Not for the faint-hearted, Ultra Running sometimes throws up challenges that even for those that compete over distances longer than a marathon – are pretty out there! Over half the starters that lined up on the start line at 8.00am on Sunday 12th January didn’t make it to the finish line, which for most took them six or seven days. Holland Sports’ Dave Hyman (no stranger to a physical challenge) started in Edale, racing with his competitors along the Penine Way up the ‘spine’ of Britain, across the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, along the north Penines to Hadrian’s Wall and then finishing with a crossing of the Cheviot Hills to finish in Kirk Yetholm 256 miles later. It’s a monstrous challenge which according to those who finish it, becomes an eating challenge as well as a physical challenge as you try to consume enough calories to march for 6 days on very, very, very little sleep.

Storm Goretti threw some pretty tough conditions at the competitors over the first two days as they crossed the high points in the Peak District with snowdrifts, ice and crampons the order of the day. Well done Dave who finished in a time of 147 hours, 30 minutes and 1 second.

Dave was running in memory of his daughter, Eleanor, who would have been four years old, raising funds for the hospice that supported the Hyman family through this devastating tragedy. The video below gives an idea of the beauty of the route, and the isolation that meets the competitors at points as they walk, run and in the snowy conditions, ‘slide’ northwards. This final one also shows the effort and emotion involved in completing such an arduous and physically demanding event in memory of a loved one. If this doesn’t inspire you to get off the sofa and get out there into the great outdoors in some way – nothing will!