It is one of the great ultrarunning stories and, nearly three weeks on, Lucy Gossage has penned her thoughts and emotions on that incredible Winter Spine Race victory.
The former pro triathlete – a multiple Ironman winner – had already made her mark 12 months previously when she finished third on her debut in what is billed as ‘Britain’s most brutal race’.
But what happened straight afterwards – click here for the story – clouded those memories for ever and gave her a powerful ‘why’ to return to the epic 268-mile challenge up the Pennine Way.
Start line almost a finish line
And writing a heartfelt blog, having gathered her thoughts when talking about the experience on a number of podcasts, the NHS oncologist – who again raised over £20,000 for her MOVE Against Cancer charity at this year’s Spine – realised that just reaching the start line meant she had already made a significant leap forward.
She explained: “I felt, success would be drawing a line under the chaos of the last year and reclaiming my memories of the Spine for myself. Yet 30 minutes before the race began, when a friend asked me how I would view success, my answer surprised me. I realised that I had already achieved everything I needed to by simply getting to the start line.
“I had found silver linings in everything that had happened, not least the love I now have for long-distance adventures by foot and the amazing ultra-running community. All of that, I realised, was enough to draw me my line in the sand. I didn’t need to finish the race to find closure; getting to the start was enough.
“And this realisation brought with it a wave of unburdened happiness. It may sound strange or over-dramatic, but the start line was the first time in over a year that I truly felt like myself.”
‘Anything but a solo sport’
And what followed in the next four days from that Sunday morning start will go down in ultrarunning folklore as Gossage proceeded to put on a masterclass of a display.
She caught women’s pacesetter Robyn Cassidy early on Tuesday in what she said was one of many highlights for her: “Running with Robyn from CP3 to Dufton on the Tuesday morning, laughing and chatting as the mist cleared and the sun came out. It felt like a training jog. ‘Robyn, this is crazy, we’re WINNING THE SPINE’ I shrieked at one point. We even called ahead to the café in Dufton to order sausage sandwiches and double espressos to go.”
And when she then eased clear and into a dominant lead, Gossage recalls another special moment: “Asking someone who had won the men’s race and being told the leader (Kim Collison) was just a few hours ahead. This was when it hit me that it was just Wednesday lunchtime and that what I was doing in pure performance terms was special.”
The last section saw her join forces with former Spine Race winner and three-time Barkley Marathons finisher John Kelly but all the way Gossage says she “remembered what a privilege it is to have a body and mind that allows me to do these crazy things”.
Looking back on the whole experience, she was quick to thank all those who had contributed to what she had achieved, adding: “The Spine Race is less about competition and more about adventure. It’s a journey that allows you to live what feels like a lifetime in just a few days.
“Yes, of course I’m proud of my performance, but I’m far prouder of the resilience that brought me to the start line. In the end, for every athlete, this race is about far more than the finish time and I expect many others would feel the same.
“You might think ultra-running is a solo sport. The reality is it’s anything but.”
