If you don’t know who Ryan Sandes is, read up on him here. The runner who goes by the nickname, Hedgie boasts a formiddable running curriculum vitae. He recently won the Atacama Crossing in Chile, making him the first person in history to win three desert races (you can check out what those races are all about here). He was also the subject of a mildly amazing documentary, Wandering Fever.

So after overcoming 250 kilometres in searing desert heat three times over, it of course makes absolute sense for Sandes to go ahead and dive right in to a race that will see him exposed to the opposite end of the temperature scale – extreme cold. Sandes will be taking part in Last Desert race on summertime Antarctica, and if he wins, he’ll become the first person in history to win all four Desert Races. How cold is extreme cold? It’s  -33’C.

Brings a new paradigm to the phrase “pre-jog warm up”, doesn’t it?

The 28 year old Capetonian and 2009 Sahara Race champion Paolo Barghini (50) of Italy start as favourites for the race title. The six stage race takes place over seven days, with competitors traveling by ship between course locations that are dictated by the prevailing sea, ice and general weather conditions.

The terrain and weather conditions can derail the finest athletes, it’s not just about having the legs to run all day, it’s about being able to keep going through knee-deep snow, with a blizzard blowing in your face, at minus 20 degrees Celsius whilst having your feet encased in snowshoes, and your body wrapped in layers of thick Arctic-weather clothing. This is where everything these competitors have learnt in the other 4 Deserts comes into play, but they have to adapt that to a completely new environment.

Check out Ryan training in an icy chamber in a Cape Union Mart store here.

Follow Ryan’s blog on his brand new website here.

Good Luck Hedgie. We’ve got your back boy, but we’ll be on the beach. In the sun.

[Image: Kolesky/Nikon/Lexar]