#018 Hill Food - On Test: Rehydrated & Wet Ration Packs

Pre-Packaged Expedition & Hill Foods
A tour of various high street and web based outdoor retailers reveals a multitude of brands, types and flavour choices available to hill walkers and expeditioners.

What these meals have going for them is basically convenience.
Either, add boiling water to the dried food product and wait a few minutes for the rehydration & warming process to take place. Or, eat hot or cold straight out of the foil pack in the case of wet ration foods, similar to those used by the military.

So what makes a good expedition meal?

• easy to prepare
• quick to cook
• high in calories
• light in weight
• tastes good
• proper food 
• nutritional ingredients

Easy meal with black coffee whilst researching stone age sites in The Peak District.

On test
The meals on this test were chosen from a variety of readily available online and high street stores. For this reason army ration packs were not included, although from my work as a Civilian Instructor with the Air Cadets I can say that the commercial wet meals tasted the same as services rations. 

And so to the basis of the test. I have reviewed a selection of wet & dry meals from several manufacturers, with the following criteria.

• Weight: 150g or lighter [5/5]. 151 to 200g [4/5]. 201 to 250g [3/5]. 251 to 300g [2/5]. 301g or heavier [1/5].
• Calorie content: 800kcal or more [5/5]. 799 to 600kcal [4/5]. 599 to 400kcal [3/5]. 399 to 200kcal [2/5]. 
• Taste [5/5 = best down to 1/5] This is the most subjective part of the test. In the first instance have chosen foods which I think I would like to give the most positive review. To give you an idea of my preferred tastes, I enjoy eating fish and pasta. I'm not a big red meat eater, but do like bacon and sausages.

I made a point of preparing and eating these meals in the right context. i.e after at least half a day's walking, scrambling and/or running, having worked up an appetite.

The Rehydration Meals:

The Wet Meals:

Pre-packaged ration packs, the downside:
The main one is cost. At upwards of £4-00 a pack, unless you're sponsored, most hill walkers will only use these products occasionally or maybe for a few days on a special trip.

More than this and I think you would soon be craving fresh produce. I once read a feature in Trail Magazine where one of their staff chose to eat nothing but ration type meals for a week. By the end he felt lethargic and uninspired by the prospect of another packaged meal. The experiment was somewhat out of context because these meals are intended for people who are active all day and have presumably worked up an appetite.

Another draw back, is that the actual calorific content of some ration packs is actually not very high. As we can see from the test reports, there are wet packs sold as main meals with less than 300 calories. Wet packs are heavier than dry rations, so if low in calories the net energy benefit after carrying the food around on the hill is even less.

Ultimately, regular hill walkers & expeditioners tend to become inventive at making up their own meals and recipes which satisfy taste, energy requirements and cost. But that's the topic for another day.

Ration pack lunch break delivering a bushcraft teaching day.

Further Options
Another option for wet food ration packs is to use a flameless heater: The foil food pack is placed, unopened, into another bag also containing a water activated chemical heater. A small amount of water is added and the subsequent exothermic reaction heats the food pack. These chemical heaters can be bought individually or are supplied with some ration packs, at extra cost of course.

Chemical heater

As an alternative to outdoor brand wet rations the 'Look What We Found' brand combined with Uncle Bens part cooked rice is a possibility, with plenty of flavour combinations and similar calorie content.

Notes for multi day ultra & Spine Racers: 
The Spine Race and other multi day ultra / mountain marathon races require participants have to carry their own food, either for emergency or for the duration of the race. Dry ration packs are a good lightweight supplement to any real fresh food which can be procured en-route. However, for long remote stages, racers might consider carrying a wet ration pack with a chemical flameless heater. Hence, the racer can activate the heater and warm the food whilst on the move, thereby saving time in not stopping to wait for water to boil on a stove. The advantage of a convenient hot warm lunchtime meal on a cold winter race like the Spine is obvious to both physical well being as well as a morale boost.

Rafa helping out on the taste test.

