Alright Jack! Scott sets new record in 268-mile Spine Race along Pennine Way
'Just creating that gap so I could try to enjoy whatever happened up in the Cheviots last night; and I did enjoy it - it was unbelievable, amazing!'
Last updated 17th Jan 2024
British ultra runner Jack Scott has won the winter edition of this year's Montane Spine Race in a new record time.
It comes just a year after a navigational error saw him miss out due to a time penalty.
The 29-year-old, from Staffordshire, touched the wall of the Border Hotel at the finish line in Kirk Yetholm just before 9am this morning (Wednesday), after completing the gruelling 268-mile run along the Pennine Way in freezing conditions and with just 54 minutes sleep.
He set off on what's widely regarded as Britain's most brutal race, from Edale in Derbyshire, alongside 165 other competitors, at 8am on Sunday.
Jack was chased most of the way by last year's winner Damian Hall, who was just starting the climb into the Cheviot Hills as he collected his medal.
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The pair crossed the finish together last year, but Jack incurred a 48-minute time penalty for an accidental navigation error, which resulted in him taking a shortcut in the woods.
That was cut to 41 minutes when he gained a seven minute time credit for helping a fellow runner in need.
This year, Jack finished in a time of 72 hours, 55 minutes and 5 seconds.
That's more than 10 HOURS quicker than the previous record of 83 hours, 12 minutes and 23 seconds set by Jasmin Paris in 2019.
But it was too quick for his parents, who were unable to get to the finish line in time.
Reflecting on the race, Jack told Greatest Hits Radio: "It's an elite performance I'm incredibly proud of.
"I just had to be more ruthless and I had to sort of forget last year until I needed it.
"I knew I could do the course so could I attack the course? And I did, and it worked unbelievably well."
When asked what kept him going, Jack - who's previously spoken about how ultra running helped him beat a gambling addiction - replied: "Just pulling away after Alston, taking money out of Damian Hall's bank, putting it into mine. Just creating that gap so I could try to enjoy whatever happened up in the Cheviots last night; and I did enjoy it - it was unbelievable, amazing!"
Jack's understood to be the first winner to cross the finish line in daylight.
It's believed freezing temperatures hardening sometimes boggy ground may have helped.
But Will Roberts, from the event team, revealed the time he set is an "astonishing" achievement.
He said: "I was here at the finish line in 2019 for the Jasmine Paris record, and I was adamant that that looked unbreakable. And he's not just broken it, he's taken nearly half a day off it.
"I am blown away! It is beyond what I'd have said was possible at the start of the race."
WATCH: Click on the link below to view our interview with Jack Scott...
Damian recorded the second fastest time in the race's history, also beating Jasmin Paris' Course Record from 2019 - finishing in a time of 82 hours, 25 minutes and 10 seconds.
Early pace-setter Kim Collison exited the race between the Tan Hill and Langdon checkpoints. 2020 hero John Kelly and three-time winner Pavel Paloncy were also forced out of the race by injuries.
Some of the competitors had to be held at Greg’s Hut, Dufton and Langdon Beck due to deteriorating conditions, as much of the race route was covered by Met Office weather warnings for snow and ice.
At the time of writing, French ultrarunner Claire Bannwarth was in pole position to become the first female to finish this year.
Will added: "Every single one of them will suffer for long periods of this race. It is difficult, and they will have to push through pain barriers and mental barriers that they've never encountered before; but it changes people for the better when they get to the end."
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