CP5 / BELLINGHAM, where it all began! This is where my journey back behind the camera, IN A NEW WAY began for me. The short story, is it was mentioned in our pre-race volunteer whatsapp group 'WOULD ANYONE BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME PICTURES AROUND THE CHECKPOINT?' naïve me, 'OF COURSE I'LL BRING MY CAMERA!' So seen as I was there in a checkpoint volunteer capacity, I took the basics, just a single DSLR camera, a 50mm f1.4 lens, and I was taking my laptop anyway, in case I wanted a quick bedtime winddown youtube catch-up! LITTLE DID I KNOW WHAT WAS TO HAPPEN NEXT...
So it all started after the usual checkpoint set-up we had enough time to get to know each other, have a bit of banter, and start the anxious wait for the first runners to come through CP5, the last MAJOR checkpoint before the finish line at Kirk Yetholm!
We were all sat around doing a quick briefing before the days ahead got into full flow, when 'The Spine Defender' turned up with Will (if you know The Spine Race, you'll know Will! He's the one doing all the speaking on the videos) and Phil, one of the race directors, at which point they told us 'THE CHALLENGER NORTH FRONT RUNNER IS FLYING!' So, we all readied ourselves for runners to start arriving.
I quickly asked Phil about sending some pictures of the checkpoint goings on, at which point Phil directed me to speak to Will. A quick conversation with Will was had, and I'd agreed to whatsapp any pics across to him directly (at this point obviously Will didn't know what my work would be like, or even what the coverage from inside the checkpoint might be like, but I had let him know what basic equipment I had brought with me!)
As the first runners came through CP5, and I started to capture the goings on from INSIDE CP5, sending them across to Will, it soon became apparent that 'the dot watchers' were interested in seeing the goings on from INSIDE CP5.
It was clear to see that by the point the runners had made it CP5, 220+ miles into their journey, the emotions of these extraordinary people were extremely varied, as well as the state of minds, body, and feet, 'FEET' had been hit bad by the damp start, and extreme heat! But still after a patch-up by the equally as extraordinary volunteers, a bit of food, a cup of tea, a joke, and general morale booster, those runners (for the most part) had a new lease of life, and were ready to tackle the last, but not to be underestimated part of their journey to Kirk Yetholm. Only a brief stop at CP5.5, and THE CHEVIOTS stood between CP5 BELLINGHAM and their destiny of kissing that now famous hotel wall!
Meanwhile my world was entering a whirlwind (A GOOD ONE) behind the camera, and I continued to capture all the goings on from INSIDE CP5, sending my pictures across to Will on regular intervals, and after about 24hours, I was added directly into the media team whatsapp group!
As things began to come to a closure at CP5, I was asked if I'd like to go to Kirk Yetholm! I had no way of getting there after traveling by public transport to volunteer at CP5, or anywhere to stay in Kirk Yetholm, but what an opportunity, to be able to watch those incredible back runners, that we had patched-up, cross that finish line! I was kindly offered a lift by a fellow volunteer Keith, who lived near Kirk Yetholm, so of course I took the offer and headed north to see that famous hotel wall for myself! I had no idea where I was going to sleep, but I thought the worst case, 'I'M IN SCOTLAND NOW, I'LL PITCH MY TENT SOMEWHERE!' Fortunately, I was offered at least some floor space at the volunteer cottage, so after keeping awake for a few hours into the early hours of the morning, taking as much in as possible, I setup my matt and sleeping bag in the cottage dining room 'UNDER THE PIANO!' And that is where my journey 'behind the camera' of The Spine Race began!
IMMERSE YOURSELF FULLY INTO THESE RAW MOMENTS BY PLAYING THE MUSIC ABOVE, BEFORE YOU START TO EXPLORE THIS COLLECTION.
