As we headed over Marsden Moor which felt like it was taking forever, we passed other mini-checkpoints with the Mountain Rescue team there making sure we were ok and didn't need any assistance. There were children playing in the snow and having snowball fights and building snowman which was a great distraction even for the short period of time it was. My favourite bit of the race was coming, the checkpoint in a lay by that at first I seemed doomed as was handed a cup of earl grey tea which was a lovely thought and was nice and warm but tasted blinking horrible lol! Then as we headed off I couldn't help but notice two guys getting stuck into a burger from a van, oh my gosh was this really here. So yes you guessed it we hung around for Tom to have a proper cuppa and me to devour a burger and a can of coke! Perfect ha ha!
Once my hunger was fully satisfied off we went again towards the M62 bridge, that's all I had in my mind, that was my current goal as I think it felt like a significant point on the route for me. Apart from it seeming to take forever to get there, it was a tad icy which made it an interesting crossing it was almost like doing a tight rope but much safer, just! There we were across and it was just to get to 'The White' pub carpark now and meet Rob and Amy again which was now becoming crucial as my headtorch was dimming and I had a long way to go yet. Eventually we came across a signpost that suggested it wasn't far and we started heading down towards the road. The path now had become less snowy and more muddy and rocky with the odd bog to contend with. Then out of nowhere I see a little dog running round, that must be Albert. Yippee!!!
So my issues were that I had a short lived head torch, 10 miles to go before I could charge it. The plan was to attach the pebble charger whilst I ran to get me to Hebden Bridge so I could charge it. Once we got to the car and had what seemed to be obligatory cup of tea I had a quick change and started preparing for the cold night ahead. I asked Rob to pack the battery pack into my rucksack and we were off. I now had a torch that could shine a dot on the moon but now I know that it will only last 3-4 hours. My reserve Nathan hand torch let me down as when I got it out of my bag thinking I had been clever, it didn't work! Which isn't great since I'd spent the night before charging it with everything else. My nightmare was just beginning, and was only going to get worse!
Heading past Blackstone edge reservoir was a bit tricky, I knew this part as had done one of my recce's here. I knew the path and conditions so felt good, the track we were on was treacherous though. There may not have been snow all over it but ice, and ice is worse as we couldn't see it so every now and again one of us would look like Bambi slidding across the path waving our arms like we were trying take off and fly ha ha! This was dangerous yet a little funny. We were heading towards Stoodly Pike, the path turned from a track into a paved path as we headed out onto the moors. As we went round the moorland the ground turned into a boggy mess, and my head torch was starting to fail. So treading as carefully as I could I was still hopping and leaping about like a jumping bean until the occasional sinking into a boggy patch that I didn't see. By this point I didn't care about mud and water it was a game of survival now. I wasn't especially cold if anything I had to keep taking my hat off as was over heating. The closer we got to Stoodly Pike monument the less and less I could see. I knew this area because of my recce so I knew it was going to be rocky and dangerous to someone running blind. I had to keep trying to use Tom's headlight as much as possible and he every now and again turned and shone the beam when it was a bad patch to help me through. We eventually made it to the monument where we had caught up with another guy who was just taking a minute to check his map and get the right direction. We all set off again together having a little chat and hoping that the other one knew the route better than the other.
The path took us downwards and off towards Hebden Bridge where I knew it was going to be a crucial point for me as I was already 3 hours behind my schedule and as good as no head torch. It was just about me any more my actions were going to have consequences and will affect other peoples lives which wasn't really fair. I was still trying to solve the problem of the head torch and still be able to continue the race. It was looking less and less likely as I couldn't come up with a solution that wasn't going to hold me up even longer. Tom was now talking about stopping at Hebden Bridge due to issues with his leg, this didn't help me as made it seem easier for me to make my decision which in hindsight I should have persevered and just taking 10 minutes to think through the problem. This is ok though as this teaches you some important lessons and on these kind of events you just keep learning.
