The Dare 2b Spine Race 2013 ( Part 1..return to the Pennines )

It hardly seemed a year since finishing the 2012 Spine race, and here I was again in Edale on a frosty Friday evening.

Throughout 2012 I took it a little easier with my training and ran a few Ultra races, including D33, Kintyre Way race, Roparun and the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc. This I mixed up with some regular hill running and orienteering with my new best friend Monty.

 

So why was I doing the 268 mile Spine race again ? I should be taken away by the 'men in white coats'...
My reasons?.. Above all for the Adventure!, then secondly to see parts of the Pennine Way I had missed on the previous year due to darkness, and thirdly to become the 1st and only competitor to complete the 268 mile Spine race twice.

Walking into the Edale village hall on the Friday evening I was delighted to see so many familiar faces from the inaugural 2012 Spine race, Scott Gilmour & Phil Hayday-Brown, John Bamber, Conrad Dickinson, Stuart Westfield, and other members of the Spine support team. The 'Band of Brothers' and fellow Spine finishers Steve Thompson and Mark Caldwell were already in the hall, grinning in anticipation.  Also there was Richard Lendon, Brian Mullen and Jonathon Zeffert, Spiners from 2012.

After some banter it was down to the business of registration, kit checks, and the drinking of copious amounts of hot, sweet tea before the pre-race lectures began.  The legendary John Bamber entertained many of us with tales of the depths of the pot holes.  Some of the other competitors however were turning rather pale as John went into terrifying detail!
This year it was great to see so many more runners taking part, especially from overseas. The Spine is going global ! I managed to chat to a few of the new 'Spiners', some of whom I had met previously on the 'Mary Townley Loop' training weekend in November 2012.
I wondered as I looked around the room at the assembled runners as to whether they realised the enormity of the challenge they were about to take on.

So now down to my kit.....

I've been asked on many occassions for the exact kit list I used on the 268 mile Spine race, and also how much it weighed.
I've refined my kit over a number of years, mainly through competing in Mountain Marathons, not just the Spine race. I use an OMM 25 litre backpack with OMM chest pouch. Every essential I need during a race is at hand: food, water, compass, maps, gps, medical supplies, gloves, hat etc. I know where every piece of kit is, so when the proverbial brown stuff hits the fan and a race becomes a matter of survival, I can have it at hand within seconds. Knowing your kit inside out and the configuration of the kit is key to maximising your ability to finish a race such as the Spine.

For those that don't know, my background is Diving. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to have dived in many enviroments, including under ice in the Arctic, cave and mine, wrecks, zero visibility etc. I configure my running equipment as I do my dive equipment. Everything is streamlined, has a use and I can locate it in seconds by touch alone.

The total weight of all my mandatory kit plus a few extras - inc food - was 4.6 Kg plus 1.5 litres of water, so 6.1 Kg in total for the Start of the Spine race. Throughout the race I added extra kit as needed, consequently the weight increased to around 7.5 Kg. As I stated before it has taken me a while to refine my kit, but it is MY Kit, ie it works for me but may not necessarily work for other runners.
For a sleeping system I use a Snugpack synthetic sleeping bag with a RAB silk liner, and an Alpkit Bivvi bag. I use synthetic bag as opposed to a down bag as synthetic material will still keep you warm when damp / wet.
One of the big problems this year was water bottles freezing solid. I used a 1.5 litre insulated bladder with a braided hose filled with just over a litre of water, plus a 500ml bottle for use with gathering water or mixing electrolytes etc. Having the bladder enured I could remain hydrated during the race.


Saturday 12th January 2013...Race Day.

Race day had arrived! I made my way down to the Edale village hall to hand in my drop bag. After my breakfast of porridge and a few cups of hot sweet tea, I was ready for the Start. I noted quite a few anxious faces on the way to the Start line.

08.15 hrs and we're off !

And yes it looks like we're in a 10K race !!
As I forecast this year, some of the runners tore off, trying to mix it with the 2 x Spaniards, Joel and Eugeni, who happen to be both seasoned elite mountain runners and high placed finishers of the 208 mile Tor Des Geants. I knew with the inexperienced runners charging off to the front it would only be a matter of time before the wheels would come off and their attempt at completing the Spine race would be over.
I settled into a sustainable pace with Richard Lendon, the mantra being, march the uphill, jog / run the flat and run the downhills where conditions allowed. After all there are 268 miles to go before I get a nice cold pint.