Stu Westfield
Ranger Expeditions
The Montane Spine Safety Team & Training Event Coordinator
Legends Trails Ultra Safety Team Coordinator

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#017 Spine Race Footwear Part 2 - On Test: Salomon Wings 2

Back in 2014 I conducted a survey into what footwear racers used in the Spine & Challenger Race. The questions I then asked was what they liked about their footwear, what they did not like, and if they were to do the race again what changes they might make to their footwear system (including socks). 

The #010 Spine Race Footwear Survey, Findings & Conclusions (Part 1) report can be read here...

http://stuwestfield.blogspot.co.uk/2014_02_01_archive.html

The respondents were very generous with their answers. However, with a limited sample size, it was impossible to make all encompassing statements of certainty. Indeed, even if such a thing were possible, this was never the absolute objective of the exercise. More importantly was to find trends and share ideas which would be a useful starting point for future Spiners & Challengers, whether new to the race or looking to make improvements.

Some of the most interesting survey comments were:

• A general dislike of Goretex in low sided footwear, which are easily immersed and water tops over the side of the shoe, turning them into buckets.
• Many respondents used Salomon footwear, especially Speedcross.
• Many respondents were surprised as to how much time they spent walking.
• Most Challengers stayed in the same type of footwear throughout their race.
• Many Spiners opted to change from low sided footwear to more protected / high sided boots as their race progressed.
• A major challenge for full distance Spiners was foot care and in particular preventing immersion injuries (i.e. trench foot).

This led me to speculate that there might be another strategy: A trail trainer - boot hybrid.

A trawl of the internet yielded few choices which were available to purchase at the time.

Inov 8 Rocklite 286 GTX

The Inov8 Roclite boot was used  to success by some racers in 2014 & 2015. It boasts lightweight construction for running, sticky rubber compound sole for traction on wet rock, high sides for ankle support and Goretex to stave off water ingress through the material of the boot.

It's a worthy contender for a Spine race boot, especially if you tend towards minimalist style footwear. Available at £100 to £130, internet prices.

However, what options are there for racers who prefer something a bit more substantial without going for heavier boots made for hill walkers?

In my work guiding clients, a mountain boot, such as a Scarpa Cristallo, is perfect for the activity. However, for challenge events like the National or Yorkshire 3 Peaks, where pace is faster I found my mountain boots too stiff soled. But my Solomon XA trail trainers were not man enough for the job, especially in poor conditions.

Salomon XA, Salomon Wings 2, Scarpa Cristallo

This led me to re-visit the similar issue experienced by Spiners. However I noticed a new kid had appeared on the block: Salomon Wings 2. (The original was previously only available as end of line stock).

I dithered a couple of weeks before buying because I had read there were Chinese rip-offs of trail shoes on the market. But when the price reduced to a very palatable £99 on Amazon (via  Sports Shoes Unlimited), I thought it was worth a punt.

On receipt of delivery, initial impressions are good. The boots appear to be well made with no loose end stitches. There are stretch gaiters at the heel to help prevent ingress of mud and gravel. Goretex lining adds to the extended season and weather remit of these boots.

The sole construction is the usual Salomon 'Contagrip' boasting 'High Traction Rubber' material.

The tread pattern is similar to the low sided Salomon Speedcross. The 2014 survey showed this to be a very popular footwear choice especially for Challengers.


One reservation I have with all Salomon trail shoes is the seemingly inevitable failure at the hinge point in the toe box. 

A consequence of pushing the fast and light ethos too far in manufacturing terms, without the material robustness to give the purchaser good value for money.
Time will show whether Salomon have addressed this well documented and reported early failure mode.

I ordered these boot one size too big. This is partially in response to the fact that Salomon footwear tends to come in small, but also my personal preference is to wear a liner and a thicker sock when out in the hills.

The Wings 2 felt comfortable straight out of the box and I was glad of the extra size up. A first short walk confirmed these first impressions and the foot bed has sufficient flex to allow a natural fast cadence. 

So the question is, are Salomon Wings 2 worth considering as a Spine Race boot?

At the moment it's too soon to tell. These boots need much more testing in varied conditions. In the coming weeks I shall be doing this and reporting back with updates as to my findings. So stay tuned...

But of course everyone is different and so what is good / or bad for me might be the opposite for the next person. 

