The Ice Ultra

This is Swedish Lapland.  Laying inside the Arctic Circle it’s Europe’s last remaining wilderness and the heartland of the indigenous Sámi people.  This area, Jokkmokk municipality, an area the size of Wales but with a population of only around three thousand, can experience daytime temperatures as low as -40 degrees at this time of year and the days are short.

You’re standing in snow, surrounded by seemingly endless pine forests scattered with frozen lakes.  White-capped mountains dominate the horizon.  All around you is silent and peaceful broken only by the crunch of your steps in the snow as you make your way through 230km of this UNESCO world heritage area.  As darkness descends at the end of each day you can expect to feel like the only person on the planet.

A 230km race split into 5 stages taking in Arctic tundra and frozen lakes all set against a back drop of white topped mountains.

The days are short and the course is long; runners should expect long periods running in darkness, following a marked route by head torch, under skies free of light pollution and filled with stars and sightings of aurora.

As a self-sufficient race you are responsible for carrying your entire kit, including food, safety equipment and a minimum of 1.5 litres of water which can be re-filled at checkpoints along the stages.  You’ll need some specialist gear to take on the conditions the Arctic Circle can throw at you.