‘That’s Just Sport’

The incredible eloquent Damian Hall writing on his blog about his second place finish at the 2024 Winter Spine Race:

A week later I’m still struggling to be at peace with having my best Spine performance and yet being soundly beaten. But what helps is the fact I got to, not only witness, but make a small contribution towards, a historic ultrarunning performance. Also (here comes the hippie bit) this stuff is about the journey much more than the destination – the doing, not the outcome – and I had another belting, life-affirming adventure out there; with shared moments of kindness, magical sunrises and sunsets, cold sparkly nights under the stars and armies of tiny shrews disappearing into the snow (possibly they weren’t real). Spine memories have swamped my mind ever since.

What an incredible performance, what beautiful writing, and man, that race looks incredible.