We got to Charlestown and by now it was a matter of deciding if I can get hold of Chris before the checkpoint to come and pick me up as I remember them saying in the brief that there was no reception. The we crossed a bridge noticing the MRT van but no sign of anyone so just carried on looking for the path on the otherside of the road thinking nothing else of it. The guy behind us crossed the bridge but then seemed to double back once he'd crossed the road as if his crew were waiting for him but we couldn't quite see. This turned out to be another mini checkpoint, and we missed it! The path then suddenly turned into a very very steep climb, still a track, cobbles almost which made it a bit slippy, especially with limited light like me. This path just kept going up and up and seemed relentless, all I could think was how cruel just before the checkpoint but typical lol! A thin rain began making our final stand slightly less pleasant. This path had gone on for so long now we were beginning to question the route and thought we had gone wrong somewhere. This surely couldn't have happened as we had used the GPS device and I was following it on the map but Tom was becoming more and more convinced we were heading in the wrong direction. I knew we had to meet the road then turn right, so until we met that road we needed to just keep going. We were slightly concerned as there were no other torch lights, normal you would see them dotted about which gives you a little confidence in where your going, unless there all following you ha ha! Out of no where a few head lights popped up and suddenly there were a number of us heading in.
We eventually met the road, I managed to get a signal and call Chris informing him I was pulling out and could he come and get me. We headed towards the Scout centre which was the checkpoint. The last test was an incredibly dark steep descent which was riddled with opportunities to break your ankle, again especially if you were doing it blind like I was. We got there hurrah! We checked in and gave the news we were pulling out. I was gutted as never dnf'd before but I was ready for a good plate of food and to be picked up. We were asked to take our boots off and were given a tag, as if already at the maug, and to leave our kit in the kit room. I was given a tour, toilets to the left followed by the showers, then the bunks if we need a sleep then the cantine. Game on, this is where I'm heading a nice plate of spag bol and a cuppa! Chris popped his head round the door after a short while and the pain of pulling out was over, it was time to head home. Spine challenger was over, but not completed, I'm going back and I'm going to finish the job!
We got to Charlestown and by now it was a matter of deciding if I can get hold of Chris before the checkpoint to come and pick me up as I remember them saying in the brief that there was no reception. The we crossed a bridge noticing the MRT van but no sign of anyone so just carried on looking for the path on the otherside of the road thinking nothing else of it. The guy behind us crossed the bridge but then seemed to double back once he'd crossed the road as if his crew were waiting for him but we couldn't quite see. This turned out to be another mini checkpoint, and we missed it! The path then suddenly turned into a very very steep climb, still a track, cobbles almost which made it a bit slippy, especially with limited light like me. This path just kept going up and up and seemed relentless, all I could think was how cruel just before the checkpoint but typical lol! A thin rain began making our final stand slightly less pleasant. This path had gone on for so long now we were beginning to question the route and thought we had gone wrong somewhere. This surely couldn't have happened as we had used the GPS device and I was following it on the map but Tom was becoming more and more convinced we were heading in the wrong direction. I knew we had to meet the road then turn right, so until we met that road we needed to just keep going. We were slightly concerned as there were no other torch lights, normal you would see them dotted about which gives you a little confidence in where your going, unless there all following you ha ha! Out of no where a few head lights popped up and suddenly there were a number of us heading in.
We eventually met the road, I managed to get a signal and call Chris informing him I was pulling out and could he come and get me. We headed towards the Scout centre which was the checkpoint. The last test was an incredibly dark steep descent which was riddled with opportunities to break your ankle, again especially if you were doing it blind like I was. We got there hurrah! We checked in and gave the news we were pulling out. I was gutted as never dnf'd before but I was ready for a good plate of food and to be picked up. We were asked to take our boots off and were given a tag, as if already at the maug, and to leave our kit in the kit room. I was given a tour, toilets to the left followed by the showers, then the bunks if we need a sleep then the cantine. Game on, this is where I'm heading a nice plate of spag bol and a cuppa! Chris popped his head round the door after a short while and the pain of pulling out was over, it was time to head home. Spine challenger was over, but not completed, I'm going back and I'm going to finish the job!
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