The SUMMER Spine 2025

I joined the waiting list for this one many months ago and was told I was number 84. Eighty-four decisions had to be made by other people and I was a go. Then calving started and although I kept the odd eye on it, it wasn’t till I slipped under ten that I thought… Oh shit, here we go again. Next thing, a payment conformation email and date in the diary. June 15^th @ 8am I was gonna be in Edale with a promise of a kiss from a wall some 268 miles away!!!

Training wasn’t a dream by any means, not enough miles, not enough meters gained, nothing new for me these days but no excuse either. I knew, I know I can do this but I was going to have to make the right decisions at the right time.

In our house I’m not the organised one, I don’t make lists, I fly by the seat, I lean on luck, I work hard but I don’t plan for tomorrow, I just try to get everything done today!! So by the time I was on the start line I didn’t know much about the route, I knew stage distances, vaguely, no idea of ups or downs or terrain etc. Crazy, I know. I was a member of a Spine Whats App on the lead in and the attention to detail was crazy. In contrast, my pack arrived 2 weeks before the event, my drop bag, 3 days before. I had bars with me I was gonna get most of my calories from that I hadn’t ever tasted before the start. Why not try one I hear you shout. 1, These bloody things are expensive, 2, What if I don’t like them and it’s too late to change, on the course I’ll have to get to like them.

Looks like I’m lining up excuses here doesn’t it and I wonder if I wasn’t writing a DNF report would it be more positive so far. So the rules of the game are simple, 20 kg drop bag, you’ll see that 5 times, back pack with a pretty full on mandatory kit list. 6 stages, ranging from 37 odd miles to 65 miles!! No crew apart from the amazing Spine team that will be out on course or at the stations. Some food at check points, can take from honestly boxes etc on route. But this is a self-supported thing.

Bag check and reg was a dream on the Saturday. I was fresh, we had travelled a day early to make sure I was fresh, I’m spoilt you know!! Bed early, nothing left to do only the Spine. Body in good shape, my back my only concern physically but hoping 3 recent visits to the physio had that back in line!!

I had spread the word, told people what I was going to do, I was so confident, there is a thin line between cocky and confident, and I hope I was the right side of it! I often told by people how lightly I take Ultra Running, how relaxing I speak of just heading away for over 200 miles so this time I told people, tried to get them involved, see what it is to prep for a big one. Lets be clear this is now a what not to do list!!

As always and just like that we stand as a crowd waiting for someone to send us packing and all of a sudden I imagine myself putting my pen to an imaginary piece of paper, on this piece of paper the header is Bucket list, my pen is touching the page not at the top of the list but not far down. I tell myself don’t dare make the tick till you kiss the wall but you can leave the pen there we’ll get it done!!

A few simple calculations a few days previous I knew I was in for more meters gain per km that Coast to Coast (My only yard stick for long hilly runs) so I was gonna need to reuse all the lessons learnt there and learn a few more.

Goals:

I did the usual….. ”Oh all I wanna do is finish, I wont be racing” all that small talk. But I had goals and these are them, these are not the new ones I made cause of DNF or any of that shit! I did not go to compete for top 3 but my absolute massive A goal was to finish in top 5, after that I wanted to kiss the wall less than 100 hours after leaving Edale and lastly I wanted to finish inside the top 20! I hope I don’t seem arrogant saying I think I’m able to mix it with the top five of this type of race cause sitting here in my B&B as the actual top five are still out there is pretty grounding and a kick I will have a bruise from for a long time!!

Did I mention I am unorganised, shortly after I left drop bag in, cause I was nervous they would weigh it, I realised my Vaseline and electrolytes were in it. On a normal day, I’d see the crew soon and sort it then, on the Spine, your drop bag is like a distant relative…. You barely ever see them and when you do your in a rush to get away from them so forget what you wanted to do. Jen had me sorted with lists I had to go through and that was a help.

