Have just finished reading the blog Dave, a great read as always.
I really enjoyed following the race as it was happening and then catching up on all that detail.

Hi Les,
I thought it was just going to bea PW in winter with much less sleep. I had no idea it would turn out as it did and become such an emotional event the further it proceeded. People were absolutely heart broken when they had to call it a day, and that rubbed off on everyone else. Before the start of next years race, the brief, the evening before, is going to be some reunion.
Dave.

This will make you smile,Dave.You are one of Helene Diamantides heroes!



Helene,together with Martin Stone,was the winner of the 1992 Dragons Back fell race which was considered to be the hardest race ever run in the UK.During the last day she carried Martin Stone's pack as well as her own.It was considered so hard that it wasn't repeated until 2012.In the 2012 race she finished in fourth place and was first woman home.Interview here.

http://www.dragonsbackrace.com/history/t...d-martin-stone/

Thanks for that Tony.
In the 2012 race Joe Faulkner of the Spine Team, and one of the two who attempted to reach us in the refuge hut, during the storm, finished in 15th place.
Dave

He did well just finishing that monster.Are you considering entering the next one?

Helene does make some good points in her interview,ie,the need of navigtion skills and British long distance fell races being unique in the skills required.She mentions that trail runners might well come unstuck in such events due to not having the complete skills package.

I don't know about that. Much more running involved than the Spine, although it is a staged race. Of course how staged it becomes is dependant on how fast you are between checkpoints.
The difference is, and this was clear during the Spine Race and was obvious after researching the first event. As it is called an Ultra marathon it attracts mainly Ultra distance runners, hence the vast majority wear trail shoes.
Just as most climbers don't like to walk too far to their climbs, a lot of runners even fell runners are not experienced mountaineers. As in the Spine race, mountaineering skills were a massive benefit, some of those without were way outside of their comfort zone, and packed in early.
The Dragons back terrain obviously requires some mountaineering skill, but also the ability to cover big distances swiftly.
I think my ability to do that was some time ago.
Dave.

Its interesting to hear you talk about that team spirit and the raw emotion generated, that really comes across in your blog and it did all the way through all of the facebook coverage during the race. Its obviously a great trial, we're all fans of the PW but that race was addictive even for us lot sitting at home, its quite amazing that an event can generate that from afar. I can only imagine what it was like to be there and feel that first hand.

I think one of the problems with the Spine was the entry criteria.As far as I am aware they were accepting entries from people with South Downs Way 100 and North Downs Way 100 to their credit.Completing either of these routes under 30 hours is a great achievement but not ideal preparation for something as rough as the Spine.Its like going from swimming in the Med in the summer to being thrown into the North Sea in winter.I note they had serious problems with hypothermia on the Thames Path 100 last year despite it being held in late March.In the end that had to scrub the event.It seems the runners were not used to dealing with that type of problem which is one that seasoned hill walkers just take as a normal occupational hazard and know how to deal with it.

The system did work in the end. Those who had taken on too much, got a surprise and retired early on. As each leg went on more and more dropped out leaving 14 of us going beyond Byrness.
Annie and Russ, maybe Annabel too were the only ones inexperienced in what lay in wait for us, however the way Stewart teamed us up for safety over that final leg, paid off.
Speaking to Russ just last week, he did say that he didn't know how they would have gone on if it was just himself and Annie together. I have a feeling that they would have been prevented from continuing any further, or most likely would have been accompanied by a member of the Spine team for the Cheviots.
The team are currently away carrying out training in one of the Polar regions with people who are going on future expeditions and so have experience of people who require additional knowledge.
Their problem obviously is that this kind of race in winter is new to this country, and there are not that many Ultra Marathon runners about, with the full set of potentialy required skills that may be neccesary.
Having said that, everyone knew that they didn't have to reach a CP to withdraw, and many didn't, they were usually picked up at roadheads or villages.
I think there was only one that had to be put in his sleeping bag and bivvy to rewarm in between places, before being able to continue to the roadhead and the team vehicle.
We can't have weather that bad next year can we!?
Dave.
Dave.