pointed out, on the descents he was giving the margin back again. With some maths, it seemed unlikely he could do it. We'd be on 100 hour pace for each section but the extra climb and distance plus the rest time, just seemed to edge it fractionally away from us. I think the extended break in Ollomont did for us and on reflection I wish we'd moved out of there quicker. 

So we pushed on together. A bright sunny day, warm in the valley, we met Jack one last time where we catered for us in the usual way, an absolute star from first to last. Then we pushed on up the last big climb to Col Malatra. I had a wobble in Rifugio Frassatti just before it, where I felt the worst I had all race. Two minutes on the table now seemed to do very little and I was cold. So I borrowed a hat from Pat. And that seemed to do the trick.

Starting the Final Climb. Photo c/o Gary Wang

Over the col we went, down, up again and then the extended gradual downhill to the last Rifugio at Bertone. This section went on and on and on. We were moving slower, knees being sore, blisters starting to shout again and just fatigued. Climbing, we were great. Flats, we could trot. But our descending was total bullshit. We were both in pain and co-ordination was failing. On the final drop from Bertone we took an age. But then when we hit the road, back came the 24hr runners and we ran well right across the finish line. 104 hours and 50 minutes later (102:50 in Paddys case). 

Job done. Best trail race I've ever run. And I have done a few.

AFTERMATH

Tierney finished fourth in the Tor Des Glaciers, sublime running, a journey even we can't appreciate. Damo had gone wildly off course and valiantly made his way on despite it. Having led in the earlier stages, he was able to salvage 14th in 88 hours. Sabrina ran the race of the week and dominated the ladies race in a time of 80 hours. A new course record. Lawrence Eccles finished a place behind her for a stellar run. Sophie Grant finished third in 95 hours. Kim had to drop with a range of issues but I have to say if this course suits a man, it's Kim. I think we can expect fireworks from him here in the future. Natalie White finished in 101 hours. Paddy ended up 50th and I was 70th. A pretty good haul from our merry band.

Mentally I was over the moon. Physically, the swelling in my legs had also pervaded to other more private areas and my face. We drove back to the UK the following day, and all took turns in driving. We had to stop every hour or so for me to release huge quantities of pee as my body flushed through the excess liquid. We arrived back home around 2330 that Friday night and everyone crashed out. 

At 0530 the next morning, the alarm went off and we travelled across to our Chiltern Wonderland 50. Where I promptly found out that the rest of the Tor had been cancelled due to snow fall on the final part of the course. I was simultaneously gutted for the people still out there who'd had their race called time on them and extremely grateful that we had been allowed by the weather gods, to pass without anything more than some moderate downpours. 

A week on and the legs have returned to their normal size (and all other areas). The fatigue lingers, but it is countered by the sense of satisfaction at a job well done.

And thoughts begin to scan forward to the Spine Race....

KIT/ NUTRITION

All of the links take you to our Ultrarunning Store. Slightly shameless but in case you are actually interested this might be useful!

Footwear: La Sportiva Akasha II. One pair used throughout.
Socks: Drymax Golf, Active Duty, Trail and Max Pro Trail. Four pairs total.
Bottom Half: La Sportiva Ultra Short. La Sportiva Rapid Short (old). La Sportiva Drizzle Pants temperorarily on final climb. 
Top Half: Regular Running Tees in the Day. La Sportiva Jubilee Base Layer for Warmth at night. La Sportiva Odyssey GTX Jacket in the rain. La Sportiva Blizzard Windproof on and off throughout the entire race. 
Head: Various caps, plus Pat's warm hat for final climb
Headlamps: Two Petzl Swift RL's with spare batteries, on rotation. Everything you ever need in a easy to pack headlamp. Low beam for climbs, medium setting for descents.
Pack: An old Salomon S/Lab 8 Set, switched to a Sense Pro 10 for one section. 
Waist Band: Naked band for additional supplies
Poles: Leki Ultratrail FX.One. Superb kit. Had to wear an additional glove under the hand grip on just my right hand due to blisters on my palm.
Nutrition: Approximately 200 S! Caps. Maurten 160 and 320 mix for all climbs. Gu Gels for the first 36 hours. Then moved to chocolate. Piles of aid station food. Zero stomach issues.
Watch: Garmin Fenix 6X Pro, failed at 60 hours.

