The first runners have crossed the finish line at Britain's "most brutal" trail running race, and women are dominating the overall podium.
Anna Troup took first place in the 286-mile Montane Summer Spine race, arriving at the finish at around 9pm on June 18 when she clocked in with an impressive time of 84 hours, 56 minutes and 37 seconds – well ahead of every man on the course.
“It’s wonderful to see so many familiar faces – and to feel the warmth of this community again," says Troup.
Jon Shield started the race from Edale to the Scottish borders with an early lead, but Troup's steady approach slowly picked off all other competitors. The Lake District-based runner is no stranger to the Summer Spine podium; she won the women's race in 2021 and 2022, when she set a new record of 78:57:49 that still stands today. But this win marks a triumphant return for the 55-year-old, who has spent the best part of three years rehabbing a foot injury.
Posting on Instagram in April, Troup says: "It has been 2.5 years of Wattbike and weights rooms and trying to stay motivated and fit while my foot has mended. It has been 2.5 years of hope and dashed hopes of almost mended, then broken again."
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Six hours after Troup's triumph, Irene Kinnegim came in to grab the silver medal in another tale of runner's redemption. The Dutch runner has previously taken first female and fourth overall in the 2023 Winter Spine Challenger North but DNFd at last year's summer race. This year saw her hold off Shane Morgan for the final 20 miles of the race to secure second place.
Morgan takes men's first and third overall with a time of 91:45:56, while Dominic Gill and Tom McBain have rounded out the men's podium. At the time of publication, we're still waiting to see which woman will take third.
The Montane Summer Spine course winds through the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park, Hadrian’s Wall, and the Cheviots, taking ultra runners over 32,000ft (10,000m) of ascent in a non-stop race through exposed moorlands, challenging paths, and unpredictable weather conditions.
