The Special Achievement Award was presented to ultra-distance runners Nikki Arthur and fiancé Orran Smith by Daphne Caine MHK, Minister for the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.

Both excelled in the 2024 Montane Winter Spine Challenge, Orran finishing sixth overall in the main event and Nikki winning the women’s class of the shorter Challenger race.

In 2023 Orran ran the Dragon’s Back event in Wales: ‘It was supposed to be the toughest, but I felt that I didn’t quite get my money’s worth so I then entered the Spine Challenge over the length of the Pennines from the Derbyshire Peaks to the Scottish Borders.’

It was while training for the gruelling 268-mile event that he learnt of his friend Chris Sheeley’s battle with Multiple Sclerosis. ‘I felt guilty having known Chris so well and yet being unaware of his challenges with MS. I wanted to help in some way. I thought, I’m doing the Spine Race anyway, so why not do it as a fundraiser for the MS Society.

‘I was astonished with people’s generosity and ended up raising over £11,000,’ said Orran who finished joint 10th.

One year on from that he once again battled sub-zero temperatures to complete the same arduous course from Edale to Kirk Yetholm 10 hours quicker in 94hr 48min 36sec to earn him an excellent sixth place overall, fifth male.

One day earlier, Orran’s partner Nikki won the women’s class of the 160-mile Spine Challenger North race in 52hr 17min 19sec, finishing third overall on the shorter route beginning from Hardraw, near Hawes within the Yorkshire Dales.

Shortly after reaching the finish line at Kirk Yetholm, Orran unzipped his back-pack and pulled out an engagement ring that he had carried the full distance with him.

‘I had kind of hoped to catch Nikki up on the way, but she went too fast for me so that didn't happen.

‘When I got to the finish she was there, and the ring was still in my bag. So I managed to compose myself enough to ask her the question. Thankfully, she said yes’.

The full-distance event sees runners climbing in excess of 10,000 metres as they traverse the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park, Hadrian’s Wall and the Cheviots.

Competitors suffer physical exhaustion and at times hallucinations as they battle sleep deprivation.

‘You start seeing things,’ admitted Orran. ‘I don’t know what drives you on. It’s all about resilience. You meet it head on, it gives you the opportunity to see what you're made of.

Speaking about Orran’s proposal, Nikki said: ‘It was a special moment. 2024 was a very busy year and it was just amazing on so many levels.’

She won the women’s section of the Manx Mountain Marathon for the third time in succession and was the best local finisher in the London Marathon.

2025 started with the full Spine Challenge for Nikki when her debut time was quicker than her fiancé’s 2013 debut.

Both are racing the Edale Skyline English Championships at the end of this month, the Manx Mountain Marathon at Easter, and the 14 Peaks Ultra in Wales in June.

Nikki is building to her ‘dream race’, the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in August, while Orran will be heading to Italy in September for the Tor des Geants.