Every new year, top ultra-athletes take on the Montane Winter Spine Race, a brutal midwinter race that stretches 268 miles along the Pennine Way. The battle for the overall win this year featured Anna

As the sun beat down on the ancient sands of the Namib Desert in south west Africa, former snowboarder Ioana Barbu’s face cracked out a huge smile. And she had every right to be beaming. The 37-year-o

A hollow victory is more fun than a respectable walloping

After a devastating double trauma, Luke Grenfell-Shaw took on an epic adventure. Tom Davidson hears his story

Greg James said “never again” after two gruelling Comic Relief challenges. But somehow, the 40-year-old found himself signing up for another and admits he’s “terrified”. The BBC Radio 1 DJ, 40, is gea

The Spine Race – a 268-mile slog from the Peak District to the Scottish Borders – bills itself as Britain’s most brutal race. Tough as it was this winter, director Phil Hayday-Brown is reducing the time runners have to complete the race by 12 hours, citing safety concerns. But for some, this decision demonstrates lack of respect for back-of-the-pack runners, the majority of whom are women