Why The Spine?
Before the miles, before the checkpoints, before the highs and lows of the trail, every runner arrives with a reason. For some, it’s unfinished business. For others, it’s curiosity, ambition,...Read more
Blog
Bat Out of Hell, E5 6a - by Jesse Dufton
There are climbs that test your strength, and then there are climbs that strip everything back to something far more fundamental. This was the latter. A route that demanded precision...Read more
But Nothing is Lost, E12 7a - by Franco Cookson
This is the story of that climb. The doubt, the persistence, and the moment where preparation, risk, and instinct finally aligned on one of the boldest UK trad ascents of a generation. ...Read more
Portaledge Living on El Capitan, Golden Gate - Dougal Tavener
There is a specific kind of silence that only exists two thousand feet up a sea of granite. It's not the absence of sound, but the presence of space, miles...Read more
Jenny Tough - Fastpacking in the Fann Mountains
Fastpacking across mountain ranges has become a bit of an obsession of mine. My favourite type of scrolling is map scrolling, where I zoom in and out of the earth,...Read more
Running the World’s Highest Marathon - Paul Gurney, Beyond X
Doing anything at altitude is tough. Breathing, moving, eating, sleeping, keeping warm - all reminders that humans don’t do well in the rarified atmosphere above 6,000 metres. So doing a...Read more
Montane Arctic Spine Race 2026 - Course Records & Race Wrap Up
The 2026 edition of the Montane Arctic Spine Race has delivered everything this brutal expedition race has come to represent: extraordinary endurance, raw determination, and performances that push the limits...Read more
Tales from the Pennine Way - Winter Spine Race 2026
The Pennine Way is a different beast in January. It isn’t just a trail, it’s 268 miles of bog, ice, and relentless darkness that seeks out every weakness in a...Read more