About the Challenge
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the first woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole.
To date, only 12 women have succeeded on such an expedition, and in November, I will mark the occasion by following the route of this first expedition, skiing the 704 miles from the edge of the Antarctic Continent, to the South Pole.
The journey will take 50 days, skiing uphill to an altitude of nearly 3,000m. I will face temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees celsius and wind speeds of up to 60mph, pulling all my food, fuel and equipment behind me, weighing around 85kg
My Why
Allyson Taylor, my Geography teacher, was the 'great' teacher. The moment that she displayed a picture of Antarctica on the projector and told us that it was the largest desert on earth, is etched in my mind and was the lightbulb event. I knew that one day, I would go there.
I threw myself in to books, reading the adventures of the famous polar explorers, Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton. They would endure such hardship, yet spoke of the magical landscape and would return despite their experiences. The butterflies and excitement this caused has never diminished and even as I write this, I am filled with such a passion and a purpose, it's difficult to express in words.
As this expedition took shape, I felt the need to reconnect with Mrs Taylor and to let her know the impact of this one lesson and how her contagious enthusiasm influenced me. With shock and sadness, I discovered that she had died the year before.
From that moment, the expedition took on a new meaning. With the permission of her family, I have Allyson's name embroidered on to the front of my expedition jacket. I feel sure that I will be communicating the highs and lows, taking her with me on this extraordinary journey.
An Expedition With Purpose
Women's Health:
As the expedition started to take shape, and my training intensified, I started to think about the effect of such extreme endurance on my health. What I discovered was just how little evidence there was out there, and even more alarming, how little of it was relevant to me as a woman.
Research on women's health and endurance sports is significantly lacking, resulting in a gender bias that negatively impacts women.
I will be using this opportunity to collaborate with the University of Exeter, partaking in research, exploring the impact of a 50-day solo expedition on hormones and psychological well-being.
Women's health issues in relation to sport and exercise are underexplored and underfunded compared to men's health. Through this platform, I aim to raise awareness of this disparity and the crucial need for research into women's health and sport.
This unique research will enable the start of a database and through this, I hope to advocate for more comprehensive research that addresses the unique physiological, psychological, and social factors affecting women in endurance sport.
Oral Health:
In Britain, the number one reason for a child to be admitted to hospital for a general anaesthetic, is to have decayed teeth extracted.
The lack of access to dental care and education has meant that these numbers are getting worse, and yet it is a completely preventable disease.
It is time to think outside the box when it comes to how we deliver oral health advice. As a dentist, I am in a unique position to be able to reach a large audience with this expedition, increasing awareness of oral health and delivering important preventative advice.
I'm excited to be joining forces with 'Keep Britain Smiling', a nationwide initiative to promote oral health and empower young people to be proud of their smiles.
Charity & Fundraising
It is important for me to be able to use this opportunity to raise money for two charities close to my heart. Both of these organisations have a profound impact on the lives of people in need, and I feel privileged to be able to contribute to their causes.
The fundraising will really step up a gear as the expedition approaches, whilst I am on the ice and for events and talks once I return home.
BRIDGE2AID
Bridge2Aid (charity number 1170578) is a UK based charity that works in partnership with community health workers, dentists and local governments in Africa. They train people in oral health promotion, the delivery of community-based oral health education programmes and carry out training in how to provide emergency dental treatment.
Their aim is to empower African dentists and health workers by enabling them to continue the training model and provide a sustainable solution to increase access to dental care.
COMMUNITY ACTION NEPAL
Community Action Nepal (charity number 1067772) is a UK based charity that builds and operates health posts in rural Nepal. They also deliver sustainable education and livelihood programmes, aiming to improve the quality of life and resilience of these remote communities.
The Training
Before embarking on an expedition to the South Pole, I needed to build my 'Polar CV,' to establish credibility and gain the necessary skills to ensure I was safe and could gain the permission from Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions to step foot on Antarctica.
I have devoted the last 3 years to acquiring these skills and I am excited to confirm that my application has been accepted by ALE and I am all set for departure in November 2024.
Polar Skills Training
Polar Skills Training involves learning and refining the skills needed to surivive for a period of time in the hostile polar conditions. A lot of my training took place in Finse, Norway, where the Polar Greats all trained prior to their historic expeditions.
I started with the basics of clothing and protection from the elements, skiing with a pulk, tent skills and cooking routines before setting out on my first mini-expedition.
This then progressed to longer expeditions, testing my body with the demands of many long days experienceing the wind and whiteouts of the Hardangervidda in Norway.
The next stage was to really test myself with one of the great expeditions, a crossing of Greenland. In August 2023, I completed a 39-day full East-to-West crossing of Greenland, following in the footsteps of Fridtjof Nansen and his first crossing in 1888.
This was a real test of all that I had learnt. With its challenging icefalls, vast planes, altitude and changeable, often severe weather, it is said that "if you have conquered The Inland Ice, you are ready for everything!'
Watch a 90 second video of my Greenland crossing via Instagram
Watch 90 second video of my Greenland Crossing via Facebook
In March-April this year, I ventured out on my own for a 2-week solo expedition in the Hardangervidda region of Norway. This was to fine-tune my routine, practise putting the tent up and down on my own and in all types of weather. This was as much mental training as it was physical. By feeling comfortable in my ability, I was also feeling more mentally prepared for what lies ahead.
Watch a short video of my solo expedition in Norway (INSTAGRAM)
Watch a short video of my solo expedition in Norway (FACEBOOK)
UK-BASED TRAINING
Day-today training involves working with a specialist coach, Jon Fearne E3 coaching
Expedition training is a full body workout, so training sessions are extremely varied. There is a strong focus on tyre-dragging, as this uses the same muscles needed for pulling a pulk across the ice. I have become quite a topic of conversation as I drag my tyres along the Cornish coast!
I mix this with strength training, running, roller-skiing and pilates.
NAVIGATION TRAINING
Being able to navigate and feel confident in the use of a compass and GPS, is essential. I already had some basic navigation skills, but I have refreshed and advanced through bespoke navigation courses over the past couple of years.
CREVASSE TRAINING
I will be crossing crevasse fields during my expedition to the South Pole. It is important that I am confident in recognising these risks, avoiding where possible and crossing safely where necessary.
Last year, I went to Chamonix and trained with Simon Abrahams, the Travel Safety Manager for ALE. We worked on identifiying areas at risk of crevassing, features to help identify hidden crevasses and rescue techniques. I also attended a moutaineering course in Scotland to refresh ropework skills and glacier travel skills.
Avoidance is critical, especially as a solo expeditioner, as rescue may not be possible!
Meet My Mentors
I am lucky to be able to name record-breaking polar adventurer Louis Rudd MBE and 7th woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole, Wendy Searle as my mentors.
Learning the essential skills for solo travel on Antarctica is more than just practical training, it is learning from the experience of others. The polar community is small but amongst it I have made lifelong friends and cheerleaders of my expedition. I have been a sponge, taking in all the advice and adapting it to suit what works for me. I look forward to doing this for others in the future.