A female ultramarathon runner was forced to withdraw from one of Britain's toughest endurance events after receiving death threats linked to her humanitarian work supporting women and girls in Afghanistan.
Race Safety Overrides Athletic Ambition
Sarah Porter was approximately a third of the way through the 108-mile Montane Winter Spine Challenger South race when organisers made the decision to remove her from the course. The "difficult decision" was taken after a specific threat to her life emerged, related to the charity she runs. Police were contacted regarding the threats.
Porter, an amateur runner, told the Guardian she was initially overwhelmed by feelings of shame and disappointment. "I really felt like I’d let down the girls that I was running for," she said, explaining she had psyched herself up to endure the race's hardships by comparing them to the far greater struggles faced by those her charity helps.
A Pre-Race Risk That Materialised
Speaking about the wider context of her work, Porter revealed that receiving hostility was not unexpected. Her charity, InspiredMinds!, which focuses on finding humanitarian uses for artificial intelligence, often attracts negative attention. "We’re also seeing a huge and very scary regression of women’s rights for the first time in our history," she stated. "So this is not exceptional, we were aware this was a possibility."
A comprehensive risk assessment had been conducted before the race with her coach, Jon Shield, security experts, and the event organisers. Given the remote nature of the Pennine Way route—where runners can be alone for hours—safety was paramount. Initially, it was deemed safe for her to participate, with her progress trackable online like all other competitors.
"I set off on the race, everything seemed fine," Porter recalled. The situation changed abruptly when the Spine Race team notified her that the threat level had escalated. As a precaution, her tracking device was disabled to conceal her location. Upon reaching the second checkpoint at Standedge, she was informed she was being withdrawn from the course, a decision made in consultation with her security team.
Respect for Organisers and Renewed Determination
Porter expressed no resentment towards the race officials for their actions. "I can’t do anything but respect them for the way that they dealt with things," she said. The experience has, if anything, strengthened her resolve. "It’s just made me feel much more determined to carry on and continue doing [future races]." Her GoFundMe page remains active for donations to her cause.
The organisers of the Montane Spine Race issued a statement confirming their actions. "On Saturday the 10th [of January] we made the difficult decision to remove one of our participants from the race following a personal safety threat," they said. "We have been working with all the relevant authorities and believe there is no wider threat to other participants on the course." They emphasised that the safety of all participants is their primary concern.
The full 268-mile Montane Winter Spine race, which continues to the Scottish borders, is considered one of the UK's most elite endurance events. The first finishers were expected mid-week, after a punishing start due to freezing temperatures and severe winds from Storm Goretti.
