Fulda Challenge

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Run to Eagle Plains

Caroline Pick / 09.02.2004

On day 6 Gary Bullen of Team UK was fifth in the 16-kilometre race which started at the Arctic Circle marker on the Dempster Highway, taking athletes to the lonely motel and gas station at Eagle Plains. His team mate Gill Watson finished sixth the team is now in sixth position (from 9) with a total of 104 points. They are well behind leaders Canada, who have 146 points.

Gary Bullen said: \"It was -27C when we started on the windswept tundra where a sign surrounded by snowdrifts marks the Arctic Circle. The loneliness of the long distance runner took on a new meaning for me.\" He added: \"The field quickly spread out over several kilometres and I kept my legs pumping as we went up and down hills.

“Off to the side were stunted trees, frozen lakes and mountains, home to caribou, fox, lynx and other wild animals. The nearest hamlet, once you get to Eagle Plains is the old gold rush hamlet of Dawson City which is 400 miles to the south.� Gary continued: \"If you travel 400 kilometres in the other direction, you get to the town of Inuvik in the North West Territories.�

Battling the sub-zero temperatures and suffering with frostbite was Britain\'s Hi-Q team, Clare Dawson and Barry Nutley, who both brought up the rear in the event, and with 65 points, are at the bottom of the table. Not that they are worried.

\"I\'m just delighted to be here,\" said Dawson. \"Two weeks ago I didn\'t know I\'d be at the Arctic Circle and was working on the web page I run for a French ski resort.\" But she received a call from Barry Nutley\'s daughter, saying her father\'s partner had dropped out because of injury and he needed a team mate who could get time off. \"I jumped at the chance,\" Claire said. \"It\'s been incredibly hard going. But a great deal of fun.\"

The two British teams ended the day by setting up camp in Eagle Plains, with the final day of the challenge ahead of them. Events awaiting the teams include a quad bike race across an ice bridge and the ice climbing event in Dawson.See All Event Posts