I quickly realised the stages were so long that I was going to need more “Proper food” Thankfully we had a few sandwiches but for stage one, I had too much gel, not enough food. A chip van and chippy in a shipping container helped with that though!! For stage two I loaded up plenty of sandwiches cause although stage one felt long I know stage 2 was gonna drag, into the night we went with 64 miles, over 100km to do before the next check point!! In fact as I write this now I feel that the most Brutal thing about Britain's most Brutal race is not the course but rather how you handle long stages on your own food from your carry bag!!

Night one I spent with Ben, a true gent, Jayus I asked him some amount of questions to try help the Km’s slip by. This is the lonest ever time I have spent in the company of another runner, I’d go as far as to say this was longer than all the times added together I have spent running with other runners, I make no secret (on here, not to their face) that running at other peoples pace can annoy me. But we just clipped away together, he answering my endless questions, and I wondering what I will ask next. You can get down to some deep and meaningful chats if you have someone willing to ask questions (Me) a surreal environment as a backdrop that takes people outta their comfort zone (Night running during a 100km stage of a 420km foot race). So we chatted on and Monday arrived, followed shortly by sunrise!! Bens ankles and feet not improving and at the top of the waterfall steps limestone ankle breaker area we agreed to part ways and I ran off. The water stop for the stage was not far away and when I came up off the trail onto the road and my Garmin said, your on the right road, I opened the pipes. Let off some steam, knowing a seat and a bit of fresh water, maybe tea if we are lucky awaited me. I fly like the hammers of hell down that hill, 5min km, legs fresh, no questions asked, checked Garmin a couple of times, full steam. Landed at bottom, purple line had disappeared from Garmin and I was off course, no hassle, won’t be far back. Look to my right to see a familiar building Ben and I had passed before going UP the waterfall steps limestone ankle breaker area. Now I knew I had proper fucked up!! Phone on, received already known information from Jen, turn around and start the walk of shame!!

Many curses later I reach the water stop, they had been out looking for 215 (My race number. You might think your someone, in the Spine however, as it is with so many races for organisational efficiency I presume, you are only but a number, I was 215). I’m here I said and asked for a tea cause when your world is crumbling, drink tea.

So how was I gonna make up the lost time, keep my legs fresh, keep all my candles intact and my head positive. By steadying the ship I tried to tell myself, so I did that best I could, but I also started to prep myself for another night without sleep. That’s a good idea sure, it wasn’t!! I hiked, I ran and to be honest I felt good, moving well, trail was to die for the views were amazing, during the night even, the odd time in the far away distance you could see sprawling city lights. Millions of people lighting up the sky oblivious to Ben and I lighting up a patch in front of our toes, no right no wrong, just life in a millisecond!!

The hallucinations (my first ever) started at about 30 hours. Oh great a farmer at this next gate, wonder what he has been up to today,.. I’ll try get chatting him. As I approach, he slowly disappears and standing in his place is a section of wall with moss and markings that mind had morphed into a farmer. From that point on the walls came to life, boys, girls, family groups. One lovely friendly family were waving, I know they weren’t real, I knew it but my head told me what they were and they were people, I approached, the boys hand that was waving was the first to be revealed as a tall thistle blowing behind the wall and instantly they all disappeared and the wall returned. The night came and the games continues, thistles became lions, angry ones too, rushes were sheep, there was sooo many sheep!! The fact that some of the sheep turned out to be actual sheep added another layer to the already confusing situation.

Honesty boxes and people leaving full tuck shops out on the course in preparation for our arrival is quite common, I can recall 3 off hand. Price list on the table, take what you want and leave the money… fair deal. One couple slept in their car beside their neighbour’s barn and as runners approached would wake up and have tea/coffee and home made baking ready for us all…… no money taken (nearly offended to be offered, we agreed I would put something in a charity box after the race.) I was there five mins maybe and we chatted like we were lifelong friends, the world is full of great people and don’t ever forget it, it’s just the pricks are better at making noise….. Stops to think….. Shit I make a lot of noise!!!