 

 

Our third 50 miler of the year is happening on Saturday 17th September 2022 and it is set up, as always, to be a cracker. This is such a popular event with our community, in fact this years race sold out all the way back in February!

We welcome 250 runners to Goring once again, to embark on a 50 mile loop of the Chiltern Hills. It is a magnificent place to spend all day running and many come away simply staggered by how beautiful and remote this course is. It is far from easy, with the climb totalling towards 5500ft, however there are plenty of faster miles to be found along the way, especially over the last nine miles. There is always a reward for those who have saved something for the final kick.

Below is a preview of the likely main contenders in the womens and mens events. Live Tracking every step of the way will be available via www.centurionrunning.com/live in the days leading up to the race and from 0830 on race day.

WOMEN

Sarah Hill: Sarah was South Downs Way 50 champion in 2021 and had previously finished first or second in all of the ultras she'd run, including Race to the Stones, several Pilgrims Challenge events and the Fox Ultra. In 2022 she has so far picked up a seventh at the SDW50 and an eighth at the NDW50. It will be great to see what she can do on this course.

Rachel Lindley: A whole string of top ten performances over the past few years for Rachel, with most in the 50 mile range. 2022 has so far featured a fifth at the Arc 50, a sixth at SDW50 and a fifth at the NDW50, placing her one above Sarah Hill in both of those events. In four previous NDW50's that she's run she's come home in the top ten.

Miki Neant: Miki was fourth at the Thames Path 100 this year in a blazing fast 17:54. A second at last years Country to Capital in a time of 5:53 for the 43 miles, also a stand out run. 

Sophie Biggs: Third at this years NDW50, setting a new FV50 record in the process. In the last two years she's picked up a second and a fourth at CTS ultras in the 33-35 mile range and a fourth at the Keswick Trail 50km.

Tamsin Neale: Seventh at Country to Capital in 2021. Second at Amersham Ultra 50km with XNRG earlier this year and finished eleventh at the SDW50 back in April.

Natasha Mansell: No ultras to her name it seems, but has a sub 3 hour marathon behind her and has run an impressive 84 minute half already this year.

Gemma Buley: Eighth here in 2018 and ninth at this years South Downs Way 50. 

Ann Bath: Ann will not be troubling the front of the field in the overall race but she will, if she should finish, become our first ever FV70 finisher. Let's cross everything she makes history on this day!!!

MEN

Jack Blackburn: Arguably the favourite for the mens race, Jack has been a consistent performer particularly over this distance, for a long time now. Stand out more recent results include a 6:20 second place at the South Downs Way 50 last year. Two wins at Race to the King. A third place at Wendover Woods 50 and a number of other podium places at events ranging from 50km to 12 hours.

Mark Lynch: Last month Mark won the North Downs Way 100. He has shown already that he can bounce back fast, as he is in for the Double Slam where so far somewhat amazingly, he leads the 100 mile table and sits second in the 50 mile table (see Slam tables here). His best at this race in the past was a fourth place in 2021 in a sub 8 hour time.

Paul Russhard: Paul is one of the all time favourites at our events, for his quiet but strong demeanour, always thanking everyone involved for their help along the way and putting in some truly epic do or die races over the years. He has come so close to winning on numerous occassions but each time the top step of the podium has just eluded him - his closest was a second at the NDW50 in 7:01. His best at this event was a fifth in a competitive race in 2017, where he ran 7:37. He is in good shape this year with a 2:49 marathon in May. Can he go all the way this time.

Gwilym Satchel: Third at the 2020 Autumn 100 in 16:09, a smashing time on a course which travels around the same area.

