Or:- Doing stupidly long challenges along the Pennine Way

By Chris Tetley, with contributions from Chris Bowen

Part 1: Summer Spine Challenger South 2022

It’s Summer 2021 and I have just had a few days dot watching the Summer Spine. I was chatting with Jane A and although she had mentioned doing it before, I said, “Do you know we should just do it”. I suppose the Pandemic had stolen a couple of years from us with events cancelled. So, it’s a case of do it as the clock is ticking and I’m getting older. At some point I will be too old to consider it.

So here goes let’s apply. You must apply with relevant experience, what have you done to prove you are capable of doing this race. Experience running long things over hills. Completed ultra-marathons all add to the criteria necessary, tick! So, it’s put all this down and wait for a reply. Lo and behold I get the invite to enter and pay. Now that in itself is a consideration. This event is not a fell race where you pay a fiver and run up a hill. At that time the Challenger cost £325, it has gone up a bit since. I have to say that’s where the credit cards prove useful!

At this point, I found out that Chris B was also thinking the same as me (we are the same age – approx.) So there you have it – myself, Jane A and Chris B all doing the Challenger. Of course, not wanting to be left out or was it just a bad case of FOMO, Julia C and then Julie P both entered the shorter Sprint race.

I suppose at this time I certainly had a bit of a Oh God, what have I done moment. However, as there was a year to go, I could put it to the back of my mind and sort of say to myself I’ll worry about it later. In the meantime, I had volunteered to assist at a Winter Spine checkpoint which would give me some inside knowledge on what to expect when I got to one. It was very useful, though hard work, long hours, but still enjoyable. You get to help the likes of Eoin Keith, Debbie Martin Consani and Sabrina Vergee etc. on their way northwards putting real faces to the dots.

So, January Winter race over and it’s now time to actually think about doing this challenge. We get 60 hours to complete the task in the summer. With little experience of the Pennine Way other than locally we decided on trying to fit in some recces on top of our long runs and days out on our feet. We had booked a few other races to take part in as a build-up, Winter tour of Bradwell, Haworth Hobble, Three Shires and my place from 2020 in the Highland Fling race came up. In between it was a case of splitting the Challenger up into doable days out. We didn’t worry too much about the first bit as it was our home territory. So, we started from Wessenden Head and finished in Hebden Bridge. Then from Hebden to Gargrave, Gargrave to Horton in Ribblesdale and finally the last bit from Horton to Hardraw. The local rail services did well out of us, lucky I had a senior rail card!

It must be said it was not all about running long miles. The kit list is very extensive and they check it thoroughly. In some cases very thoroughly. So, there was a frantic few month ordering new things. I thought I had most of it but when you get into the details you realise the kit needs to be fully right to the specification. Oh, and not forgetting the poo kit. Yes, we had to have one.

Training done, recces done and kit list fulfilled, the day is getting closer. In fact it’s the Friday before the start. Kit Check Day. So I went over to Edale village hall to present myself with everything in a carrier bag. They ask you to do this as it saves time checking things. Then it’s go to the registration desk to collect my T shirt and race number. Have my mug shot taken which for some reason never appeared on the tracker page. Anyway, that’s it, done now go home and fester till the next morning. The nerves seemed to subside, think I was more worried about the Kit check than the race or so it seemed.

Race day, up early, have a good breakfast and off to Edale picking Chris up along the way. People are now milling around outside the village hall so go inside and have my tracker fitted and deposit my drop/re-supply bag with the logistics crew. That’s it, have a sit down and wait for the 8am start in the field next to the car park. The media team were milling round and having a chat with a few of the runners. Soon its time and we are all off to the start.

The first few steps take us through the village to the Nags Head and the official start of the Pennine way and we are on it. Familiar territory at first, up Jacob’s Ladder over Kinder Low and on to Mill Hill where we head out towards the Snake Road. Had a water top up here from the safety team (SST). Chris had her tracker changed as apparently the one she had wasn’t working properly. Then up to Bleaklow Head. Sometime after that I caught some people up. I was staying behind them but finally managed to pass them as they were ambling, I had to now catch up with Chris. I tripped and acquired a nasty graze to my lower leg. Whilst it looked worse than it actually was, I think I was lucky as that could have ended my Spine Race journey within the first few miles. I hoped and got for some first aid at the SST monitoring point at Torside. They did their best to clean it up and sent me on my way up towards Black Hill.

A pause for a cuppa at Wessenden Head then it was onwards over the gritstone edges, past reservoir after reservoir until we near the M62 crossing. Here is Nicky’s food bar. Nicky stays open until the last Spine racer has passed …. into the night if need be. Here a Vegan Burger was consumed before heading off again. It was at this point we began to realise Jane may have pulled out. Not that we could confirm though. As the light began to fade Stoodley Pike got nearer and nearer finally passing it we headed down towards Hebden Bridge. Now it’s worth noting for the Challenger, Hebden checkpoint is not actually in Hebden. So up the other side of the very steep valley we go. By now it was fully dark. Finally, arriving at the signed route to Hebden Hey. Following the road and then down some very slippery steep, never ending and uneven steps to the Scout centre. Literally it felt like a hole in the ground. It has now just gone midnight. We were greeted by the Checkpoint staff presented with our drop bags and, of course, fed and watered. Even managed a somewhat tepid shower. My grazed leg was attended to by the medics. From now on I was Mr Blue Leg. Named for the tape used to cover my graze. So, after an hour lying horizontal, can’t call it sleep, it was time to get up and have some breakfast. Finish my kit faffage go through kit check and, as planned, out the door at first light just after 4am. Oh and up those awful never-ending steps yet again!