Those who are familiar with the Ranger Expeditions Complete Racer courses, will know that our training and advice aims to equip racers with the skills and knowledge to build a race strategy which suits them personally. 

5 years of working on The Spine Mountain Safety Team has shown that expedition skills and navigation ability are of fundamental importance. Also, with worldwide expedition experience in challenging environments and in personal competition we are the Official Provider for Spine Race 1 to 1 and small group training.

Spine success is built on a a racer's own strength-in-depth of personal multi-day ultra experience and time journeying in the mountains. The winter conditions have often been brutal and kit selection can also make or break a Spine attempt. Everything is connected and to be an good all rounder appears to be a essential factor in success. 

The feedback from our Spine clients is that our training has helped enabled them to address weaker skills, focus on efficiency and detailed aspects of their strategy, to turn a previous disappointment into a finish, or journey further into the race than would otherwise have been possible. 

Stu Westfield
Ranger Expeditions
The Montane Spine Mountain Safety Team & Training Event Coordinator

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#016 Pennine Way 50 Years - "up the old and down the new"

This April saw walkers gathering in Edale to celebrate 50 years since the inauguration of the Pennine Way.

It is amazing to think that in this time it has become probably the best known of all the national trails in the UK...And for the past five years the route has hosted a world class winter endurance event, The Spine and Spine Challenger race series.

Inspired by similar trails in USA, particularly the Appalachian,  it was the dream of Tom Stephenson to connect up the various footpaths along the watershed to the Pennine hills running from the Peak District to Kirk Yetholm on the Scottish borders. Originally proposed in 1935, the final section was declared open in a ceremony on Malham Moor on 24th April 1965.

The plans for the scheme were displayed in the Edale Peak Centre for the silver anniversary. It was interesting to note the various proposals as well as subsequent modifications, such as the bad weather route (& now preferred start) across fields to Upper Booth, ascending Jacob's Ladder. The original reason for this change was due to concerns about erosion, but an additional benefit was fewer inexperienced navigators getting lost among the peat hags and trenches of the central Kinder plateau, in the frequent hill fog.

Peter Lowton, myself and Rafa dog from Ranger Expeditions set out from Edale to mark the occasion. Coincidentally, the date also marked 15 years since I broke away from salaried employment into the world of the freelancer. My previous career in the highly regulated aerospace industry culminated in a safety role, investigating non conformance, gathering evidence and ultimately sanctioning equipment as fit for flight use. 

The experience gained has since been of invaluable use in my work as a mountain and expedition leader. Where assessing risk and implementing proportional control measures is an every day part of the role. But this is done in a way which does not detract from the essence of adventure and personal challenge which draws many people to the hills and mountains. Sharing this approach along with quality training, helps clients learn to dynamically assess risk when enjoying their own independent journeys, preventing adventure from becoming mis-adventure.

A drizzley start to the morning soon cleared to bring blue skies and warmth to the Spring day. We headed up Crowden Clough, the original PW route, crossing the brook using a footbridge constructed by local master craftsman Robin Wood MBE. We would pass by Robin's workshop later on, during our descent. His projects include making authentic replica bowls for the Mary Rose museum in Portsmouth, Jorvik Viking Centre and Ridley Scott's 'Robin Hood' among others.

This early in the season, there was still a healthy flow of water off the plateau and so we boulder hopped across the brook several times as we walked and scrambled upwards. We paused for a snack on a grassy patch about the 450m contour and to take in the view. Towards the top steepest section, Rafa's legs were tiring with jumping upwards, so I gave him a hand up with an extra lift on his body harness. 

Once at the top he seemed to quickly regain his enthusiasm to be investigating what lay ahead. One chap in  group of passing wakers recognised Rafa and paused to chat. I then recalled meeting him and his septuagenarian friends a few months earlier when they were out on another brisk jaunt over the Kinder.

We followed the plateau edge in a clockwise direction, passing Crowden tower, avoiding the southerly diversion to the hill spur above Upper Booth. By this time the clouds were descending and beginning to shroud the hilltop in mist. We were stopped by two silver DofE groups, unsure of their exact position and asking for reassurance that they were still on the right track. In the circumstances, both were within a couple of hundred metres of where they thought they were. But it shows how disorientating hill fog can be to the navigator.

