And they’re off!…
This morning at 8 am veterans to new Spiners set off from Edale, England to take part in the 2022 edition of the Montane Spine Race.
Participants have just seven days to complete the 268-mile route along the Pennine Way National Trail, which incorporates over 11,000m of ascent and takes in some of the most demanding terrains on offer. Dubbed one of the toughest Ultra challenges in the British Isles since its creation in 2012, the Montane Spine Race regularly attracts a top field of athletes and this year’s edition is no exception.
Among the impressive 2022 line-up is returning champion Sabrina Verjee who is back to defend her 2020 title (60:07:17). This year, Verjee shares the start line with Anna Troup, the Pennine Way women’s FKT holder (76:46:37) and the first woman in the 2021 summer edition of the Spine (80:28:35), as well as Debbie Martin-Consani second woman behind Sabrina Verjee in the 2020 Spine race (118:36:23).
Runners must make their way through the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park, Hadrian’s Wall, and the Cheviots, before finishing in Kirk Yetholm, Scotland. Wind chills along the route have been recorded to reach as low as -20C on previous editions of the Spine Race, with winds often exceeding 44mph.
The un-supported, non-stop Ultra marathon includes five main checkpoints, that runners must reach before the cut off time, as they battle their way from England to the Scottish border, fighting the gruelling conditions of a UK winter.
This year’s exciting male line-up includes Eion Keith, a regular competitor in both the winter and the summer editions of the Spine race. Keith took the champions title in 2016 during the summer version of the event (95:17:00). Kim Collinson, Paddy Buckley record holder (16:20:40), and Dougi Zinis, Winner of the 2020 Spine Challenger race (29:00:32) are also among this year’s strong field, as well as the UK’s phenomenal Damian Hall, who has returned for his third attempt.
Dot watchers can track the event live by clicking here.
The team at Ultrarunner Magazine would like to wish all the runners on the field the very best of luck out there. Have a great race!