Could you walk 24 miles, and over 1,600m of ascents and descents in under 12 hours? How about running it in under five? Victoria Benn catches up with Dave Hodgson, former veteran running star, and previous chairman and president of the Three Peaks Race Association, to find out what to expect from the 60th anniversary Three Peaks Race, which is being held on Saturday April 26 The Three Peaks Race is one of the toughest fell races in the UK, traversing and encompassing three of the highest and most iconic summits in the Yorkshire Dales. Over the last 60 years, the race has carved out legacies for some, and has literally beaten others into submission.

The peaks, whilst breathtaking to look at, are uncompromising and brutal to negotiate.

Each mountain is appointed with its own characteristics and technical challenges, which year on year attracts some of the world’s best fell runners.

Whilst the essential essence of the race has remained unaltered since it started 60 years ago, much too has changed.

“The first race over the Three Peaks was organised in 1954, with the grand total of just six runners,” explains Dave Hodgson, former president of the Three Peaks Race Association.

“In those days, and until 1974, the race started and finished in Chapel le Dale. Although it was slightly shorter at 23 miles, it was a different sort of race as it was a navigation exercise as well as a fell race. You needed route finding skills to plan your own route between the checkpoints, which of course meant it was very easy to go wrong in severe weather conditions and low visibility.

“One year I moved up from 13th to 3rd without seeing a single person, which rather highlights the frustrations of the course back then!”

The record holder on this old route was Jeff Norman from Altrincham, who won the race six times in total, and set the record of 2 hours, 29 minutes and 53 seconds. Norman’s record set in 1974, still remains the fastest ever traverse of the Three Peaks.

The move to the new course, which now sets off from Horton in Ribblesdale playing fields, crossing Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and then Ingleborough, before returning back to Horton, means that the race has transformed into more of a trail race, or as one former runner calls it, “a marathon with three mountains”.

The change of route was precipitated by the organisers’ aim to determine a course which would cope with a larger number or entrants, whilst ensuring less of an impact on the environment.

As a result the current route, which sits at 24 miles, is mainly paths, much of which is clearly way-marked. “It’s not just the route that’s safer now,” explains Dave, “There’s all sorts of procedures we’ve implemented to ensure the personal safety of everyone running. In fact the Three Peaks Race has pretty much set the standard for fell race safety.” These days each runner is required to carry a compass, route map, and basic survival kit. Each runner also wears an electronic tag which they must register at each of the seven checkpoints. In this way race control can monitor each runner’s location at any particular time. Runners who fail to register at the subsequent checkpoint within a specified amount of time are deemed to be at risk and a search is swiftly implemented.

Since race marshalls can be standing out in extreme weather for several hours, there is also now a minimum entry criteria for all race entrants, to ensure that they – in theory – are capable of completing the course in five hours or less.

Runners not reaching specified checkpoints by the strict cut off times, are forced to retire from the race.

So what can prospective runners expect from the race? With the record on the current course being 2 hours, 46 minutes and 3 seconds, set by Bingley Harriers runner Andy Peace in 1996, it is safe to assume that the standard is utterly breathtaking. The prestige and immense challenge of the race was in fact acknowledged by the World Mountain Running Association in 2008, when the race was chosen to host the World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge that year. The race in 2008 saw a new record set for the ladies by Anna Pichrtova, from the Czech Republic of 3 hours, 14 minutes and 43 seconds.

Nevertheless, even with elite mountain runners and world long distance champions from 21 countries present, no one got close to breaking Peace’s 1996 record.

“Most of the people who enter know they don’t stand a chance of winning. For them the achievement is simply about running this famous race and getting round within the cut off times.” explains Dave, “With that in mind 27 years ago we started a special prize for individuals who have run and completed 21 races.

“This prize is a huge motivation to many people, as running 21 races, although still a huge feat, is also an achievable goal.”

With 24 miles of race course to choose from, I was keen to find out from Dave, where precisely he recommend spectators stand to garner the best ‘race experience’?

“I would always recommend watching the start of the race at Horton. Another good spot is Ribblehead, as the runners have run Pen-y-ghent, which thins people out a little, but they are still not too spread out. There’s also car parking, refreshments and a live commentary there which adds to the sense of occasion. Then it’s just a five or six mile drive or cycle back to Horton to catch the finish.”

“More energetic spectators could climb Pen-y-ghent by 11am to see the runners, and then descend back to Horton to see the finish around 1.30pm.”

Running attire as well as many other things may have changed immensely over the last 60 years, but there is one thing that has remained a constant, and that is the epic challenge laid down by the Peaks themselves; Pen-y-ghent’s teasing short steep scramble, Whernside’s leg numbing steep ascent from its base at Ribblehead – topping out at 736m – and Ingleborough’s series of climbs to its broad plateau and distinctive ridge. The gauntlet has been thrown – are you going to claim it?

The Three Peaks Race is held on Saturday, April 26th, at Horton in Ribblesdale playing fields with a prompt 10.30am start.

For race information and entry criteria go to http://three peaksrace.org.uk.

Entries close on April 11th or when the maximum entrant limit of 999 is reached. Please note there are a small number of places still available