Hey all,

Just wanted to put a quick post up to encourage folk to sponsor Dales based cavers Steph Dwyer and myself (Mike Bottomley) who will be attempting the 108 mile Spine challenger race between Edale and Hardraw over the weekend of 13th/14th January 2018, in aid of two charities, Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO) and Mind Yourself.

It would be really amazing if we could raise some more money for both of these charities, so if you would like to sponsor us then please follow the links below. Anything you can donate, even if just ?1 would be amazing. As most folk know, CRO is a charity run by volunteers and is entirely dependant on public donations.

Steph and I will have 60hrs to complete the route in what could be truly hideous weather and conditions, during some of the shortest days of the year in terms of daylight. If you think this is suffering worth sponsoring, then follow the links below 

Many many thanks! Mike & Steph

Cave Rescue Organisation: http://tinyurl.com/y7r7837k

Mind Yourself: www.givey.com/stephmike


Montane Spine Race information: https://thespinerace.com/
Cave Rescue Organisation website: http://cro.org.uk/

For those of you who (i suspect all bar maybe 2 or 3) who didn't get obsessed with dot watching during the Spine Race, we made it, not mentally or physically in tact, but we made it.

And we were so proud in the face of some tongue and cheek banter to represent the Cave Rescue Organisation and we used the opportunity to raise the profile of what cave rescue does, thanks to Summit Fever Media CRO got loads of coverage and ye can see it in the links below and we also raised over a grand for CRO but tell your mates we?re still fundraising.

Mind Yourself: www.givey.com/stephmike
Cave Rescue Organisation: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/crospine

Episode 10:
https://www.facebook.com/SummitFeverMedia/posts/1830149020331463

Episode 2:
https://www.facebook.com/SummitFeverMedia/posts/1821530867859945

Episode 1:
https://www.facebook.com/SummitFeverMedia/posts/1820369201309445

In other news, Mike and I were joint 6th place in the 118 mile race and I was the only woman finisher, giving me the default first position. We did it in 41 hours 52 minutes with no sleep and 45 minutes of that time sat down.

Here's how I feel about it, in an interview with A Life Loved http://alifeloved.com/steph-dwyer-endurance-racer/

Also, soon I will upload my personal blog which compares fell-running and this event "Britains most brutal" to expedition caving. For the mean time heres the answer I had to Ems Herons question to me

Feet firmly back on the floor
A caving friend asked me, so is it the hardest thing you?ve ever done, how does it compare to your expedition caving? Well, there were glimpses at the end when it felt immense but it?s hard to compare the two. I?m no-where near as experienced a fellrunner as an expedition caver, but what is for sure, it was as almost hard as some of some of the more challenging caving trips I?ve done or the time I had to self-rescue from deep within Pozu del Xitu with a few broken bones. The difference is, after the climax of the ?race? aka when you exit the cave, you re-emerge into solitude, 1,800m up a harsh, pathless mountainside where you?ve to continue to survive and then prep yourself a few days later for another epic, totally uncelebrated detackling of the cave. No medals, no fuss. That?s the difference and that?s what humbles me.

I missed this somehow!  Wowzers! what an effort. 

ib

Great stuff.  Well done Steph and Mike.  Some inspiring media too. 

I'm only surprised you didn't take in the three pots while you were passing - next time maybe?

That is deffo on the cards. Team Heron, Moulton, Irish to the blunder ;-)  :tease: