Wooler mum finishes in top 15 in non-stop 268-mile Montane Summer Spine Race
A woman from Wooler has just completed a gruelling race along the Pennine Way.
Shirley Murray was taking part in the Montane Summer Spine Race, a non-stop 268-mile race along the iconic route.
Beginning in Edale, Derbyshire, and ending in Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders, runners tackle punishing terrain along the whole length of the run.
Widely regarded as ‘Britain’s most brutal’ endurance race, it is a truly epic challenge in physical resilience and mental fortitude. More than 50 per cent of entrants do not complete the race, for which there is a time limit of 156 hours.
Murray was the fourth lady home, beating most of the male competitors too as she finished in a time of 106 hours four minutes – the 12th competitor home.
What made the feat even more remarkable was that it was Murray’s first attempt at the race.
Murray, who has two children – Eden, three, and Mac, five – put herself through a gruelling training regime which clearly paid off, enabling her to battle through sleep deprivation, painful legs and mental exhaustion. When interviewed at the finish line, she was asked about her preparation – “You can’t prepare for that,” was the response.
One well-wisher said she was an inspiration to mums with small children that it is still possible to achieve personal challenges.
A large contingent from Wooler and further afield were at the finish to cheer her home and help her celebrate her mammoth achievement as she scooped up Mac and carried him across the finish line.