Field Journal

An interview with Eoin Keith, winner of the 2022 Montane Spine Race
Written by Jenny Tough

The Montane Spine Race is widely regarded as one of the world’s toughest endurance races. Taking place in the British winter, the Montane Spine Race attracts some of the top athletes in the ultrarunning global scene to the 268-mile route along the Pennine Way. This year, Spine veteran and Columbia athlete Eoin Keith took the win in an extremely competitive field. Sidetracked caught up with him during his recovery period to hear how it went.

Sidetracked: You set a new course record and took a win in summer conditions only a few short months ago, already had six winter course attempts, and sit near the top of the list of Spine Legends – what keeps you coming back to the same challenge?
Eoin: I knew I’d have a problem going back after having such a great race on the summer route – the winter is more type-two fun, you just want to survive – but the summer is more pure enjoyment. The bogs are dried out and it’s the best surface to run on. So I did ask myself why – well, if I wasn’t racing it, then I’d be sitting in front of my computer watching the dots and getting frustrated that I’d want to be out there. So instead of watching the dots, go and be a dot. It takes the same amount of time.

Were there any surprises on the course for you this year? Did the short drive interval affect you in any way?
The biggest surprise was the weather. It was so benign. The downside of this was that the bogs were so boggy, as they hadn’t frozen at all, and my feet are now absolutely ruined. We had great blue skies on the course, and the best view I ever saw on the race happened this year from Dufton.

My favourite part is the Cheviots. I did it all at night, but the skies were pretty clear for most of it so I could see stars and a half moon. Big views of big open area – it was wonderful.

The other surprise was my result! The racing side of it was so entertaining, and I did not expect to get up to the front.

Did you have any strategies, and did you stick to them?
‘Run my own race’ was really my only strategy, and to keep moving at an even pace – ideally running as well at the finish as I did at the start. This pretty much worked.

While my running is incredibly steady and even, my sleep strategy was more dynamic. My broad strategy is not to get sleep deprived, because it’s more important to me that I get to enjoy the race. Deep sleep deprivation suffering is not what I want – it’s such a bad experience. So my sleep strategy was just to stay dynamic and avoid that deep deprivation. I would just check in with how I was feeling when I was arriving at aid stations, as they’re the best places to sleep on the course. I ended up sleeping for one hour at most aid stations, and this strategy worked really well for me.

What was the low moment?
The lowest moments were near the start. I was 20–30 people back, and I’m used to being up in the top two or three. I thought, ‘I’m getting old and can’t do this any more’. My first position call was 15th, which is way further back than I’m used to.

So I decided to just stick with it and see what I could do. I told myself that at least I’d lose a bit of weight if I finished the race! I never expected to see the leaders again.

What was the high moment?
I overtook Eugeni on Horneystead Farm (an unofficial station). A spectator told me he had slowed down ahead. But I didn’t think I had a good chance at catching him. But as I got closer to Horneystead people were coming out to tell me he was still there. I had just gone from 6th to 1st and he was the only person I actually saw on the overtake. I left that rest like an excited three-year-old – I couldn’t believe I was leading the race! I never thought I would – there were so many hot runners in this race and I’m old now, I didn’t think I could make the podium. I don’t have those high speeds any more. I can go for a long time, but I can’t kick that gear. It was such a feel-good moment, and I ran well from then on towards the finish.

The Spine is a favourite for dotwatchers, and this year was pretty exciting with changes at the front of the pack. Do you dotwatch while you’re racing? And does that affect your mental game?
I love the racing aspect. I track my position throughout, but my first position call I got was 15th, which is way further back than I’m used to. So I went to work on getting into the top 10. I figured that was a good goal. And then at the next aid station I was in sixth. So then I really went for it.

I didn’t have much dotwatching, but I was sucking up the info whenever it was available to me. You’re definitely looking around at who’s in front or behind you, constantly glancing at the gaps you have on people around you. It was really close between me and James for a couple days, always staying in sight of each other. But when you meet people from the race (volunteers or crew) they tell you what’s going on.

I also have to say a big thanks to Colombia – the gear did actually work brilliantly. The OutDry Extreme was great, and I was actually comfortable throughout the experience.