Jacek Cieluszecki: Jacek won the CTS Exmoor Ultra in 2020, as well as the 55km Exmoor Coast Ultra. He has a 4th place at the North Coast 110km from 2021 in his recent past too.

Adam Lucas-Lucas: A strong sub 24 hour finish at the Arc of Attrition this year. 

Jacob James: No ultras to his name so far, but has run a 2:41 and a 2:42 marathon in 2022 so far. 

Nick Dawson: Looks like his first ultra but this year has a 67 minute half marathon at Paddock Wood which is quite frankly, about as fast a time as we've seen for a half for runners at our events. Could be interesting viewing.  

 

Our fourth 100 mile race of the 2022 season takes place this coming weekend - the twelfth edition of the North Downs Way 100. Our first event back in 2011 this race is always a special one for us. The point to point course from Farnham in the west down to Ashford in the east is a tough one. At 103 miles, with 10,000 feet of climb, the numbers are big but underfoot is often where this race is most challenging due to the steps and stairs, most prevalent in the second and fourth quarter of the race. The course records say it all - both held by Centurion Ultra Team members. 18:34 for the women run by Debs Martin-Consani all the way back in 2016. 15:18 for the men, run by Mark Darbyshire in 2019. Can anyone get close this time? Here are the likely contenders at the sharp end.

WOMEN

Amelie Karlsson: Whilst this looks to be her her second 100 miler, her results at previous ultras suggest she has all the speed to go well and that this course will suit her. Top tens at international events such as 100 miles of Istria, Mozart 100 and Ultravasan 90km are coupled with wins at Coastal Trail Series events over the last couple of years.

Jennifer Sangster: Has raced twice with us so far in 2022, finishing fourth at the NDW50 and more recently placing third at Wendover Woods Night 50km. She was third at the TP100 in 2021, so she has proved she can run well over a good range and over this terrain.

Linn Erixon Sahlstrom: No stranger to our events, she has been running ultras for over ten years and has some great results behind her. Last year she was third at the Autumn 100 in 19:05. She has won the Jurassic Coast 100 twice, as well as UTS50 in 2019.

Anna Brown: Second at Robin Hood 100 in 2020 and went on to win Gloucester 24hr that year. In 2021 she was third at Race to the Stones amongst other top ten placings in a few shorter ultras. This year she ran home eleventh at the SDW100 in a time just over 20 hours.

Sarah Challans: Lots of podium and top ten finishes at a range of shorter ultras in the past four years for Sarah. This year she won the River Aire Ultra (50 miles) in April.

Tina Bergman: Second at Al Andalus in 2017, a year when she also won the Tring Ultra 50km with XNRG. In 2020 she finished third at Country to Capital.

MEN

Pete Windross: Pete needs know introduction amongst our community. Twice Grand Slam 100 mile finisher. Past winner of both the Thames Path 100 and the South Downs Way 100, a race he was second at this year. His best at this event, where he goes for a sixth finish, was third in 2021.

Simen Holvik: Simen has excelled at the 24 hour distance in recent years, twice running 253km+ for event wins, with a 100 mile split of 14:06 at Gloucester in 2019. He has shown his range by running a 3:16 50km and is happy on trail too, so putting everything together here will make for very interesting viewing.

Lloyd Biddell: Perhaps the Wild Card here, Lloyd is by far the quickest runner in the field over shorter distances with a 2:20 marathon PB. His only ultra looks to be a very solid 11th place at the Marathon Des Sables.

Mark Lynch: Mark has been gradually making his mark at our 100s over the last several years. Last year he ran his best finish of fourth at this event in 18:45. This year he has already finished 4th at the TP100 and 5th at the SDW100, both almost bang on 16:30 finish times. He will surely be looking to keep his streak of top performances going here.

Mark Lynch at the NDW100 in 2021

Matt Gallagher: Third at the Thames Path 100 in 2021 in 16:21 and has this year so far finished third twice, at the Fox Ultra and St Peters Way 45 mile.