Possibly of greater concern, where the adult groups we had seen earlier in the day. Dressed in t-shirts and shorts and voicing their confusion whilst following the very well defined Crowden Clough in clear visibility. The enjoyment of the hills is there for everyone, but a few hours hill skills training is a wise investment which, along with some basic waterproof gear, does not necessarily need to break the bank. It could mean the difference between a thoroughly enjoyed walk and a call out to the local mountain rescue team.

We passed by fascinating rock formations with names such as The Wool Packs, Noe Stool and Pym Chair. Shaped by the last ice age and weathered smooth by wind and rain over millennia. As I approached one collection of rocks, shrouded in the mist, they appeared to me as a circular henge. Having spent time investigating stone age sites from Malta to Orkney, I felt sure the significance would not have been lost on our Neolithic ancestors.

Clouds were now billowing up over the plateau edge and we spotted a dark squall rapidly moving in from the west. I 'double bagged' Rafa with his rain jacket and rapidly pulled on my waterproof trousers just as the first heavy spots splashed on our rucksacks. Sheltering in the lee of a boulder it was soon apparent that this was a prolonged shower as rivulets formed in the gritty sand underfoot. Instead of standing around waiting to get cold, we continued briskly onward.

With a minor deviation we headed directly to Edale Rocks where we tucked into the last of our sandwiches in the shelter of the over arching rocks. We were not far from the Kinder Low bronze age burial mound. People had most likely been using this as a place of refuge for 3500 years, probably a lot longer before that.

Descending Jacob's Ladder, we dropped below the cloud base to see several other groups of walkers now making their way off after their day on the hill. We removed our rain jackets at the pretty packhorse bridge over the River Noe. A couple more kilometers traversing fields, full of sheep with new lambs and Rafa on a short lead, we arrived back at Edale village.

A coffee at the Old Nags Head was in order, as well as a cheeky measure of Lagavulin to celebrate a grand day out. With healthy appetite, a visit to the Edale Wood Fire Pizza Company marked a delicious end to the day.

Stu Westfield

Ranger Expeditions 

The Montane Spine Race Mountain Safety Coordinator

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Individual and small group training for:

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Overseas expedition leader.

#015 Spine Race 2015 - Mountain Safety Team

The 2015 Spine Race has drawn to a close and sleep patterns for both racers and staff are now normalising. With some time for reflection (and to move house three days after the race finish) now is a good time for me to share some thoughts and votes of thanks.

Mountain Safety Team - Thank You
Firstly, a huge thank you to all members of the Mountain Safety Team. Your time and commitment has been a key component in the successes and achievements of the 2015 Spine. Also with half the MSTeam laid out with a heavy cold just before the event, thanks to the volunteers who joined us at short notice.

It was a pleasure working with you and sharing the camaraderie which has been a key feature the race. Indeed it has been said that working on the Spine is tougher than being a racer. I'll leave that to others to make the final judgement. But with the weather doing its very best to throw our plans out of the window, your long hours and dedication in testing conditions to offering racers the best possible support, on location, on standby and in sweeper teams did not go unnoticed.

MST - Strategy
The Spine Race is now in its fourth year and as it matures each year we have learnt from what went well and what we could do better. With a healthy number of competitors now on the race starting line it was considered that we needed to take a new approach to our mountain safety strategy.

So early in 2014 we set out to build a robust safety team centered around a deployment plan with detailed timings and locations. We also sought to add specified rest periods so that everyone had sufficient opportunities to rest, eat and sleep. It was of particular importance to have fresh teams in place throughout the race as one, if not the, highest demand has traditionally occurred in the final hours of the race, over the Cheviot hills.

Race Briefing (picture by Darren Hunt)


We recognised that although we have borrowed from MRT methods, we should not pretend that as a team we have the same capability, training or access to resources as MRT. Hence the Mountain Safety Team had a remit of being in positions of most usefulness and early intervention so that racers in difficulty could be walked to places of safety before they deteriorated further. Anything more technical than this would be referred to Police-Mountain Rescue with us in a supporting role.

