Beauties and the Bog - the overnight ultra marathon team

"Warning! The High Peak Marathon can test a competitor’s fitness, endurance and navigational skills to their limit. The route is at least 42 miles long and for much of it the terrain is pathless peat bog. The dark, lack of sleep and winter weather add to the challenge. All entrants should therefore be certain that they have the fitness, navigation and general mountaineering skills required to make a safe passage." High Peak Marathon organisers.

The High Peak Marathon is a mountain ultra marathon for teams of four. It's a navigational challenge, following an unmarked route around the Derwent Watershed in the Peak District through 42 miles of bog and moorland. If that isn't difficult enough, the race starts at 11pm, running through the night, in winter. It's not your average girls night out, but Ali, Bodil, Libby and Lisa embraced the challenge and trained through the winter for the 2016 High Peak Marathon, making a film of their experience.

Beauties and the Bog tells the story of their training and the events of race day. The running is tough, but you wouldn't know it as the team laugh and smile their way around the Peak District. As they navigate over long distances through the night, in very cold conditions, they explain their motivation to train. For Ali it's simple, "I like food." 

Lisa, Libby, Bodil, and Ali - Beauties and the Bog!

Bodil is in it for the scenery, and the film includes some beautiful shots of the Peak District. Libby is in it for the challenge, but Lisa really captures the spirit of the team when she says, "I enjoy running with this group of girls, we find everything really funny!"

"Our story is a little different," says Bodil, "because this race is a team event. Running can be quite a lonely sport, I love the feeling of being a team." That feeling really comes across in the film, it's clear what a strong team they make and how much they enjoy running together. 

This is the first time any of them have made a film, so they were overjoyed to be selected for Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (ShAFF).

Watch Beauties and the Bog below, and catch it on the big screen at ShAFF 17-19 March 2017. Keep up to date with the team's adventures on Twitter @BogBeauties.