The Montane Spine Race – essentially the entire Pennine way, non-stop, in winter – got under way on Saturday. 268 miles from Edale in Derbyshire to Kirk Yetholm in the Borders. Matt Davis is in a great position, 7th place at the checkpoint 2 with a race time of 39h11m, from 46 still in the race and now possibly in 5th place judging by the GPS tracking. With bad weather conditions hitting, it looks like 30 odd have already(!) dropped out.
Update 4pm 13/1: Matt has moved up to fifth by CP2. The GPS tracking is totally gripping. Since then it looks like Matt has moved up to third place, with fourth and fifth close behind. Hard as nails.
Update 6pm 13/1:Matt is now in third place at checkpoint 3 in Middleton-in-Teesdale. Hopefully he’ll get a good refuelling and maybe some rest before heading out into the night.
Update 10:30pm 13/1. Looks like Matt has moved up to second place, though positions may change as competitors stop for sleep, or just carry on through the night.
Update 9am 14/1: Pavel Paloncy continues to be about half a day ahead of second and third place. Both Steve Holyoak (2nd place currently) and Matt Davis (3rd through Dufton) appeared to stop and get some sleep earlier last night at the North end of Teesdale. Both were moving again around midnight. Steve arrived at Dufton about 2hrs ahead of Matt. The GPS tracker is compulsive viewing!
Update 12.15 14.01.14: Latest update from Matt Davis texted this morning “bivied in a transit van last night for 3hrs whiteout from Knock Fell to gregs hut very challenging conditions path under 8″ snow just starting to clear now on track down typical”.
Matt is still in third place and is now just south of Alston – keep an eye on the GPS tracking (he’s race number No. 21).
Update 9pm 14/1: Matt has caught 2nd placed Steve Holyoak and appears to be running alongside or near him as they approach Hadrians Wall going into their fourth night. Meanwhile 1st place Pavel Paloncy is about 12 hours ahead of them.
Update 8am 15/1: …and they keep on going. The GPS suggests Matt has got some sleep at Haughton Green bothy, with Steve about 2-3 miles ahead. Hopefully they will be crossing the border sometime today.
Update 4:30pm 15/1: Pavel Paloncy is now motoring along a high, exposed part of the border, heading towards The Cheviot, from which its pretty much downhill to the finish. He would seem to have the race in the bag, and should finish this evening. Meanwhile Steve Holyoak and Matt Davis are crossing the remote moorland to the East of Kielder Forest, swapping 2nd and 3rd place as they occasionally stop to refuel and rest. The rest of the competitors are spread between Bellingham and Appleby-in-Westmorland. Is it too early to put Matt forward for the Scald Law Trophy?
Update 8:45pm 15/1: Matt hardly stopped at the checkpoint at Bryness and is now a clear second. He is now on the long, remote and very rough last section along the border towards the Cheviot. Hopefully he stopped for long enough to get enough food to get through the night. Meantime the leader Pavel Paloncy is on his way down the Cheviot (he has almost reached the Yethlom Fell Race course) and he should finish tonight .. well under 5 days !
Update 23:15 15/1: Pavel from the Czech Republic has just reached the finish at Kirk Yethlom ! Amazing performance. Matt is now storming along the border ridge – wonder what the weather is like up there at the moment? he should with any luck hang onto 2nd place, as is now well clear of Steve Holyoak in 3rd, and will finish sometime in the morning.