HAIL, high winds and hallucinations were among the challenges facing a vet and her fell rescue team mates when they embarked on a brutal 108-mile race.
Abby Robertson, Clare Canty and Ruth Smith took on the Spine MRT Challenge and raised an impressive £3,200 for the Grassington based Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA) and mental health charity Mind.
Abby, from Skipton, a small animal vet at Aireworth Vets, Keighley, and Clare, from Grassington, crossed the finish line in 48 hours 22 minutes after training for a year for the non-stop endurance event which crossed remote and rugged terrain from Edale to Hawes along the Pennine Way.
Ruth, of Skipton, suffered a knee injury after 17 miles and persevered until the 46-mile point when she pulled out for safety reasons.
The three friends volunteer with UWFRA, and Abby hopes their involvement in the event will encourage more women to get involved in challenging outdoor activities, such as joining local mountain rescue teams.
Aireworth Vets colleagues lent moral and sponsorship support, cheering Abby on – the route passed by the Keighley practice in Aireworth Road which she joined in 2020 – and gave her a hero’s welcome with cake and balloons on her return to work.
The Spine MRT Challenge is a spin-off from the 268-mile Spine Race along the entire Pennine Way and had to be completed within 60 hours. It is open to mountain rescue team members who receive discounted entry so they can raise funds.
To prepare, Abby who lives in Skipton did up to 20 hours of training a week around her four-day rota which enables her to balance work with family life and other hobbies such as potholing.
Abby said the weather and sleep deprivation were the toughest challenges, including a hailstorm lasting 12 hours and 60mph winds, which hindered their initial progress.
“I didn’t sleep for over 48 hours and started hallucinating at Fountains Fell. I knew the route was flat, but I felt like there was an elevation going up in front of me and over my head. That was scary but Clare was there supporting me.”
The duo also had to force their way out of an abandoned hillside bothy, where they had sought refuge from the hail, after strong winds slammed the door firmly shut behind them.
Abby added: “Major highlights for me were the community of people helping at all the checkpoints and knowing people were supporting me at home and through sponsorship. Knowing we had gone from Edale to Hawes just by the movement of our own two feet was also really satisfying.
“In addition to being a vet, it feels right to give something back by being a volunteer rescuer. As an outdoor person and especially as a caver, it’s comforting to know that if I got into difficulty someone would come and rescue me.”
Donations can still be made at https://www.justgiving.com/team/UWFRAMRTChallenge
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