TWO Haworth residents have completed one of the toughest ultra races in the country.

Gary Chapman and Peter Smith, who are both members of Keighley & Craven Athletics Club and Craven Energy Triathlon Club, made it to the finish in the 108-mile Montane Spine Challenger.

The remote route, which follows the Pennine Way from the start at Edale, Derbyshire to Hawes in North Yorkshire and includes Haworth Moor, featured demanding terrain, wet and icy conditions underfoot and blizzards – with much of the race being navigated in the dark.

Gary, aged 48, said: "I have done 50 marathons and seven iron-man races but this was the hardest thing I have ever done because of the conditions. It was very tough underfoot with everything from rock, mud, water, snow and ice."

A total of 82 competitors started the race – undergoing a tough selection process to prove they had sufficient experience – but 40 had to pull out due to injury, fatigue and, in some cases, hypothermia.

Backed by support teams from their clubs, Gary made it to the finish-line at 2.15am on the Monday in 12th place in 43 hours while Peter, aged 37, completed the course in just over 50 hours in 26th place. That meant both were well within the time limit of 60 hours.

It capped a great event for local athletics clubs as Airedale Hospital doctor Tom Hollins, a member of Silsden-based Wharfedale Harriers, won the event in 29 hours and 25 minutes.

The Challenger is run alongside an even longer race – the 268-mile Spine encompassing the whole of the Pennine Way – and saw British astronaut Tim Peake tweet his support from space for a colleague running in the race!

Conditions were reasonable at the start with a tailwind and unexpectedly dry weather. However, it did not take long for a couple of major rainstorms to blow through before the worst of the weather hit early on Sunday morning with a blizzard which saw many competitors suffer badly.

Peter was near Top Withens on Haworth Moor at the time and managed to get into the shelter there to get his portable gas stove going to warm himself up, while Gary sheltered in Lothersdale.

Others were not so lucky and ended up having to pull out as they were getting hypothermic.

Recent wet weather meant the route was practically underwater or slushy ice and saw Gary and Peter suffer trench foot, losing many of their toenails as it was so tough.

Gary said: "It was horrendous. For the last 17 hours I didn't change my socks. I didn't want to get my feet out as I was scared what I might find!

"When I crossed the line in 12th I was attended to by the medics and they said that every single competitor had required treatment."

Climbing the difficult summit approach to Pen-Y-Ghent in the dark and snow/ice was exceptionally tough.

Gary said: "I was very scared as there were some big drops and we were climbing up smooth ice in the pitch black. It was not for the faint-hearted and I was so glad that I had practised many times in advance."

Whilst most of the race was done in dark and solo, Gary and Peter were well looked after at some road crossings by their support teams.

Gary added: "There were hundreds of people watching us (online) as we had a live tracker, while quite a few people actually came out. Their help was fantastic and a few club mates have been inspired to sign up for the race themselves."

The Keighley & Craven member for over 15 years would love to do the event again.

He said: "Both me and Peter felt a massive sense of achievement afterwards. I was really struggling with six or seven miles to go but in the last few miles I really picked up and at the end I felt I could go on. But that was probably the elation of finishing.

"I have done marathons and extreme triathlons but this tests every aspect of your physical and mental ability."