Polar Race News
One of the leading people in cold weather survival was on hand to give instruction to the 2009 Polar Racers when they gathered in Clevedon for seminars on equipment earlier this month.
Steve, who ran the Patriot Hills base in Antarctica for 7 seasons is possibly the best in the world at his job and he soon had his audience enthralled as they discovered what works and what does not in extreme cold.
An illuminating weekend for all and just a part of the Polar Adventures training programme.
Like Richard Dunwoody, other former racers are aiming for further conquests. In this case Babs Powell, Justin Packshaw and Jan Meek are all off up to the Geographic North with David Hempleman-Adams demonstrating yet again just how good a training experience the Polar Race is.
Trying to get away last week for some skiing and cross country training. Polar Race Organiser Jock Wishart headed off to the Pyrenees and a Spanish resort called Cerler. Landing in Toulouse airport there was a mix-up on baggage handling and instead of baggage from Gatwick coming off the belt it was that from Birmingham.
At which point Polar race webmaster Chris Walker and his father Gary (ex-Polar Race Logistics) appeared to pick up their luggage.
A very small world!!
Polar Race 2009 competitor Roger Davies' account of his experience in this year's "Tough Guys"
At of the start Tough Guy you are corralled with 3000 plus runners acquainting yourself with that familiar odour of liniment and tummy upset
Charge; you are off and running. It is then you realise you are witness to a lemming - like dash into self inflicted misery.
After a few country miles you reach of the leg sapping slalom, up and down 8 or was it more times - then off over a muddy field to a ditch full of brown water, thigh deep and its cold. But there was more -nine times we jumped into a river, over 'nut' height and now that's bloody freezing.
Through the woods, ambushed by obstacles to climb over then crawling under 2ft high and 40ft long nets, finally to break out it the open with two 30ft Tigers (commando style climbing frames) to scale - in between are electric fences that sting. Over more 10ft obstacles, cross 20 ft high voids using only ropes.
With wild abandon one jumps and scrambles amongst the fiery holes; now with any exposed body hair singed off you crawling through the tyre tunnel.
More water > there is plenty of water on this course supplied by natural springs and topped up by over a 120 resident elderly horses that live here.
Through the swamp, from ankle deep clinging mud to knee deep slime that give off an interesting smell that stays with you (for days). Through the Vietcong tunnels designed to effectively peel all the skin off your knees and elbows. Here comes the next climb with netting and ropes as high as houses that people fell off with regular occurrence - possible due to hands & bits being numb.
Back into the water this time Underwater Tunnels - the cold bites deep when the head goes under the freezing 'brown' water - the ice cold shocks you each time you attack the tunnels and pop up into one of the 2 small dark air pockets in between; it certainly take ones breathe away.
Out you flounder covered from head to toe in river slit and more, much more; by this time all sense of smell has gone. Onward; and over the seven bale high wall and on to the lake.
Pirates of the Caribbean has nothing on walking these planks towering over the murky depths of the lake- I held my nose why I don't know there was already plenty of ...... up there. Off I jump, plunging deep under the freezing brown water and swim, paddle and waddle manfully to the side. Surprising how much better you feel out and on a muddy field.
Of the few challenges left the Stalag Escape was the pits, you lay face down in the mud and belly crawl the 40ft under barbed wire.
Maybe I should point out that there are relatives, sadists and frogmen grouped around these water features: clutching thermos flasks, chomping on sandwiches, offering gems of advise and cheering particularly good examples of the art of submerging oneself (I am sure I saw Jock amongst them roaring with laughter or was I becoming paranoid).
I got a horse-brass, three cups of hot chocolate, enough lactic acid, abrasions, gouges, muscle cramps, pulls, strains, tibia, mibia, fibia's to fill Running Magazine's 'Know Your Injury' column for the next decade.
All in a days train for the Polar Race!
Download the article in PDF format (145KB)
Contestants in the Polar Race 2009 spent a long weekend, initially enduring the rigours of the gym on Saturday to assess their fitness levels (Polar Adventures "wake up" call). Then on the Sunday time was spent in the "classroom" dealing with subjects as diverse as "Tips on dealing with the Press" to "Finding local sponsorship " - essential items in raising money for their Entry fee and their chosen charity.
This is just part of the Polar Adventures service.
ALL came away with eyes wide open!
Former Champion Hunt Jockey Richard Dunwoody returns to he UK this weekend from his successful unsupported walk to the South Pole.
Richard was a successful competitor in the first ever Polar Race in 2003. The arctic training he received from polar experts, Steve Pinfield and Neill Williams of Polar Adventures standing him in good stead for what turned out to be his second polar walk and this time over a previously untried route.
Well done Richard
When the sad news of Sir Edmund Hillary's death came through last week, Polar Race organiser Jock Wishart was much in demand by BBC, GMTV and Sky for a live tribute on Sir Edmund. As Jock said
"At one point I had a TV crew in our front room at 1.00am but no matter I just felt so privileged to be allowed to say a few words on the life of a great man:- a giant of a man in every sense of the word."