The day was fairly overcast as we headed up the Pennine Way. This was fine as we had a long day ahead. We made excellent progress past yet more reservoirs. Suddenly back on more familiar territory as we were on the reverse route of the Haworth Hobble. Now across the edge of Wadsworth Moor to Top Withins. At this point we came across a couple of familiar faces. Tracy V and Steve H who came out to greet us. It’s always nice to see another familiar face along the way. Onwards via Ponden reservoir and up and over Ickornshaw Moor. A typical moor and fairly bleak place but as you get to the end you reach the sight of peoples’ “holiday” huts randomly on the moor. We were approaching Cowling and the knowledge that we would come across the feed station run by Keighley Tri club. So, it was 2 veggie bacon type butties, plenty of tea, even a sit down in the corner of the tent. It was quite windy at this point but then we were high up on the moors. Gary Chapman, who was running the food spot, noticed my strap was twisted so after having my tracker re-taped on I must admit it felt much better afterwards. (Note this food spot has now been discontinued.) After Cowling it was over another moor before the descent to Lothersdale. The Hare and Hounds was shut as it was too early but if you ever recce, they are quite obliging.

For the next bit we leave the higher Pennine moors behind, flatter terrain beckons ahead as we approach Gargrave. Sadly, a diversion meant we had to trot along some tarmac for a bit, think everybody hated that bit.

Once in Gargrave, food was needed as it had been some time since the not bacon butties. Dalesman café in front of us. We had sort of teamed up with Yvonne (from Germany) by now we all sat at a table consulted a menu and placed our order with the young lad serving us. Only to be told they had stopped serving hot food at 3pm (10 mins late) Chris sort of erupted and demanded chips! We ended up with some tea bread. After a visit to Gargrave co-op, it was off northwards once again towards Malham. Another diversion and we arrived close to teatime. A long drink in the Buck Inn (Yvonne got Chips) and off again. Up the steps at the side of Malham cove, across the limestone pavement (slowly) and up again towards the Tarn. We then reached checkpoint 1.5.

At a half checkpoint you cannot stop for long, just half an hour. It’s cup of tea and hot water to rehydrate my packet of food. The light by now was fading and we wouldn’t get over Pen-y-Ghent in daylight so decided to have a bivvy down somewhere. The forecast was for a cold night so knowing there was a bird hide nearby we headed there having informed the safety team that is what we were doing. (Via John Bamber). Yvonne decided to press on further. However, a Dutch guy we had also teamed up with joined us in the hide.

Not the most comfortable of nights but at 3am there was a mass exodus, by now another 3 had joined us. Plan was to get over Fountains Fell first. To be fair the sunrise from the top was stunning. Once over Fountains Fell, we paused for what was first breakfast. We passed a couple of people who had been bivving before the ascent of Pen-y-Ghent. The Pennine way up Pen-y-Ghent is quite a scramble as it goes up the very steep side of the hill. It looks daunting but is in reality not as bad as it seems at first. Once at the top, we knew it was an easy down to Horton in Ribblesdale. Before we arrived, it was second breakfast. Pasta snack meal from Gargrave co-op. We were then passed by Anna Troup who went on to win the Ladies’ Full Spine. We caught up with her again at the car park in Horton filling water bottles.

So, it’s time to start the last section. Up the Cam Road over Dodd Fell before the descent into Hawes. Can I say at this point the higher Cam Road was type 2 fun at least. By the time we got to the top the weather had got very hot and the steady slog (and it is a slog) was not pleasant. I was consuming a lot of my spare water. Almost by now falling asleep on my feet. The Cam Road was a Roman road its straight and gravel underfoot which reflects the heat back at you. It goes up for ever and on and on for ever, at least it seems so. You get to the top then phew, a bumpy section, then over to Ten End before you can see the finish. Yes, the finish there below you. All you must do is get down to it. Feeling much better now we descended into Hawes. After arriving in Hawes, Chris dashed to an ice-cream van, so we were cooling off and rehydrating as we headed out for the last mile and a half to Hardraw and the finish. We were met near the end by a photographer who ran in with us, though I have to say we never saw the photos.

So, through the finish to everybody cheering us on, stop watch…..! if you saw the video. Medal on, finishers T and certificate. Cup of tea next. A sit down and we were also cheered on by Yvonne who finished an hour or two earlier on and met up with Melissa from Canada who had also finished ahead ahead of us.

So big hug off Helen of course and Dave and Gwynne were there to greet Chris too. Now those of you who know me will guess that you cannot finish 113 miles next door to the Green Dragon Inn, without calling in for one. In fact, that’s where Yvonne was cheering us on from. So, after collecting my drop bag and after a few attempts to stand up again it was off to the pub. Only the one, as I did feel I needed a bit of a fettle, things like a shower, foot care and sort my blue leg. So, it was try and get in the car to Hawes and to our B&B…… Oh and some sleep.

I did make the pub in Hawes that evening for a meal. We were staying there another day so pottered around Hawes to cheer on some of the Full Spine competitors. I was glad I was not out the following day as by now the temperature was scorching. It would not have been pleasant.

At this point we hadn’t considered what might come next but around the Hardraw checkpoint there were rumours of a new summer race. The Challenger North. Hmmm!

By the way both Julia and Julie completed their Spine Sprint races and yes, Jane had to pull out due to a bad back. The Pennine way will still be there another year.

Part 2 released next week

[originally published at https://express.adobe.com/page/ycRjb4x3rCTcg/]