and I optimistically peeled off a layer. There was great support along the way, plenty of drinks stations and even people proffering Vaseline, which we politely declined. Apart from the first slow mile, we were cruising nicely around 9 minute/mile pace

at my PC late at night looking for an event with a difference, I stumbled across a race website for The North Pole Marathon. It instantly seemed to tick all the boxes. A race run entirely on ice, in temperatures as low as –30C, in the middle

's other visitors. A popular warm-up accompanied by Christmas songs precedes a flat race taking in several laps of the pretty park. Be warned, it can get pretty toasty in that Santa suit so wear light layers underneath - or customise your suit ahead

around the house, taking cold showers, or wearing fewer layers outside."Replacing pool sessions with open water swims began in earnest from late-Spring onwards as Dr Nic trained with the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation in Dover at weekends. "At

, sand and intensity of the MdS, but smart training will get you as close as possible. Nail down a long-term training plan and sign up for an ultra or two (there are a growing number of multi-day stage races on our events listings). For a pre-race multi