The result was that we formed a multi-skilled team with experience drawn from: mountain leaders, mountain guides, mountain & lowland rescue, alpinists, hill walkers, ultra runners, serving forces and blue light emergency services.

MST - November Training Weekend
We tested the strategy at the November Spine Race training weekend. The training weekend itself took a new format. Instead of the Mary Townley Loop bridleway, based at Hebden Bridge, we chose a new more challenging route based out of Edale. The weekend started with key speakers from a variety of backgrounds, all with relevant and insightful Spine Race stories and information to share. 

Training weekend control centre (picture John Bamber)

Darren Hunt (Spine MST Coordinator, Mountain Leader & Buxton MRT), spoke about his close call with hypothermia during the 2014 Challenger. The hallucinations he described of enormous spiders and elephants on the summit of Stoodley Pike drew many smiles. However, by generously sharing his experience, Darren underlined the point that the spectre of hypothermia can bring down even the most experienced outdoors person if caught in the wrong circumstances. Darren also added words of wisdom on how to prevent and manage other effects of race attrition.

Gary Morrsion (Spine Race 2012 Winner, 2013 & 14 Finisher. Spine Challenger 2015 finisher). Without sparing his blushes, to many, Gary is Mr.Spine. A triple finisher, with now the 2015 Challenger to add to his impressive palmares. Yes, there are elite athletes out there who have been quicker since his joint win with Steve Thompson but his solid and consistent approach are a great 'everyman' starting point for anyone considering entering The Spine. For his talk Gary gave a comprehensive guide to each item of kit and clothing he uses, with many insider tips and advice.

Stu Westfield (Spine MST Coordinator, Mountain & Expedition Leader). Having worked on The Spine since the first race in 2012, I have witnessed many inspiring feats of achievement from the winner to seeing the last racer safety into Kirk Yetholm. 

I have also been there when the 'wheels have come off' a racers strategy, there is no pleasure in seeing months of training, emotional and financial investment end in a DNF. But there are always lessons to learn and any Spiner looking to develop a race finishing strategy can benefit from doing some research. 

For my talk, I shared my observations from 'the other side of the race' with extracts from my 'Complete Racer' training course, strongly recommending navigation and hill skills practice including in a winter environment! And offering some tips drawn from wider expeditioning experiences.

I share this from personal experience. Many years ago my cherished dream was to climb Kilimanjaro and it took me four years to save up the money. When I flew out from the UK, I was young, fit and in the best condition of my life. Acute altitude sickness trashed my dream at 3500 metres, not even close to the summit. Flying home out Tanzania, looking through the window, the view over the summit ice fields ripped my heart out.

Six months later, having borrowed the money form the bank without too much thought about how I was going to pay it back, I was again on the tarmac at Kilimanjaro International Airport. The heat, the smell of the red dust, it felt very special, like a homecoming. In the build up, I had dissected every aspect this return trip, the route, my kit, my strategy, my thinking, my contingencies. I had taken ownership of the expedition, become more independent and self reliant. I had also learnt to be humble in the face of things I could not change, accepting the easier path was always to work with nature.

The result: 7 days later, just after sunrise, I stood at Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa.
Since this time, I have moved on from being a client, to an expedition leader, returning to this most beautiful and diverse continent many times, and yes, guiding others on Kilimanjaro, sharing the benefits of hard won knowledge. 

MST - Training Weekend, Saturday
The next morning, racers set out on our new training route. I designed the course to test navigation on high moor, through villages, woodland and field mozaic. There were cut off times to put an element of pressure of fast decision making and ground coverage, with a night navigation loop. All racers had to bivvy and cook meals using their own stove. At the fixed bivvy location, Spine crew stalwarts, John Bamber, Paul Shorrock, Mist the rescue dog, were joined by Pete Gabriel to provide the legendary tent based shelter, hot tea and banter that many previous racers had come to appreciate. In essence the training route fulfilled our intentions of simulating as far as possible 'the Spine - in a day'.

The feedback from both new and returning racers, as well as staff, plus Race Directors Phil & Scott was that this had been a very beneficial and enjoyable learning experience all round. My only disappointment was that only 25 Spiners/Challengers chose to attend.

