Yukon Arctic Ultra 350 mil– End – Back to normal

Yukon Arctic Ultra 2015, it was extremly tough and incredibly beautiful at the same time. Yukon was nice to us and showed us everything on its menu. From very cold temperatures droping to -50 °C to mild -10 °C, from snow and wind to sunny days.

Scary and huge wolves track, northern lights, frozen lakes and rivers, challenging overflows, moments of pure happines and moments of pure exhaustion and fear. The goal was 700 km for me and 160 km for my wife. The day D came and we almost missed the start, but being late by couple minutes on race that takes days is not big deal.

First 160 km was part of our honeymoon so we walked together with my lovely wife Petra. And it was crazy cold, -43 °C in the morning so we better kept moving. First day passed away pretty easy. Well, I mean „easy“ in Yukon way. Petra was having big troubles with her hips so we decided to bivvy down and take some rest.

We were affraid of cold but we zipped two sleeping bags together and biological heat worked well so we were cold only little bit and slept. Unfortunately Petra´s hip got worse so we pushed another whole day and once we reached check point at 100 km she decided to scratch. Very hard, but wise decision. And I am very proud for her!!

Her hips hurt already from the start, but she didn´t tell me and pushed through. From 100 km check point I kept going solo. Another night on the snow in -46°C. I got frostbites on my fingers, but fortunately I fought back and saved my fingers. It was long haul through the night and morning before I reach Braeburn, 160 km mark.

There I met my wife again. I ate and rest little bit and it was so hard to say good bye and kept going. There was another 75 km before next check point and I knew it will take me whole night. I felt exhausted and sleepy. it is funny how body reacts to extreme conditions.

 I felt great for couple hours, pushing hard and everything was ok and than I felt like crap and at the bottom. later that night when I was on frozen lakes I saw track of wolf for the first time. With wolves in my mind I bivvy down for a while. It warmed up to -26 °C and it was windy and snowing.

 I reached Ken lake, 240 km mark around midday. Bit of sleep and food and ready for another push, 60 km to Carmacks. In the last three nights I slept only 6 hour altogether so my mind was playing games. Pushing through the night is very mentaly difficult and I saw scary creatures, weird shapes and objects in snow covered trees.

I got used to it, worse was when I started to have hearing halucinations. This night was the worst, walking in the dark forest with fresh wolves tracks all over the trail. many wolves were around me and they were following. I was so scared and exhausted, because I was affraid to stop and rest.

Long scary night, but 5am I made it to Carmacks. I needed better sleep and rest. And I also needed to start traveling more during the day. Next 55 km was on softer snow and my achilles were giving me troubles, it was never ending and I had to cross few over flows, but it went quite ok and I made it to McCabe.

From there long and straight stretch to Pelly crossing. I traveled mostly over the day and I made it to Pelly crossing later evening. Over 400 km behind me and I was happy I made it to here. My achilles were still in pain, but I hoped good rest will help.

Finally we got some sun and warm -10°C. 53 km to Pelly Farm went very well and pretty fast, so early in the evening I made it to Pelly Farm. My tendons were on strike so I made decision I will wait the night and see what will happen in the morning.

Next morning my achilles was swollen and I tried to walk, but with big pain so I made very hard decision to turn around and walk back to finish shorter distance. It is always very hard to make important decision, and now I am very happy I made this decision.

So last 53 km back to the finish line of shorter distance. I took it easy and around 9pm I made it back to Pelly Crossing, 512 km behind me. Health is most important for me and I am very happy with the result. and my decision.  Thank you Yukon for being nice to us!!!!