Saving lives 24/7, 365 days a year.

So on Saturday 19^th June (less than 10 weeks time) I will be setting off on the summer Montane Spine Challenger which is a non-stop, 108 mile race between Edale and Hardraw with a time limit of 60hrs. This challenging and technical section of the Pennine Way is a physically and psychologically demanding route that demands concentration, good physical fitness, resolve and respect.  Anyone who has been on the Pennine Way will know that at any point in the year it can be grim and despite me running 100 miles previously this race is certainly going to test me to my limits.  It is a self sufficient race with one check point at Hebden Hey therefore I will be carrying a lot more gear than I am used to!  There are also staggered starts due to Covid which could ultimately mean that I am runninga lot of this distance solo, and for those who know me I most enjoy meeting new people on races, smiling and having a chat.  (A nice social day out for me).

This year to keep me motivated during the race, I have decided to fund raise for Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team made up entirely of volunteers.  An integral part of the national and rescue service that covers approximately 350 miles across East Lancashire, Pendle, the Rossendale Valley and parts of Greater Manchester.  I have a number of friends who volunteer at other local Mountain Rescue Teams and I know how much they have been stretched particularly during Covid.  Since January 2000, over five hundred people have needed the support of Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team including injured walkers, fell runners, climbers, paragliders and mountain bikers.  What people often do not realise is that Mountain Rescue teams also assist with missing person searches, or assisting the ambulance service during severe weather conditions and where access to a casualty is difficult. 

I am hoping that by raising money for such a great cause that this will not only keep me motivated during what will be my toughest race, but also during my final 10 weeks of training which is going to be a major juggling act between being a mummy, full time work and fitting in some long back to back runs.