The woman who ran for 83 hours
British fell runner Jasmine Paris made headlines in January 2019 when she became the first woman to win the gruelling 268-mile Montane Spine Race outright. Dubbed ‘Britain’s most brutal’ running event, the race takes place in the depths of winter and sees competitors running the entire length of the Pennine Way – mostly in pitch black darkness.
In this episode, Rob chats to Jasmin about what it took to finish the race in 83h 12m 23s – 12 hours faster than anyone had before. From tactically deciding when – and how much – to sleep, to ensure she stayed ahead of the pack, to how she coped mentally with the very, long and difficult sections of this desperately lonely race.
Jasmin Paris during the Montane Spine Race
© Mick Kenyon (Racing Snakes Photography)
Still breastfeeding her 14-month-old daughter, Rowan, at the time, Jasmin also touches on the logistics of having to express breastmilk at the race's various checkpoints along the way but, describes how, despite the media attention this gained at the time, "it really wasn't such a big deal".
Jasmin also provides her view on why women are more competitive with the men when it comes to ultra-distance running – but explains why she, personally, doesn't see herself as 'superhuman'...