Those were the conditions faced by Islander Pete Wright (45), who recently embarked on a gruelling endurance race through Arctic Sweden to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support Jersey.
Mr Wright, a seasoned endurance runner who has competed all around the world, said that the five-stage, 140-mile-long ‘Ice-Ultra’ had been his ‘toughest race yet’. Previously he has taken part in the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run in California, the 2015 Jungle Marathon in Brazil, the Spine Race – a 268-mile race along the Pennine Way – and the Marathon Des Sables, running 150 miles across the Sahara Desert.
A total of 30 people started the Ice-Ultra race, but only 15 finished – including Mr Wright, who is an accountant. He also celebrated his birthday on day three of the five-day challenge.
Mr Wright and the other competitors raced through the wilderness of the indigenous Sámi people, within the Jakkmokk – a municipality in Lapland, Sweden – which is approximately the size of Wales but has a population of just 3,000 people.
‘The days were quite short and we had to wear head torches to be able to see and we also had to carry our entire kit, including food for the entire week, throughout the race. We slept in either teepee tents or remote huts,’ he said.
‘The route often took us through vast snowfields, up mountains, through ice forests and across frozen lakes.
‘Very often you found you were completely alone in the wilderness, which was quite exhilarating.’
He added: ‘The temperatures, which were generally between -25°C and -40°C, were not to be taken lightly and resulted in half of the competitors not finishing due to frostbite or fatigue.’
Mr Wright, whose Arctic race has helped him to raise £500 so far, has now set himself the challenge of a solo rowathon of 30,000 metres, which is the equivalent of rowing from Sark to Jersey.
And for his next running challenge – due to take place in August – he will be attempting a 140-mile non-stop foot race from Whitehaven to Tynemouth in the UK, all within 38 hours.
Donations can be made on the Macmillan Cancer Support Jersey website by searching for ‘Pete’s Ultimate Endurance Challenges’.
