Raised: 126%
Target: £1,500.00
Raised so far: £1,897.49
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My story

 
Well, back home and thawed out after an eventful Yukon trip. I'll keep the details brief (more on www.arcticultra.de if you're interested), but basically the race was stopped for safety reasons at the 337-mile mark, when temperatures dipped to -61C and safety cover couldn't be guaranteed. I'm v disappointed not to have reached the finish, but hopefully you'll realise it was out of my hands! Of slight consolation was the fact that I was the only competitor in the 460-mile race to reach the remote Scroggie Creek checkpoint at Mile 337, and so was declared the winner...

As far as the Challenge Cancer 'Guesstimate' contest goes, I've worked out that I would have reached Dawson City in 11 days, 13 hours and 48 minutes (based on my actual pace of 337 miles in 8 days, 11 hours and 31 minutes). In the circumstances, this seems the fairest way to decide the winner, and after scanning the list of guesses, Jim Clark's estimate of 11:11:11 secures him the £150 prize.

So, finally - many, many thanks to everyone who contributed; with tax refunds, the total donated to Challenge Cancer is well over £2,000, all of which is now in their account.

Andy

**** UPDATE 25 JAN **** Many thanks to all of you who've helped hit the original £1,000 target! I've upped it again because I don't want to deter would-be sponsors from having a guess - and it'd be great to raise a bit more. **** Thanks again ****

On Feb 11th 2007, I'll be on a startline in Whitehorse, Canada, to run the 460-mile Yukon Arctic Ultra - a non-stop, unsupported race to the remote gold-rush town of Dawson.  The race route traverses frozen rivers, tundra and mountain ranges, and regularly sees temperatures drop to  -40C.

In return for a donation of £5 (or more!), there's a prize of £150 for the closest guess to my finishing time - days, hours and minutes - with ALL the proceeds going to a Derbyshire-based charity called Challenge Cancer Through Adventure.  In short, they fund adventure trips for people with cancer and potentially terminal illness (see www.challengecancer.org.uk for more details).

The inspiration for trying to support this charity has come from the courage, spirit and determination shown by friends Jill Leheup, Nicky Spinks and Denise Crowther, all of whom were diagnosed with cancer last year and are fighting hard to overcome an illness which I'm sure has affected - in one way or another - many of you reading this message.

Many thanks - Andy Heading

PS - please enter your finish time in the COMMENT box on the donation page. For more info about the race, log onto www.arcticultra.de  which will carry race updates from Feb 11th so you can see how your investment is doing!

PPS - guess tip: in 2005, a shorter (300-mile) version of the same race took me just over six days, 8 hours.

PPPS - if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your donation at no cost.

Amazing!! Donation by Adrian & Denise Lowther 05/03/07  

£50.00

well done Andy, pint's paid on. Donation by steve burgess 22/02/07  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by Nigel, Eleanor and Myles 21/02/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Too late to bet on time, but donation anyway. Donation by Mark Rowlson 20/02/07  

£15.00

Please remind us never to challange you to anything!! - Good Luck Donation by Sue Lewis and Nick Mason 20/02/07  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

10 days 1 hour 23 minutes 17 seconds! Donation by I. Wrigglesworth 18/02/07  

£5.50

Donation by aidan leheup 14/02/07  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by AJ 14/02/07  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Okay - my guess is 9 days 15 hours and 23 mins!! Donation by Katherine Hay-Heddle 14/02/07  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

If you get tired, let Mas have a go for a bit! 10days, 11 hours, 12 mins! Donation by Phil and Sheena 12/02/07  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

11 days 11 hours 11 minutes. Donation by Jim (Vallet Service) Clark 12/02/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Best of Luck Andy - 11days 5hrs & 12 days 6hrs? Don't step off the trail! Donation by bslakes 11/02/07  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

10 hours and one half hour Donation by Dave Morrow 11/02/07  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

9 days 4 hours. All the best over the next few days. Will eat some cakes in your honour. Donation by Ollie Marsh 10/02/07  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Compleation time - 9days, 19 hours & 6 minutes Donation by Pam Jeffrey 10/02/07  

£5.00

Compleation time - 10 days, 2 hours & 7 minutes Donation by Karen Jeffrey 10/02/07  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

10 days, 7 hours and 16 minutes. Looking forward to meeting you at the CCTA AGM Donation by Rob Richards 09/02/07  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Wrap up warm won't you? Donation by Eleanor 09/02/07  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

We really have no idea what you're doing , where it is and why. However, have a lovely fun time. Donation by Mother-in-law-dahling and David 07/02/07  

£20.00

9days 6hrs 13mins you silly sod! Donation by Elinor, Paul and Paula 07/02/07  

£30.00

fantastic effort andy - dont foget to tell the polar bears about challenge cancer - we need all the Donation by don & sarah 07/02/07  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Donation by Pete 07/02/07  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

Donation by susie farnsworth 07/02/07  

£20.00

have an amazing time andy and were all thinking of you Donation by lou 07/02/07  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

GOOD LUCK 11days 16hrs 35mins Donation by PAM PORTON 06/02/07  

£5.00

Donation by DONALD GEORGE PORTON 06/02/07  

£10.00

Best of luck Andy... 8d 16hrs 30 mins Donation by Andy Wilson 06/02/07  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck Andy Donation by Tracey Kaye 05/02/07  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

If you used my new alpine Zimmer frame you could do it in 9 days 12 hours exactly. Bon chance Donation by Esther chez Garry in France 04/02/07  

£30.00

9 days 17 hrs 17 min. If I understood computers I could have saved this go Donation by Garry Smith 04/02/07  

£6.00
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