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LAKE BAIKAL WORLD RECORD | MONTANE 19/03/2019
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LAKE BAIKAL SPEED RECORD BROKEN

Scott Gilmour (GB) has set a new speed record for an unsupported crossing of Siberia’s frozen Lake Baikal, beating the record he set with team-mates Michael Stevenson and Rob Trigwell.   The Norway-based expedition guide, friend of Montane and organiser of the SPINE RACE covered a distance of around 640km (397 miles) in 11 days, 15 hours and 28 minutes, finishing just after 09:28am UTC on the 16th March. This has broken the existing record of 12 days 21 hours and 13 minutes set by Gilmour and his team-mates last... Read More

08/03/2019
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FURTHER. FASTER. Podcast Ep11 – Science at Extremes with Dr Melanie Windridge

Click on the image or below to listen   In this edition we speak with Dr Melanie Windridge, she describes herself as a speaker and a writer… with a taste for adventure. Also, she is currently a plasma physicist working in fusion energy. This combined with a healthy obsession with the Northern Lights has led to her to write the groundbreaking book ‘Aurora: In Search of the Northern Lights’. Melanie also has a blog called ‘Science At Extremes’ which led from her successful Everest expedition where she took a distinctly... Read More

trail running magazine trailblazer 30 | montane 05/03/2019
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TRAIL RUNNING MAGAZINE: TRAILBLAZER 30 NEAR PERFECT SCORE

Jen and Sim Benson recently reviewed the Trailblazer 30 as part of a large-scale fastpacking pack test. The Trailblazer 30 was the largest pack in-test.  However, its efficient use of intuitive features and fantastic back/harness system allowed it to stand out amongst the pack: “The brand new Trailblazer has an adjustable back system offering a great fit across a range of sizes.  The 30 L capacity makes it perfect for longer adventures and the well-designed features allow you to keep kit organised and nutrition within easy reach.  The stiffened back... Read More

myau race directors report | montane 25/02/2019
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MONTANE YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA: 16th REPORT

Thoughts and reflections on this years’ race from Race Director Robert Pollhammer. After the race I often get asked if I am happy about how things went. Knowing that everyone is safe, the answer is “yes, I am happy”. However, I also always think about the athletes who were not able to reach their respective finish lines. To all those who had no luck this time I want to say that it was great to have you with us. Whatever the reasons were that you could not continue, I hope... Read More

further faster podcast episode ten | montane 25/01/2019
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FURTHER. FASTER. PODCAST – EPISODE 10 Damian Hall

Welcome to Further Faster, in association with Montane. In these podcasts, present Daniel Neilson talks to ultra athletes, explorers and mountaineers to discover how they do what they do and, most importantly, why. In this episode, Daniel chats to Damian Hall. You may have come across him before. He’s a journalist and ultra runner. He’s positioned highly in the Montane Spine Race and the Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc, about which a film called Underdog was made. Most recently, with his teammate Beth Pascall, they achieved the fastest known time... Read More

24/01/2019
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MONTANE YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA: JAVED BHATTI

Javed is an enigmatic Ultra Runner who has been achieving extraordinary feats of endurance over his running career.  On February 3rd he will begin the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra – a 430 mile ultra marathon, and has teamed up with the vibrant new Podcast ‘PE For GrownUps’ to document his journey. <More information about the MYAU Race Javed has also ‘doubled’ many UK ultra events- getting to the end and going back the whole distance, or getting there early and doing the race once before it starts, then going again. He... Read More

arctic ultra clothing | montane 24/01/2019
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MONTANE YUKON ARCTIC ULTRA: FAVOURITE KIT

Running 430 miles through the Yukon Arctic is no mean feat.  Having clothing that is fit for purpose will make all the difference: warm yet breathable, light and packable yet tough enough to survive the temperatures.  Simple, intuitive features are preferred to increase efficiency and usability when cold and fatigue takes hold. Javed has tested and tweaked his clothing system over the course of months.  In December 2018, he ran the 55-mile Montane Cheviot Goat Ultra twice back-to-back, in an attempt to replicate the levels of exhaustion he would be... Read More

2019 spine challenger kit list | montane 21/01/2019
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JEN SCOTNEY: SPINE CHALLENGER KIT

Montane Athlete Jen Scotney finished the 2019 Montane Spine Challenger in 3rd place.  Here she talks through her kit selection. Click here to read Jen’s SPINE CHALLENGER report The challenge of this race was clearly the wet, wild, cold weather, with only one chance to pick up dry kit at Hebden. The outstanding piece of kit for me was my Prismatic Jacket – I put it on under my Spine Jacket when I was cold at 30 miles and it was instance warmth. It then kept me warm and dry... Read More

21/01/2019
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JEN SCOTNEY: SPINE CHALLENGER 2019

When is a DNF (Did Not Finish) acceptable for you? What red lines have to be crossed before you can make that decision to pull out of a race without regrets? For me, I usually think it would be an injury that could impact on future races, or create long term difficulties if I carried on, that would make the decision for me. That would be acceptable in my mind to pull out and mentally know it just couldn’t have carried on. A sensible, even if still disappointing, DNF. But... Read More

spine race day 7 report | montane 18/01/2019
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MONTANE SPINE RACE – FRIDAY 18TH

As the Montane Spine Race enters its sixth night, Shelli Gordon completes her 268 mile tribute to her former partner and takes second place in the women’s race with the time of 128h 26m 50s. Pre-Race    Day 1    Day2     Day3     Day4    Day5    Day6    Day7    Day8    Day9 Gordon entered the Montane Spine Race to raise awareness of and raise funds for CALM, The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), a movement against male suicide.  When asked about training for the race she said, “The build up was hard.... Read More