The point I'm trying to draw out here is not to sell more places on next years training events (although of course this would be nice). But more importantly The Spine is still being underestimated by athletes. The last minute Facebook postings about sourcing key items of kit and clothing are one example of this. Of course, there is a world outside of the Spine bubble with family, work and financial responsibilities, but the time to try out new kit is months in advance.

The word from racers across Europe is that The Spine is one of the toughest out there, it is an expedition ultra race. Thorough preparation and skills training are key elements to success.

MST - The Spine Kit
Every Spine Race has been different. The weather has played a significant part in determining not just the timings and locations of where racers have experienced difficulties, it has also characterised the type of attritional injuries. Spine Racers have to carry compulsory kit in order to cope with the rigors of journeying along the Pennine Way in winter. 

This year several racers suffered corneal abrasion by not using eye protection from the wind. Given that it is dark for 14 hours a day in January, racers need to be bringing clear lens eye protection. The racers who wore glasses still struggled with wind dying out their tear ducts. Hence full goggles would seem to be a better choice. 

Although not the most stylish of kit for the hill, workwear PPE type goggles are a cheap (around £2-00) and effective alternate to brand names.

Screwfix are selling ski-style PPE goggles, for just £12-00.

Ex-military 3 lens (clear, light enhancing, smoke) Revision Sawfly ballistic glasses can be purchased on e-bay for around £35-00.

On the subject of prescription glasses, if you cannot see to route find without them, a second pair should be carried. Similarly, carry a backup compass, backup head torch, spare batteries so that if the primary item of kit fails there is always a substitute.

The conditions this year also meant that bivvy bags were subjected to rigorous testing, as was racer clothing. It was interesting to note that many of the finishers at Kirk Yetholm were wearing winter mountaineering jackets, overtrousers, balaclavas, insulating gloves. Gone was the idea of fast and light, replaced by full weather protection. Trekking poles proved their worth as extra stability in gusting wind.

Alpkit Hunka bivvy bag, just £30

Soft shell jackets (great for cold & dry conditions or light showers) showed their limitations by becoming waterlogged in the persistent driving rain.

MST - Spine Racer Costs
All this talk of kit, future racers can imagine their credit cards 'maxed out' and previous racers everywhere are nodding in agreement. I'm not going to pretend than in the past 10 years the cost of good quality outdoor kit in the UK has not become astronomic. Mountain jackets costing upwards of £400! Has the world gone mad? If I bought a jacket for that much money I wouldn't want to wear it for fear of it getting ripped or trashed.

There is another way: If racers consider the Spine Race as a campaign, then planning and research should start 10 to 12 months in advance. This is time to look at product reviews, see what racers with similar strategies have used and find last years gear at on-line sale prices.
In their blogs, many racers have lots of very good, lower cost kit suggestions. But keep in mind these have been tried and tested by them. It might not work for you.

However, if a potential Challenger / Spiner does not own any (or hardly any) of the compulsory kit, it indicates that the racer has not had sufficient experience of mountain journeying in winter. Likewise, even if the potential racer does own this kit, has the racer really gained experience and subjected themselves, their skills and equipment to Spine levels adversity?

Spine Race skills are not elements to be ticked off on a list...
Navigation, correct use of clothing and equipment, staying warm, hydrated, well fed, foot care, knowing how much to sleep, required ground speed, racing to to conditions, weather awareness, etc, etc, are all skills which need to work in parallel. There is always something to think about on The Spine.

Lastly on the subject of cost, I have read on social media many comments over the past year saying The Spine is an expensive race. I'm not going to sit the fence here: 

It is absolutely not.

The Spine may not be at the budget end of Ultra Races, but this does not mean it is expensive.
Lets look at what racers get for their money: A international quality race, over 7 days, drinks, dinner and breakfasts at checkpoints, bunkhouse accommodation, thorough pre-race safety briefings and checks, a Mountain Safety Team (numbering 30+ people), road head monitoring teams, checkpoint teams, several fully qualified doctors and pre-event training opportunities at very competitive prices.

Compare the Spine to The Marathon Des Sable, another quality international race of similar time duration, which has been compared by several Spiners who have competed in both. Yes they are different environments, but highly accomplished ultra racers are saying The Spine is tougher! The MDS entry fee is nearly 8 times more than The Spine.

