Day # 4: - 56 degrees Celsius = Frostbite

Today we started the day out with a drive out to Braeburn lodge, infamous for their oversize cinnamon buns and dog food drive through.  Across from the lodge was an airstrip. I am going to assume that the airstrip does not get used very often as it was covered in snow and that was where our ski - joring event was to take place.

After a quick briefing from Hans-Joachim Stuck, I realized that the former professional F1 race car driver most certainly had an affinity to speed. The event required one team member to drive a 2012 Kia Sportage 800 meters down the runway with the other teammate holding a ski rope being towed behind. The towed competitor had to ski around a number of pylons on the outside of the runway, similar to a water ski slalom course. Once you went through the pylons, you then had to whip around at the end and drive straight back to the start line, skier in tow. His suggested driving speed for the way back was 60 km/h but really, you could go as fast as you felt comfortable. What's the worst thing that could happen...??

Hans-Joachim Stuck directing the vehicles

Hans-Joachim Stuck explaining the event

The men were to go first in this event so the girls would drive first, then switch.  Ryan put his protective gear on including spine pad, elbow pads and helmet. As I climbed into the driver’s seat i looked back, gave Ryan a wink and said "you better hold on!"  We had some points to catch up on!

driving up the runway proved more difficult than anticipated. I struggled getting a consistent speed and in the side mirror it looked like i was really jerking Ryan around. Finally getting to the pylon at the end, I whipped turned around and figured we had some major catching up to do.

I sped back to the finish line and kept looking back making sure Ryan was still in tow. 60, 70, 80, 85 km/h.... Ryan looked stable so i kept speeding up. When we got to the finish line the crew took one look at Ryan's face and yelled for him to get into a warm car. His balaclava had slipped down and he had about five spots of frostbite all over his face. I felt terrible.

We ended up getting 2nd as a team in the ski- joring event and Ryan was a real trooper. He figured the frostbite made him look hard-core. I felt a tiny bit of guilt every time i looked at his face, but that quickly subsided, we were in competition mode!

After lunch we had a 4 hour drive up to Dawson City. Picturesque and beautiful. Upon arrival we were to have a local Native Dinner before our Gold Rush run at 8pm that night. All the athletes picked away at plain rice not wanting to eat too much before the run and salivated over the chocolate desserts.

The run was postponed until 9 pm that evening due to "technical" difficulties. We weren't quite sure what that meant, but we assumed they were playing a sick joke on us and trying to make the upcoming event just that much harder.  The run was supposed to be a half marathon, but it was decided by the doctors to be shortened for medical reasons. I have never been so happy to hear that it was - 56 outside! A short run!

Fulda Challenge Medic / Fireman

The run was one of the harder things we did. At -56 you need to keep your face protected (especially Ryan) so you are met with the challenge of your goggles fogging and freezing and your balaclava covering up with ice to the point that you couldn't breathe. You dig deep and decide if being able to breath and see are really all that important when trying to win a race. Ryan and I started strong until we saw Alex Lang (3 times Ironman Champion) disappeared into the night. Our iPods died shortly after from the cold and so we were left with only the sound of our hyperventilating breath.

Ryan came in fifth for the men and i came in 3rd for the woman. When they tried to interview me at the end i realized i could barely make a sentence as my lips had frozen. Glad we were able to tick that one off the list!!

We tucked into bed to try and get some sleep as the next day promises 3 big events.

Half way there!!!

Chantal and Ryan

Day # 3 - Back to reality...

Back to Reality…

Going to bed on day 1 in the lead felt grrrreat.  We slept well in the tents (despite the -40 degree temperatures) knowing we had done ourselves proud on day one.  Day 2 promised to be something entirely different.  The dreaded cross country ski:

Arriving on site, the wind was howling and the temperature were hovering around -40 with the wind chill. 

We both knew that we were going to have a long day when we had troubles getting our shoes (boots??) on and off and had to ask for help to put our skis on.  We opted for an abbreviated warm up after watching the other contestants glide gracefully around the starting area (for fear of further embarrassment).   One of our competitors was a former Turin Olympic biathlon champion!!

Katja Beer-Wustenfeld - Former German  Biathlon Champion

6 laps later Ryan finished a miserable 6^th place and Chantal managed a respectable 4^th.  A few meager points for team Canada after the first event of day 2.

Ryan completing lap 3/6

Chantal mid lap

Ryan -crossing the finish line ending one of the toughest events

The second event was one of the most exciting so far:  The helicopter tire drop. A glorified ‘game of chance’, this event matched well with our skill set of gambling, video games and darts.

"Get to the choppa!!!"

Hans Joachim Stuck explaining the challenge

Team Canada listening the Hans (Chantal # 14, Ryan taking a knee)

Taking strategy with German competitor Alexander Lang (3x Hawaiian Ironman Champion)

The organizers strapped the athletes into the side of the helicopter with a harness, so you could lean out as far as you liked. 

Chantal strapped into her harness

Ryan's only complaint... how tight the harness was

Ready for take off! 

Standing on the skid, you held a tire in your hands and played ‘bombs away’ while directing the pilot via a headset.   

Bombs away Ryan

Chantal nailed the 2^nd circle from the middle and Ryan managed the 3^rd.  That gave us enough points for a 2 way tie for second in the overall team standings. 

Chantal waiting to board the helicopter

Ryan offering Chantal some last minute pointers 

Chantal directing the pilot

X marks the spot! 

As we thought, Chantal is carrying this team while holding down her spot as the first overall female.    

A tad dejected, we rounded up and went to the Sundog retreat.  The girls got a night in the cabins, as the European journalists wanted to experience what we were going through (idiots…).  The mercury dropped and we met -40 overnight.  The fire went out in the boy’s tent and no one wanted to get out of their bags to re-light it, so we suffered from 3 or 4 o’clock onwards. 

The hunter becomes the hunted... Wolf Pack!!

Tomorrow we have Skijorring and the Gold Rush run after a drive of 4 hours to Dawson City.   The forecast they are calling for is -43 with a wind chill taking it into -50 or so.  Not much fun to be had there…

We are still trucking though, and haven’t come close to a divorce yet :)