MONTANE Spine Race stalwart Anna Troup showed exactly why she’s considered one of Britain’s most formidable ultra‑runners, winning the 2026 Women’s Race in 106 hours and 19 minutes.
Reaching the finish at Kirk Yetholm just after 18:19 on Thursday January 15, the 56‑year‑old delivered a performance that was equal parts experience, resilience, and sheer refusal to yield, reportedly having a total of just 30 minutes of sleep across the entire event.
Troup is no stranger to the Spine. She’s won the Summer Spine three times – a rare achievement in itself – but this is her first Winter Spine victory, making her one of only three runners ever to win both editions of the epic event. Even more impressively, she finished fourth overall, beating the majority of the men’s field.
For a race often described as ‘Britain’s most brutal’, this year lived up to its reputation. The dropout rate hit 41%, with runners battered by relentless rain, ice, snow, unyielding winds, and ground conditions that turned every mile into a battle with the elements.
“It was really tough,” Troup said at the finish line.
“Getting up on Cross Fell in the dark was terrifying… it was really scary.”
The highest point on the Pennine Way, Cross Fell has a notorious reputation for breaking runners.
The women’s field this year was small – just 25 women to 127 men – but fiercely competitive. Finland’s Johanna Antila led early, and she and Troup ran together for long stretches – a pairing that looked as much like mutual support as tactical pressure.
But in a twist echoing the drama of the men’s race, Antila was forced to withdraw just 13 miles from the finish due to severe foot issues. Troup pressed on alone, steady and unflinching, sealing a victory that felt both hard‑earned and inevitable.
We’re building outdoors communities!
Come join us on Reddit here… r/outdoorsnews.
Find us on Facebook… www.facebook.com/everwildoutdoors
You can follow Ever Wild Outdoors on Twitter… @EWO_tweets
And if Instagram is your thing, we’re there too… www.instagram.com/ever_wild_outdoors/
Check out our YouTube channel… Everwild Outdoors – YouTube