The second night passed, and I passed the half way mark I had now been awake and running for 48 hours, I was in unknown territory and enjoying the learnings… how far could I push it I wondered! The morning followed night as it tends to do and I arrived at CP3. I should have slept here, we discussed it even, most people were sleeping here, maybe I liked my new wally friends I don’t know. Anyway, off came the socks and with them, quite a bit of skin. I’ll save you too much detail but I wasn’t going to be the foot model for slippers anytime soon.

I’ve run before, had blisters, and luckily never had much hassle so I played them down, part of our kit was to carry tape and scissors. So yet again I did something new on a race not on a training field, I taped a few toes and the medic at the Checkpoint helped. Food in, eat eat eat, are you finished, you think you are , you know your calorie deficit so you just pick something up and shovel it in, Ultra running I find is pretty much… energy in, energy out!! New socks on, off we go!! My gallop had manners now, raw skin on the souls, hot spots and blisters appearing and moving. The rain started to fall, feet wet, I’m no doctor but that wont help I think. Not much running now, only the flats and I know my gait is off, but I’m positive.

I climb up the rocks to the top of a beautiful waterfall and head off for what is to be High Cup Nick. Nice run walk on now and all good. Check Garmin 100 times, I have to go down through the valley, I was sure we go round the top, but the purple line says through. Down I go again and then phone rings, and I check Garmin and line has moved. Nothing for it only to go right back bloody up again. I meet a hiker on the way up, we have a chat, as I’m walking away he spots I’m a wannabe Spiner and I’m ashamed to say yes I’m in the Spine race, I feel I shouldn’t be and took a wrong turn, he is a gentleman, more amazing people, I turn and head for the skies!! 

Every km getting longer than the last now, every step needs more thoughts and gives less back!! I drop down toward Duffton, downhills kill cause nowhere for your toes to go only into each other and a big jumble of a toe jam at the front of the shoe!! Bit ouchy. A brief meeting with Jen and the boys, Its Aarons birthday tomorrow, we were told a t race briefing we can meet family and friends, try keep it to one visit and no aid allowed. I got a hug and in fairness, my boys and wife give great hugs so maybe that cheating a little. I got a burger from the café, and headed off, walking only now. Pain in the toes too bad to run, so I stop, shoes and socks off, tape is already off. I get a bit pissed off and just go bursting blisters like mad, two are infected, one has blood the rest are just standard…. Sorry if your eating!! It’ll come as no surprise that some of this street side hospital behaviour was bloody sore!! I send a video to a doctor friend, we tick tack a little and I lace back up, different pain now but maybe I could get a run on. Only 100 miles now Jen says. She reckons its only 100, I’m starting to look at it different, I know this feeling, I’ve had this, I’ve dropped before. The easy path is always comfortable!! It’s after midday on Tuesday now, 3 o clock maybe. I’ve not shut my eyes since I started this race Sunday 8am, I take my pack off, lie it as a pillow and set and alarm for 30 mins. Let’s sleep on the decision I think to myself.

I wake up, I feel fresher. I walk 1 or 2 km maybe to find a flat piece of course and try a run, no luck, the pain still there, too little between my feelings and the course!! Its over, it was over hours ago but its confirmed now. I make some calls. I turned for Duffton again.

Not 24 hours has passed and I did want to write this while it was still fresh. A medal for a 100 mile walk was not appealing to me, that said if did walk for 100 miles with blisters I would have probably worked harder than I have for anything. My legs are fine, it’s just the blisters, something that has never bothered me, that’s what is annoying more than anything, why did the unknown pick this one to come to the fore.

I learnt a lot,

Unsupported is a totally different kettle of fish.

I have great friends and a great many people who think a lot of me.

I underestimated this event and paid the greatest cost

The world does actually have a fair share of great people just they are terrible at showing it, you just have to ask them a question

I love running I just wish I could either be better or be happy at being where I am

Will I be back… Honestly I’m not sure yet!!

Thank you for you kinds words and messages as I was out there, but for now I have a newly turned nine year old that needs a Dad not a role model!!

Run happy!!