Guy Hudson: Like Mark, Guy has been steadily improving over the years, to the stage where he ran on to his first Centurion podium in April at the South Downs Way 50. In 2019 he had top ten finishes at SDW50, NDW50 and CW50. This looks to be his first 100 miler.

James Bennett: James probably takes the crown as most prolific 100 mile+ ultra distance runner on the circuit, at this moment in time. This year he has already finished at least ten 100's. He has also managed to be competitive in some of those, his best being a win at the Dublin to Belfast ultra in April. 

FOLLOW LIVE

The race starts at 0600 on Saturday 6th August. The Leaderboard and Live Tracking will be available via this link over race weekend.

For 2023, our Wendover events will be back but across one weekend, as part of a Festival of Running.

The date will be 7th - 9th July 2023 and the line up will be as follows:

Wendover Woods 100 mile is back for a third edition. With a start time of 1000 on Friday 7th July and a cut off of 32 hours, it will kick start the weekend of festivities.

Wendover Woods 50 will start at 0930 on Saturday 8th July. Moving from November into the summer will change up the challenge of this event, which will still act as one of our four, 50 Mile Grand Slam races. The cut off remains at 15 hours.

Wendover Woods Night 50km will start at 2100 on Saturday 8th July, with a cut off of 9 and a half hours. It will bring the weekend to a close at 0630 on Sunday morning.

Wendover Woods 10 mile will be a new event for 2023 and an opportunity to involve a much broader group of runners. 

Wendover Woods kids race will be our second kids event and will obviously be the highlight of the weekend!

Around the races, runners, friends and family will be welcome to camp and hang out with the wider community as we have use of our regular field but also the adjacent field, expanding out the races into a full weekend of action. 

The site will be open from 0800 Friday until midday on Sunday.

There will be opportunities to catch speakers/ talks. Try out demo kit from some of leading in store brands and sponsors. As well as access food/ drink on site across the weekend. 

Stay tuned to the website in the second half of August for full details and opportunites to register.

 

A film by Steve Ashworth, The Extra Mile tells the story behind the Centurion Track 100 and some of the record breaking performances seen at the 2022 Event.

 

 

It's race five of our season this weekend and it's the big one. The 2022 South Downs Way 100. This race has always held a special place for us and for many of our runners and with conditions set to be warm but dry for this years' edition, we can't wait to get started. 

A field of approximately 425 runners are expected and within that number are some exciting contenders to the womens' and mens' events as well as a couple of others who deserve special mention, perhaps most notably Elaine Battson, who is looking to become the first person to finish 10 editions of the event (a full breakdown of all of our historic race stats can be found here). 

Also within the starting field is one Mark Perkins. Mark was one of the original members of our Ultra Team back in 2013-2015 and was a shining light in our sport. Amongst many other sensational performances he ran and set what is still the course record of 14:03 here in 2014. He was dealt an injury blow not long after which essentially ruled him out of the sport but he returns for this edition, an event which obviously still holds a special place for him. He won't be pushing the sharp end, just looking to make it to Eastbourne and enjoy the day along the way but it is wonderful to see him back able to even consider starting.

Both the mens but also the womens course records, are our longest standing. Jean Beaumont's 16:56 from 2013 hasn't been touched since. But there are athletes this year capable of running close to both. Will either finally tumble?

A quick recap of the 2021 event to whet the appetite!

 

WOMEN

Alice Robinson: Alice won the last edition of this event in 18:48. It is fantastic to see the reigning champion back on the start line again.

Bethan Male: Bethan warmed up to this nicely with a win at the SDW50 in April with the fourth fastest time ever of 7:12. She led the Autumn 100 with blistering splits last October before an injury stopped her just 25 miles from the finish. With a host of ultra wins behind her this is her second bid for a first 100 mile finish and it will be great to see her get it done. 

Bethan Male: Photo Stuart March Photography

Hannah Rickman: Our 2021 North Downs Way 100 Champion, Hannah started 2022 with an impressive second at the Spine Challenger North.

