Races

Just how brutal is the Montane Winter Spine Race?

Imagine running the best part of a week, carrying a rucksack full of kit, over a 268-mile course that has more ascent than Mount Everest, while being battered by Arctic-like -15C winds and trudging through fresh deep snow. Oh, and having to regularly de-ice your frozen shoes with warm water. Welcome to the Montane Winter Spine Race!

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Photo courtesy of The Spine Race.

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Last year's race saw 164 brave ultra runners toe the start line of ‘Britain’s Most Brutal' Race in Edale, Derbyshire. Ahead of them, a monstrous adventure north up the Pennine Way trail to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders, with 37,000ft of uphill running thrown in for good measure.

One of the world’s toughest ultramarathon events, the Spine Race is notoriously savage and every year sees many of its starters fall by the wayside amid high levels of exhaustion and plummeting temperatures. The 2024 edition was no different.

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Photo courtesy of The Spine Race.

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However, as some runners retired, others stood strong and resilient. Among them were INOV8 athletes Jack Scott and Damian Hall.

The pair bravely fought it out at the front of the race, choosing to sleep only for less than an hour each throughout the race’s entirety. In the end, 29-year-old Jack Scott rewrote British ultrarunning history by obliterating Jasmin Paris’ 2019 course record. He completed in an astonishing 72 hours and 55 minutes, 10 hours faster than Jasmin Paris’ seemingly unbeatable time. If there is such a thing as a perfect performance in endurance sports then this was it. 

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Pictured: Jack Scott touching the wall of the Border Hotel. Photo courtesy of The Spine Race.

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Despite breaking both the previous course record and his own from 2023, Damian Hall finished 2nd behind Jack Scott. The decisive moment occurred on Cross Fell, where Scott took a lead that Hall couldn't reclaim. Claiming 3rd place, Konrad Rawlik, husband of previous record-holder Jasmin Paris, displayed unwavering resilience in the wintery conditions, earning a well-deserved spot on the podium.

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Claire Bannwarth defended her title on the women's podium, showcasing not just speed but an enduring passion for wild running. 2nd place Hannah Rickman's sportsmanship, coupled with a memorable act of assistance during challenging blizzard conditions, exemplified the camaraderie that permeates the Spine Race. Lucy Gossage, a 14-time Ironman Champion, successfully transitioned to ultra running, finishing 3rd with tenacity and focus. 

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Pictured: Women's winner Claire Bannwarth. Photo courtesy of The Spine Race.

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Amongst the other race distances, we saw a remarkable showcase of speed and endurance. Joe O’Leary secured victory at the Montane Winter Spine Challenger North, breaking the course record by a staggering 16 hours. Thriving in the challenging cold conditions, O’Leary's positive demeanour made his presence a joy at the Spine Race. Nikki Arthur emerged as the winning female athlete, shattering the course record by an impressive twenty hours. She has showcased exceptional talent and determination in her debut at the Spine Race.

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In the Montane Winter Spine Challenger South, Daniel Weller's commanding lead and Samantha Lissauer's triumph in her first race beyond 100km added to the week's narrative of exceptional performances. Jessica Johnson and Rupert Allison emerged as record-breakers in the Montane Winter Spine Sprint, both demonstrating a mastery of the course. 

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Photo courtesy of The Spine Race.

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As the curtain fell on this extraordinary week, the stories of triumphs and trials etched themselves into the fabric of Spine Race history. The final finisher David Milton successfully completed the race in just under seven days. Facing harsh winds on the Cheviots, he demonstrated extraordinary strength and resilience. The global community of dot watchers galvanised to offer him unwavering support to the finish.

The Montane Winter Spine Races not only showcased endurance on a level we’ve not witnessed before but we celebrated the unwavering human spirit and resilience to achieve things we never thought was possible. The Spine family’s shared love for tackling and supporting extraordinary feats, is what sets this race apart.

Now, it's finally time for the 2025 edition of the race and we're all ready for the action.

On your marks, get set...dot watch!

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Follow the 2025 races

The Montane Winter Spine event includes six different races with distances ranging from 46 miles to 268 miles of non-stop expedition-style racing, including two dedicated Mountain Rescue Team races which are incorporated into the Challenger South and Challenger North events.

Races are listed in order of start times below;

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Challenger South and MRT Challenger South (108 miles)

Start Time: 08:00 January 11th 2025

The Montane Winter Spine Challenger South is a non-stop, 108 mile race along the Pennine Way. Beginning from Edale in Derbyshire, runners have a time limit of 60 hours to get to the finish at Hawes. The race covers the southern section of the trail which features the iconic moorland of the Kinder Plateau, numerous National Parks, Malham Cove and Pen-y-Ghent. This challenging and technical section is a physically and psychologically demanding route that requires concentration, good physical fitness, resolve and respect. This becomes even more demanding with the full intensity and ferocity of the British Winter in deep snow, storm force winds and driving rain. This is a notoriously difficult event and should be considered as having a similar degree of difficulty as the full Montane Winter Spine.

Track the race here

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The Sprint (46 miles)

Start Time: 12:00 noon January 11th 2025

The Montane Winter Spine Sprint is a non-stop, 46 mile race along the most iconic and demanding trail in Britain: the Pennine Way. The race covers a challenging and technical section of the Pennine Way. It’s physically and psychologically demanding and requires a degree of self-sufficiency and skill which sets this race apart from others. Beginning from Edale in Derbyshire, runners have a time limit of 18 hours to reach the finish line at Hebden Bridge. It’s a truly epic experience that will give you the full intensity and ferocity of the British Winter and test you against the toughest of trails.

Track the race here

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The Full Winter Spine (268 miles)

Start Time: 08:00 January 12th 2025

The Montane Winter Spine is widely regarded as Britain’s Most Brutal endurance race. It’s a non-stop, 268 mile race along the most iconic and demanding national trail in Britain; the Pennine Way. Beginning from Edale in Derbyshire, runners have a time limit of 168 hours to reach the elusive village of Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders. You will climb over 10,000 meters as the route crosses some of the most beautiful but difficult terrain found in England, including the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park, Hadrian’s Wall and the Cheviots. It’s a truly epic challenge that will test your physical resilience and mental fortitude. You will experience the full intensity and ferocity of the British Winter including deep snow, storm force winds and driving rain.

Track the race here

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Challenger North and MRT Challenger North (160 miles)

Start Time: 08:00 January 13th 2025

The Montane Winter Spine Challenger North is a non-stop, 160 mile race along the Pennine Way from Hardraw to Kirk Yetholm.  This is a truly demanding race that gives you an opportunity to take on the northern section of the full race route. Beginning from Hardraw in North Yorkshire, runners have a time limit of 108 hours to get to the finish line at the infamous village of Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders. The trail crosses some of the most beautiful but difficult terrains in Britain including; the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park, Hadrian’s Wall, and the Cheviots. This is one of the most physically and mentally demanding races out there, made even tougher by the ferocity and intensity of the British winter.

Track the race here

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