Team shows backbone to make it to finishing line

When the four Yorkshire walkers finally managed to rest their weary limbs their conversation turned to their aching feet and the numbers of blisters each had.

No Mean Feet had been inspired to take part by team member Stuart Mowbray, from York, who’d had quite a journey to the start line.

The 34-year-old, who took part in Trailtrekker last year, had
urged his friends to join in the event but his own preparations were thrown into turmoil after he
had to undergo urgent spinal surgery at the start of the
year.

“It was a little bit more taxing for me this year,” he said.

Mr Mowbray had surgery to remove a disc that was pressing on the base of his spinal cord and he said it had certainly made his preparations “more difficult and challenging”.

After crossing the finishing line, however, he said his back had been fine, and it was his sore feet and the warm temperatures which had caused him more problems. “I would do it again,” he added.

“It’s the camaraderie between teams and it’s just something that brings everybody together.”

The other members of No Mean Feet included Elizabeth White, 26, from York, and Andrea Unwin, 30, who lives in Leeds, who said the team were hoping their efforts would raise more than £2,000.

Ms Unwin said they each relied on one another: “We had a great team. My team mates have kept me going.”

The fourth member of the team, Jacob Wright, from Pocklington, said walking through the night had been difficult because it was hard to see what was under foot.

Mr Wright, who works in York, said he was undecided if he would do another but added: “It has been great. I have never done anything like this before. I would maybe do it again.”