I have been watching 71 degrees North, the ITV programme about Celebs battling it out to be “The Champion”, in Arctic Norway with interest!

I was sad to see Andrew Castle get voted off this week, I know he is the old man of the programme, but he is only a month older than me! Am I going to struggle as much as Andrew with the cold, lack of ‘real food’ and creature comforts? I will be out in similar conditions for over a month, and there is no opportunity to win a night in a log cabin, have a hot shower or have dinner cooked for me! I know it makes for good telly, but I am quite sceptical as they talk about temperatures of minus forty degrees, then you see them all ‘hanging around’ with no gloves on their hands and not wearing any eye protection …. I suppose I will only know for real when I have experienced it for myself. Once we leave resolute Bay in Canada and head North towards the Magnetic North Pole, we leave behind civilisation. It’s a 350 nautical mile trek (race!) and the only way back is by plane, not a nice warm car.

I continue to train hard. Whilst I am not making much headway on the Pull Ups, I have a lot more strength in my arms, and I can control more of my eccentric Pull Ups (or is that controlled downs??). The Tyre (TT) is coming out very regularly. The session on the Salisbury Plain last Saturday was not as bad as I had feared, almost enjoyable, but we did do a rather steep incline! The Tyre is a great collector of leaves. Initially it was the lovely red and yellow Autumnal leaves; but today after the heavy over night frost of minus four, the trees lost most their remaining green leaves.

Autumn Leaves

Leaf Collection

I have the first training session with my team mates this weekend. We have not got a team name yet, but I am quite keen on Polar Slugs! There are a couple of reasons: 1. because we all look rather like slugs when in our sleeping bags (see Kit Distribution) and 2. Because we are not the obvious favourites for this race, but we are all quietly competitive (well maybe not that quietly!) and it has connotations of the tortoise and the hare! Katie is having fun working up a logo, so that I can try and convince my team mates! Chloe (10), her eldest daughter is very artistic (takes after Mum) and drew this picture of us!!

Polar Bear Attack

Let me know you thoughts on 71 Degrees North … Will Gavin Henson win, or is he just a bit too confident??

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