Still not convinced? Lets pick an example closer to home. Try to book a 7 day fully supported and half board, walking holiday on a National Trail in the UK. There's not going to be too much change, if any, out of £500.

MST - Spine Racer Build Up
Given a 10 month schedule: Testing of new clothing, new kit and exitsting personal skills should start at the beginning of March. The shoulder season will give an indication of any weaknesses without plunging into severe winter conditions. Before the later summer evenings, practice your night navigation, Spiners can expect to race in up to 14 hours of darkness each day. 

Having identified weaknesses, this often includes navigation, do something about it early. Join a local orienteering club, venture out with a friend with reliable skills, or engage the services of a qualified mountain leader. A little money spent on quality training will pay huge dividends in your chances of finishing the race. But you must keep up with regular practice and stretching your route finding challenges. 

Use the long summer days to get time out on the trail, accustoming your feet to long days, in multi-day walks. By all means reccie the Pennine Way if you wish, but remember that in January, in the dark winter, banging weather, it will not look or feel quite the same. So combine your reccie with some useful activity, such as kit familiarisation, tent / bivvy set up drills, navigation, marking up your map with course notes etc.

As the winter nights close in, more night nav. Plus giving those kit items a final shakedown in rough weather. Sort out and pack your Spine rucksack and kit bag. Have you remembered every item on the compulsory kit list? There will be very little time to do this (& even less for mail order) in between Christmas and race start. 

January; arrive in plenty of time to be well rested, relaxed and fresh for the race briefings. If necessary arrive a day early instead of compromising your strategy even before the race has started. Booking at the nearby Rambler Pub or Edale YHA are popular options with the promise of a comfortable bed, good facilities, good food and opportunity to do that last minute personal kit faff, pre-race mental run through, visualisation etc or simply socialise and swap stories with fellow racers.

MST - Navigation
Navigation remains a key skill for the Spine Race. We are not anti-GPS, it is a very useful tool for quick location confirmation, when tired or in testing conditions. However, GPS is not a substitute for 'heads up' navigation using map and compass. 

In working with Spine Racers for navigation training, I show that racers who are well practiced in journeying using a map & compass are more efficient in covering the ground. These clients also find that their enjoyment of being in the hills and mountains is increased by the ability to independently navigate with confidence.

MST - The Weather
Right from the start the wind this year helped cement The Spine's reputation as being 'perfect in its brutality'. With reports of strong wind on the Kinder Plateau the Challenger race was briefly held soon after departure. The fastest racers who had beat the Booth hold point, were offered shelter in MST2's big camper bus, positioned at Snake Pass. As an unprecedented safety measure, the start of the full Spine was also delayed for a couple of hours to allow the squall to blow through.

A succession of weather fronts forecast over the week, reported with 100% accuracy by Rob Lowton, meant the Spine MST Coordinators were kept very busy calculating weather windows, making recommendations to the Race Directors in order to allow the race to progress as seamlessly as possible.

The second weather front hit with heavy rain and wind speeds peaking at 70mph as the racers reached Malham Tarn, Pen Y Ghent and the Cam High Road to Hawes. The walk to the top of Pen Y Ghent is very exposed and in order to locate the exit ramp off the mountain, the path comes close to cliff edges. There was no other choice to make than for the race to be re-routed around Pen Y Ghent. MST3 put up tents for what was to be a long shift, ensuring racers took the safer low level route. 

For me and the other MST Coordinators our decision was affirmed by experienced racers Richard Lendon and Gary Morrison arriving at Hawes saying they were so glad that they had not had to go over Pen Y Ghent and that the Cam High Road itself was some of the most savage conditions they had ever raced in. 

By this time there was a theme developing with the weather. Each front had been significantly more powerful and there was another on the way. The initial forecast went something like:

Severe weather warning. Rain, hail and accumulating snow. Severe wind chill. 
100+ mph wind on summits. Due 12:00 midday and rapidly increasing in intensity.

Storm Rachel, each isobar over the UK represents 10mph wind, hence 10 isobars = 100mph. 

