Montane Summer Spine 2026: From DNF to Champion + Records Broken

Cheviot Hills seen during the Spine Race © Montane Spine Race YouTube channel

"Following the dots as they slowly move up the Pennine Way has become a British national pastime. And, with conditions that sometimes felt more like winter than summer, the latest edition of the Montane Summer Spine Races brought interesting stories, gutsy attempts, and new records. Huge congratulations to everyone who took the start!"

- Kate Parker, Founder and CEO

Jenny Hartley Wins Women’s Race and Ed Payne Goes From DNF to Champion

All eyes were on the full-length 268-mile Spine Race throughout the week. Starting in Edale, the race follows the same route along the Pennine Way as the winter edition, taking runners through highs and lows, valleys and hills, bogs and rocky paths, all the way to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders. And, just like the Winter Spine, it is one of the most difficult challenges and truly deserves the title of “Britain’s Most Brutal.”

This is also an event that seems to attract people over and over across winter and summer editions. Jon Shield, who bravely led a large part of last year’s race before fading back, struggling with patellar tendon issues, came back to avenge his 12th place finish. He’d put in a strong performance in January to claim a joint win at the inaugural Sprint Challenger North, but unfortunately, the inability to put in more race-specific long training runs forced him to withdraw this year at Malham. 

Another repeat starter was Anna Troup, a Spine queen if ever there was one with multiple wins, most recently at this past January’s full Winter Spine. Unfortunately, her race ended early this time - as she shared on Instagram, she “took it for granted” that she would finish and tried to “beat her younger self” a little too much. She would also retire after the Hebden Hey checkpoint. Her post has some interesting reflections on goal setting here. 

Moving on to the winners: it was exciting to see Jenny Hartley put in a very strong performance in her first ever run over 100 miles in one go. The Army veteran and GP claimed the win in 104:55:46, placing 6th overall. With her on the podium, it was Danielle Macgill who finished second in 108:05:41 (8th overall) and Lindsey Collins third in 119:21:46 (15th overall).

The men’s race saw Ed Payne redeem a previous DNF to claim the win in 82:28:07, a superb performance. Samuel Adams was second in 91:34:55 and James Green was third in 94:46:40.

Strong Performances and New Records in Challenger and Sprint Races

Completing the week of racing were the shorter, but not less challenging, events all taking part on the Pennine Way. The Challenger and Sprint races attract first-timers looking to recce the full Spine, as well as a competitive field of 40 to 150-mile runners.

The Sprint South started in Edale the day before the full Spine, covering 46 miles to finish at Hebden Bridge. The first race of the week saw Tasha Brook take the win in just under 10 hours (9:57:37), placing tenth overall. She was followed by Sarah Carnwath in second (10:13:12, 12th overall) and Eli Blair in third (10:18:58, 13th overall). In the men’s race, we had Jonathan Breeze winning in 8:21:35, followed by Samuel Hill (8:33:28) and Matias Morgan (8:41:10). 

Next, the Challenger South saw Chris Cope add another win to his Spine portfolio (he is the 2024 full Spine champion and the 2025 Sprint South winner, although he had to pull out of this year’s Winter Spine after multiple falls). He crossed the line in 21:01:21, also setting a new course record; followed by Francois Maillot (26:27:39) and James Spencer (30:51:03). In the women’s race, Jodie Kantas won in 31:14:25, placing 4th overall. Ceri Stewart was second in 32:03:56 and Rachel Macpherson was third in 34:23:54. 

As every year, there was also a Challenger South race for the members of the Mountain Rescue. Congratulations to Hannah Lowe who took the win in the women’s race, followed by Eleri Pritchard. In the men’s race, it was Matthew Kilner who took the victory, joined on the MRT podium by Duncan Bloor and Will Betts. 

And, moving north, we had a Summer Spine Sprint starting in Brown Rigg and covering 43 miles to the iconic Borders Hotel in Kirk Yetholm. Women dominated this race: Victoria Thompson was first lady in 8:08:58, placing second overall and setting a new course record. Behind her, Louise Goddard was third overall in 9:08:49, and Emma Law finished in 10:12:40 as third female and 9th overall.

Tim Brook won the men’s race with a new course record of 7:45:52, followed on the podium by David Williamson (9:18:38) and Rich Rothwell (9:27:35).

In the 160-mile Challenger North, it was a new course record for women’s winner Laura Nobles (49:31:49), who placed 4th overall. Emma Coleman was second in 53:52:41 and Eleanor Walker third in 57:10:46. The men’s winner was Chris Andrade (41:28:58), followed by Chris Taylor (46:22:21) and Chris Hayes (48:38:03).

The MRT Challenge had one female finisher - Jessica Acheson, while in the men’s event, Matthew Bazire, Jonny Hume, and Andrew Readman were on the podium.

Great job to them all!

Stories From the Ground: A Redemption and a DNF

While 91 runners finished the Spine Race, there were also 65 whose race ended early, for various reasons. After such an investment of time, effort, and finances, a DNF can be disappointing, but it often brings lots of important lessons for the future. Moritz from Germany is one of the DNFs, having had to stop after he reached Tan Hill in just under 66 hours. His downfall: blisters from the bogs. Moritz came to the Pennine Way inspired by following his coach racing the year before, and aiming to test his race walking abilities (he has arthritis in his left knee that’s making it difficult, almost impossible, to run, but not to walk). His first impressions: “I have no idea what the original creators of the Pennine Way had in mind, but if it was to create the most difficult way from A to B, they succeeded!”

Endless trodding through bogs made it tough to carry on as Moritz’ feet struggled more and more. After a very wet winter and spring, underfoot conditions continue to make British racing tricky in this way (just like we’ve seen with the Arc of Attrition and Ultra-Trail Snowdonia by UTMB earlier this year). But the views and the experience overall are making him reconsider - “ultra runners always come back somehow.”

That was Nivette’s experience, who returned to the Challenger North after a DNF in 2025. She finished 8th female in 71:42:50, covering “stunning scenery, bogs galore and the infamous Pennine Way flagstones, leg zapping ascents and toe crushing descents,” as she shared on her Instagram. Building up from lessons learnt the previous year, with careful training and a strong fuelling approach, Nivette got her redemption in style. Congratulations!

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"Whether getting to the finish line or stopping on the Pennine Way for any reason, everyone who was brave enough to start any of the Spine events is a winner in my book. The hard work and dedication that go into these races before the day itself are testament to an impressive level of discipline and motivation. So, next time you stand on any start line, no matter how long the race, remember that you’re there to celebrate the hard work you’ve already put in - regardless of the result!

Huge congratulations again to all the Spine warriors. I am sure I’ll recognise many names when dot watching next January or June! "

- Alecsa Stewart