Running for his wife

Pennines for PH PACING THE Phil Marshall recently completed a gruelling 268-mile run across the Pennine hills, raising over £14,000 for the PHA UK in support of his wife Sarah. He spoke to Emphasis about battling extreme conditions for six days to make it to the finish line.

Sarah Marshall was diagnosed with PH in 2013 and since then, her husband has completed several challenges to raise money for the PHA UK. But not content with marathons and 100-mile runs, Phil decided to take on the most gruelling endurance race in the UK in a bid to top his previous achievements.

The Montane Spine Race takes place every January and is described as the most brutal race in Britain. It takes participants 268 miles non-stop across the Pennine Way through the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales and Cheviot Hills on some of the toughest terrain in the country.

Phil said: “I was running for 155 hours and only slept for one or two hours at a time as the race was non-stop.”

He also had to battle with the elements as strong winds, rain and blizzards swept across the Pennines. At one stage, conditions became so bad that the race had to be suspended for six hours on safety grounds.

“I’ve run across exposed mountains in Britain before, but the weather was the most extreme I’ve ever experienced. For the first few days the rain was constant, and then I had to deal with snow drifts which were waist-deep in places.”

Exhaustion and sleep deprivation took their toll on Phil as the race went on. “I suffered from hallucinations of sofas and chairs in front of me which seemed so life-like. I also leant against a signpost which wasn’t there and fell into a snowdrift.

“I was forced to find farm buildings, phone boxes and public toilets to sleep in for a couple of hours and shelter out of the weather.” Phil called Sarah at 5am one morning as he started to doubt whether he could complete the race. “Sarah pushed me on and told me to just get to the next checkpoint. I don’t think she got much sleep either because she spent most nights tracking where I was online.”

The weather was the most extreme I’ve ever experienced

After almost a week of extreme weather, the morning of the final day was when Phil felt it was all worthwhile. “I’d climbed up the Cheviot Hills which was the last peak, the sun was coming up and there were only 20 miles to go. From that point, I knew I would make it.”

At the time of going to print, Phil’s efforts have raised over £14,000 for the PHA UK. He added: “I’ve been blown away by the generosity of people. I’ve been contacted by complete strangers pledging money and sending their support, which has been unbelievable.

“Everyone has been so supportive and interested in Sarah’s journey, which is what doing the run was all about – raising awareness.

“As fundraisers we’re not researchers or medical professionals, but what we can do is raise money.”

You can still sponsor Phil by visiting his Just Giving page at justgiving.com/fundraising/philmarshall15

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