On Sunday 11th January I will be embarking on probably my toughest physical challenge I've ever done. I'll be on the start line for the Montane Spine Race - Challenger North. A super tough endurance event covering 160 miles of the Pennine Way from Hardraw (near Hawes) to the finish at Kirk Yetholm.

This is the next step down from the Full Spine Race (the entire 268 mile Pennine Way) but is known to be every bit as tough, as it takes in all of the hard sections on the north end of the iconic trail.

I'm coming into this event as a complete novice, having never done an Ultra race in my life (a road marathon doesn't really count). Ultra running has never really appealed to me, but the idea of tackling a continuous run/walk/crawl up the Pennine Way, enduring through all weathers, battling over Cross Fell and trying to combat fatigue and sleep deprivation. Yes!! Sign me UP!!

This year has been a steep learning curve from beginner level at these distances to becoming pretty competent and capable. But there is STILL an element of risk involved! The Spine Race is very well supported with checkpoints, volunteers and safety teams. Many Mountain Rescue heroes take part in either competing in the event themselves or keeping the entrants safe in the safety teams.

And so - with all this is in mind, I thought - "Lets do this for a good cause, a local charity and something relevant"

Penrith Mountain Rescue Team is the local group of 42 volunteers who look after the fells and surrounding areas around my home patch of Eden Valley. Its those hardy souls who are dispatched to the summits of the North Pennines in all weathers. With Cross Fell being the highest summit in England outside of the Lake District.

Mountain rescue teams are not government funded - they rely entirely on charitable donations from the public and all the volunteers in the teams are unpaid and give up their time all year round. The continuing rise in numbers on the fells in Cumbria, coupled with large numbers of inexperienced and unprepared adventurers has resulted in a sharp rise in call outs. I spoke to the team and asked if there was any one thing that my fundraising could help with and they answered :

"There's a set of steep ground anchors known as Talons. Very useful when there are no obvious/viable rocks or similar to use as a belay anchor for setting up a rope system to lower a stretcher and/or personnel to a casualty. Known as Talons. We've trialled a set on loan from another (better resourced) Team and were impressed. At present we lug a set of heavy forged steel pins up the fell to do the job"

A set of these costs over £500 to purchase and would be an invaluable help for future call outs.

It just so happens that the trail shoes I am using for my event are called Inov8 "TrailTalons" - and so - Talons for Talons!

Thank you for your support and for any donations to a worthy and quite often, life saving cause.

You can track my progress Live from 18:00 on Sunday 11th January - Bib No. 560

https://live.opentracking.co.uk/spinechallnorth26/

Micky