Hannah Rickman (Stuart March Photography)

Nicola Soraghan: Nicola came home second at the NDW50 last month. She won our Wendover Woods Night 50km last July. She is also looking for her first 100 mile finish.

Nicola Soraghan

Claire Howard: A star of the Hardmoors events Claire has won the 30, the 55, the 60 and 110 with them! Already in 2022 she has run a 7:12 50 miler at the Manchester to Liverpool Ultra for second place. 

Samantha Lloyd: Sam was third here in 2019 in 21:24. A year when she also placed fifth at the Chiltern Wonderland 50. 

Anna Brown: Anna was second at the Robin Hood 100 in 2020 in 19:10 before going on to win Gloucester 24hr in late October. In 2021 she was third at Race to the Stones.

Ellie Baverstock: Has started 2022 well with a win at the Fox Ultra and the Devil's Challenge which takes place on the South Downs Way over three days.

Julie Pickering: Fifth at the South Downs Way 50 this year in a time of 8:08. Previous winner of the Northants Ultra.

Dani Battersby: Dani finished third at the SDW50 this year in 8 hours flat.

Jackie Stretton: Jackie is a very experienced runner and amongst her credentials, she's finished Lakeland 100 six times. In 2021 she placed second at the Spine Challenger Summer and back in April finished the 190 mile Northern Traverse in fourth place.

 

MEN

Rich Mcdowell: 2021 SDW50 winner, Rich then went on to set the Thames Path 100 course record, becoming the first man to break the magic 14 hour barrier at one of our trail 100s. The 2:21 marathoner has to be the man to beat here and with his detailed preparation will no doubt have an eye on the course record. His 2022 started well with a 4:57 for the win at the 43 mile Country to Capital in atrocious conditions.

Rich Mcdowell: Photo Stuart March Photography

Peter Windross: The 2021 champion in a time of 15:30, Peter has become one of the most consistent performers at our events. Later last year he also broke the 14 hour mark, this time at the Autumn 100 where unbeliveably he missed out on the win by just 10 seconds. 2022 started for him with a tilt at the Vet 50 100 mile record at our Track 100, but ended early. That being said he set a new British 6 hour Mens Vet 50 record of 82km before calling it a day hours later.

Pete Windross: Photo by David Miller

Matt Blackburn: Matt has dozens of solid ultra finishes under his belt at everything from Spartathlon to 24hr events down through to 50km. But he is perhaps best known for providing the assist to John Stockers then World Record at the Suffolk Backyard Ultra, where Matt ran 536km.

Matt Duckett: Matt won the Devon Coast to Coast ultra last year over 190km, before coming 7th at the Autumn 100 in a strong 16:32. He was fourth at the Spine Challenger this January.

Ash Varley: Won the unofficial award for best paced race at the TP100 earlier this year on route to fifth place in 16:39. Seventh at the SDW50 earlier this year. He finished second at the 2020 North Downs Way 100.

Chris Kelly: Two time winner of the SVP100km and course record holder by a country mile with an 8:09 in 2020.

Alex Tate: Fourth at the 2019 NDW100 and winner of the Thames Trot in the same year.

Jose Rodriguez: Fifth at Chiltern Wonderland 50 in 2020. Won Ultra X's Scotland 125km last year but against a relatively small field of 35.

Barry Bryant: It appears Barry has seven ultra finishes and seven wins to his name - five of those coming at various Green Man ultra events and two at the Ox 50.

Marius Posa: Second at Country To Capital this year in 5:28. Does not look to have gone over 50 miles before.

Paul Broadway: Second at the 2018 Robin Hood 100 in 17:49 and third at our Wendover Woods Night 50km last year.

Matthew John: Second at our Wendover Woods 50 last year and a third at Lakeland 50 back in 2016.

 

As always you can follow the race Live via our Tracking Page and the Leaderboard via the link that will appear on the homepage. Race starts in two waves at 0500 and 0600 on Saturday 11th June.