Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
380 miles warming up for my Arctic role
Today I should be in the Arctic racing 380 miles across the Yukon in Canada, pulling a sledge in -50C temperatures. But sadly the race is another victim of coronavirus.
We all know the need for social distancing but additionally the tiny villages we race through are home to remote indigenous people and, as such, 40 competitors and crew from around the world could be disastrous in the current climate.
This has not stopped the amazing race organisers Martin and Stu giving the competitors a challenge to test the athletes, though. So on March 1, I started the virtual 380 mile race that they have organised.
Not only have they sorted out all the logistics for making it a tracked race but because of me, they have also donated all the profits to Prostate
Cancer UK. Yet again, I’m so humbled that people care so much about me and this important charity.
In the actual race you have nine days to complete the
380 miles but for this challenge they have given us the whole month. That said I am trying to do it all in nine days to test my fitness so I know what to work on for 2022 when I am back in the Arctic for real. So far I am on track, with 42 miles a day, every day.
What I have found most amazing is that instead of the 30 who usually do the race, more than 150 people have signed up for either the full challenge or the shorter one of 120 miles. I’m in awe of many of my friends who have virtually joined me and are putting their foot on the start line for the first time in a race of this magnitude. I am so proud of them.
Why don’t you look for a virtual challenge to get you out exercising more or even make up your own one as I have before? The sense of achievement makes it all worthwhile.
Until next week, when I will tell you how I got on. Kev
I’m trying to do 42 miles every day for nine days to test my fitness