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Disclaimer

This wiki is for personal use only and is not endorsed by the official Spine Race organization. While efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information provided, please note that it is always recommended to double-check everything for yourself and refer to the official Spine Race website for the most up-to-date and reliable information.

Quick Links

• The Spine Race Website
• The Spine Race Results and Records
• The Spine Race Facebook Page
• Facebook Official Spine Group (Competitors Discussion)
• Facebook Group for Volunteers
• Mandatory Equipment / Compulsory Kit List 2025 Facebook old versions (2024 Winter Spine Kit List 2023 Winter Spine Kit v32022, 2020 ,V8 2021)
• Strava Unofficial spine club for those competing in the 2022 Winter Spine Race (Spine, Challenger & MRT)
• Spine Race 2024 GPX files
• Montane Winter Spine Races 2024 - Runner Portal Profile Portal for athletes and volunteers to access race information

General Information

Distance: 268-mile (429km)
Total Ascent (Approx):	31000 feet (9500M)
Time Limit: 7 days (168 hours)

The Spine Race is a challenging ultra-endurance race that takes place annually in January along the Pennine Way in England. Covering a distance of 268 miles (431 kilometers), it is considered one of the toughest races in the world.

Blogs, Media and News Articles

The Spine Race Blogs

Spine Race blogs are a great way to read firsthand accounts of the gruelling 268-mile race across the Pennine Way in England.

• Spine Race Blogs 2023 The Cold Year
• Spine Race Blogs 2022 Diversion with a taxi year
• Spine Race Blogs 2021 Covid Year
• Spine Race Blogs 2020 Storm Brendan Year
• Spine Race Blogs 2019 Jasmin Paris smashing the record year
• Spine Race Blogs 2018
• Spine Race Blogs 2017
• Spine Race Blogs 2016
• Spine Race Blogs 2015
• Spine Race Blogs 2014
• Spine Race Blogs 2013
• Spine Race Blogs 2012 The first year

YouTube Videos about the Spine Race

There are many YouTube videos available about the Spine Race, including race highlights, participant interviews, and documentaries.

2023 Spine Race YouTube Videos

• Running Your Stories Spine Race 2023 Kevs kit run through
• centurionrunning The Spine Race: Kit Review and Advice

2022 Spine Race YouTube Videos

• Running Your Stories Elaine Bisson - The Spine Race 2022 Second Lady
• Running Your Stories Dougie Zinis - 2nd Place Montane Spine Race 2022
• Running Your Stories The Spine Race 2022 - Kev's Story

2020 Spine Race YouTube Videos

• GRL #292 | John Kelly - Life in the UK, Winning the Spine Race & More

News Articles and Interviews

2023

• Runners World What’s it actually like to take part in “Britain’s most brutal” race?
• BBC News Pennine Way hill runners with hypothermia rescued from hut
• BBC News Upper Wharfedale rescuers battle 'crazy' weather in 108-mile race
• RUN247 Spine Race 2023: How the race unfolded day-by-day

2022

• Financial Times Running the world’s toughest race Blisters, bogs and the British winter: my brutal 268-mile marathon across the Pennines

2020

• BMC - Interview: winners of the 2020 Montane Spine Race

2019

• BBC News Nursing mum smashes 268-mile race record

Podcast

2020

• JOHN KELLY WINNER OF THE MONTANE SPINE RACE 2020 - WORLD EXCLUSIVE
• Montane Further Faster - EPISODE 19: JOHN KELLY
• E24. Smashing Records and Beating Sleepmonsters with Jasmin Paris
• E23. Breaking the Spine with Eoin Keith
• E25. Winning Epic Distance Events with Spine and Barkley Winner John Kelly

2019

• - ROT #14 The Spine Race Part 1
• - ROT #15 The Spine Race Part 2

Race Nutrition

Ultra-distance athletes such as Spine Race participants often need to consume between 200-400 calories per hour to maintain their energy levels throughout the race. This can add up to several thousand calories per day, depending on how quickly the racer is able to complete the course.

• Ultra Marathon Snacks

Kit

• Sleeping Bags
• Sleeping Mats
• Stoves
• Shoes, Boots, Footwear and Socks

The Spine Race Route

• Spine Race Pacing Table
• The Spine Race Route Road Book POI
• Spine Challenger - North Road Book POI

Spine Race Films

• 2020 - Spine Race Endurance
• 2020 NHK WORLD - JAPAN: GREAT RACE - RUNNING COLD
• 2019 - Spine Race Resilience
• 2019 - Through The Pain - Shelli Gordon's Epic Spine Adventure
• 2017 - Broken from Summit Fever Media
• 2016 - The Montane Spine Race Film Trailer
• Spine Race 2015 - BBC Inside Out

The Spine Race DNF (Did Not Finish) Rate

Challenger Race retention rate

• 2017 – CP1 97%, Finish 66%.
• 2018 – CP1 98%, Finish 69%.
• 2019 – CP1 81%, Finish 60%
• 2020 – CP1 84%, Finish 47%
• 2021 - Start 0%
• 2022 - Finish 63%

Spine Race retention rate

• 2017 – CP1 96%, CP2 75%, CP3 69%, CP4 66%, CP5 58%, Finish 56%.
• 2018 – CP1 97%, CP2 75%, CP3 68%, CP4 53%, CP5 49%, Finish 45%.
• 2019 – CP1 91%, CP2 80%, CP3 68%, CP4 64%, CP5 62%, Finish 57%
• 2020 – CP1 94%, CP2 77%, CP3 58%, CP4 49%, CP5 45%, Finish 43%
• 2021 - Start 0%
• 2022 - Finish 49%

Race Photographs

• Racing Snakes Official Photos 2020
• Racing Snakes Official Photos 2019
• Racing Snakes Official Photos 2018
• Racing Snakes Official Photos 2017
• Racing Snakes Official Photos 2016
• Racing Snakes Official Photos 2015
• John Bamber - Original (First) Spine Race 2012

Travel Logistics

Public Transport links on Pennine Way

• Pennine Way - National Trail - Public transport along the Pennine Way

Parking at Edale

3 and 7 day parking pass

Weather and Webcams

• https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/united-kingdom/england/hawes/hawes.html (Hawes)
• https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/road-cameras-and-weather-conditions (B6255 Ribblehead)
• https://www.yorkshiredalesguides.co.uk/webcam-and-weather-conditions (Settle and Stainforth)

Scientific Papers

• From social interactions to interpersonal relationships: Influences on ultra-runners’ race experience Brian Harman, Céline Kosirnik, Roberta Antonini Philippe
• Eye injuries in the extreme environment ultra-marathon runner Thomas Adam Cope1 and Anna Kropelnicki
• Sleep Patterns during a Winter Mountain Ultra Marathon Borja Martinez Gonzalez
• Extreme events reveal an alimentary limit on sustained maximal human energy expenditure
• Coping and Resilience Among Endurance Athletes During the COVID-19 Pandemic Brian Harman, Grégory Dessart, Liene Puke and Roberta Antonini Philippe

Spine Race Poetry & Songs

Endless frozen miles,  
Grit and spirit intertwined,
Spine racers persevere.

• Spine Poetry - A Collection of Verses for the Family on the Way
• WHY?! by Ruddyspine is Krippling Poem by Andy Norman
• Pete Coe The Pennine Way Fantastic Folk Song about the Pennine Way
• spineracepoet Instagram - Serial Spice racer and occasional finisher. Tries to describe what it’s like in verse. Words continue to fail me #spinerace

Miscellaneous

• Theme music from youtube video intro
• John Bamber's Chilli Jam Recipe
• ChatGPT on Training for the Spine Race