We had reached a threshold of safety. At those wind speeds movement is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Making racers susceptible to being knocked down, hit by flying debris and unable to keep warm. Add to this the likelihood that a Mountain Safety Team would be unable to reach a casualty, several actions were taken: A cut off time for racers to ascend Cross Fell was implemented, with a alternative low level route for slower racers leaving Middleton. This ensured that all racers would arrive at Alston, with a factor of safety in case they had difficulties on the way.

Understandably, there were questions from racers arriving at Alston as to why they were being held when it was glorious sunshine outside. However, within a couple of hours the weather had turned and by early evening, hurricane Rachel had hit. As the wind rattled the window panes and driving horizontal snow outside there was an acceptance that there would have been insufficient time for most racers to reach the sanctuary of Garrigill before the storm. 

A lot of MST work is assessing risk and taking appropriate action based on evidence and facts. When implementing actions, the only fair way to do this is to apply this across the field irrespective of capability, pedigree or place. However, it was appreciated when a couple of racers expressed their thoughts simply as 'good call'. 

I echo Race Director Scott Gilmour's post on Facebook: that the weather imposed decisions which had to be made in the interests of safety. These decisions were made without malice and implemented without favouritism. 

MST - The Cheviot
The Cheviot is the sting in the tail of The Spine. The last 26 (or so) miles over high exposed ground, with difficult road access. It is no secret that in the past we have had requested help from Borders Mountain Rescue. Help which they have been happy to give. Their comment was that they are comfortable with people wishing to test themselves if they go equipped for the challenge. Hence the compulsory Spine kit list.

The hold, due to hurricane Rachel, had an interesting effect upon the race dynamic. With several more hours rest than they would have otherwise taken, Spiners exited the checkpoints with surprising speed and energy. The MSTeams followed our original plan (albeit in a more compressed time frame) to man the refuge huts and sequentially sweep over The Cheviot. 

This proved highly effective in performing welfare checks. MST were soon in position to assist a couple of racers who's energy had dipped. Minor care with hot drinks and a couple of hours sleep enables them to fulfill their appointment at The Border Inn and receive a thoroughly deserved Spine Finisher medal.

Its worth reiterating that proper rest appeared to give most of the finishing racers extra energy and ground speed. Never before have we seen so many Spiners completing the final stage so quickly and looking so well as they arrived at Kirk Yetholm. Something that future racers may wish to dwell upon.


MST - Summary
There is a fine line between adventure and mis-adventure. This year we have had to make what were perceived at the time to be deeply unpopular decisions. What was really disappointing was the repeated challenging of the decision to hold the race. Faced with potentially unsurvivable conditions, critical decisions such as this are made without fear or favour, with the safety of all athletes and team in mind. The team should not be receiving argumentative calls from participants about how their race has been impeded.

Interestingly a couple of hours later, when the grass was bent horizontal by a howling wind, standing let alone movement was extremely difficult and a blizzard made the roads impassable, these voices went very quiet! 

So in response, I ask the following questions: 

Did we preserve the spirit and camaraderie of The Spine Race? 
Reading many of the 2015 racers blogs, I think we did.

Was the 2015 Spine every bit the adventure of previous years?
I believe so. From adversity comes adventure. Maybe not the adventure we were anticipating, but adventure none the less.

Did everyone get to return home unharmed? 
Yes, barring some blisters and bruises, the mountains will still be there tomorrow, next week and next year. 

To this I would add that at no time did we need to request the help of Mountain Rescue. There were several MR volunteers who were observing the race and supporting friends who were racing. Their feedback was that the systems we had in place were effective and that safety decisions were considered and appropriate. 

This does not mean we are going to sit back with a single malt and rest on our laurels. There are areas which we shall continue striving to improve, in order to make the 2016 Spine MST the best it can possibly be. 

Finally, my sincerest thanks to my fellow MST Coordinators: Darren Hunt, Jon Zeffert and Peter Lowton. A trusted, professional and experienced team who's hard work and was above and beyond. 

Stu Westfield
The Spine Race - Mountain Safety Team Coordinator
Hayfield, Peak District. 27 January 2015

Currently sitting, sipping Talisker, but not resting on any laurels.