Polar Race Training Schedule

1st Assessment Day

The assessment day will include interviews, psychometric tests and team exercises.

As experience has shown that much of this is "in the mind", if we are satisfied of an individual's capability they will be offered an entry place.

We will run additional assessment days later in the year for those who have yet to apply. Individual arrangements will be made for those overseas if necessary.

2nd Assessment Day

A re-run of the 1st assessment day for those unable to attend the November session.

Marlborough Downs Yomp

A 'yomp' across the Marlborough Downs. This won't be too difficult physically, but it does give us an opportunity to check a base level of fitness and watch people interact.

Click here to see pictures from last year's romp.

GPS and Fitness Training

Seminars on finding sponsorship, how to handle the media, GPS theory and an introduction to land training.

Click here to see pictures from the event.

Physical and Team Challenge Day

The Physical aspect will consist of Commando Circuits designed to assess your physical progress.

The Team aspect will consist of exercises designed to challenge the ability of entrants to function both in a team and as a leader while completing various tasks. The tasks themselves may appear meaningless but are to be carried out as if your very life depends upon their completion!

Assessment Day

For new entrants who have not yet attended an assessment day. The format will be as for Nov/Dec 2003.

Clothing and Equipment Training (Phase 1)

The first practical introduction to what is required in the Arctic. Neill Williams will be responsible for the seminars on clothing and equipment, together with Richard Bull who ran one of the Polar Race checkpoints in 2003 and has enormous experience of looking after people on polar exercises.

The activities will include:

• seminar on clothing
• seminar on equipment
• practical work in groups on clothing and equipment
• clothing measurement
• information on branding of clothing
• discussions on sponsorship.

Clothing and Equipment Training (Phase 2)

Continuing education on clothing and equipment, including 'catch-up' sessions for those unable to attend the April event.

Also, this will be the time to start thinking about partnering up to form the teams competing in the race.

Click here to see pictures from the event.

Assessment Day

For new entrants who have not yet attended an assessment day. The format will be as for Nov/Dec 2003.

Equipment Issue, Responsibilities and Rules

Equipment will be issued to entrants. Clothing can be checked it fits, and if necessary altered or re-ordered.

The individual roles which teams must assign to members will be discussed. These roles include navigation, communications, weapons, etc.

On this day we will also go through the Rules of the Race, as it is important that everyone understands the boundaries which we race to; trying to make competition fair, but never at the risk of safety.

Click here to see pictures from the event.

Equipment, Food and Packing Training

More equipment will be issued, but the main focus will be on food, and the art of packing.

For the race, basic rations will be supplied by the organisers, but teams will want to supplement this with their own preferences. Teams will be responsible for packing their own food, and splitting it into batches as necessary for each leg of the race.

This day will help teams understand the health aspects and the day-to-day logistics of eating and drinking in the Arctic.

Click here to see pictures from the event.

Gun Handling Training

Today's training will be an introduction to gun handling including, for a bit of fun, a clay pigeon shoot. Use of the gun to ward off polar bears will be covered properly during a formal training session in the Arctic, but for those who have never used a gun before this is a good way of getting used to handling a gun and dealing with effects such as recoil.

Click here to see pictures from the event.

"I'm A Polar Race Contestant, Get Me Out Of Here!"

A full weekend event where the main aim is to cover endurance and team work. It will help see where participants are with regard to both physical and mental preparation.

The activities will include:

• a fitness "wake up call"
• tent and stove handling in the wind and cold
• practical GPS work.

Click here to see pictures from the event.

Video Filming and Emergency Signalling Training

In the Arctic, teams will film themselves competing in the Race, both for their own, and more general, Polar Race publicity.

This session will include training in the theoretical aspects, followed by practical application of camera work, to learn how to get the best results in the extreme conditions.

The session is being led by Kees 't Hooft, one of the world's leading adventure cameramen. He has been to Everest twice, and spent a month in a snow hole in South Georgia in his quest for the best in action.

The day will also cover use of PLBs -- the emergency GPS Personal Locator Beacons carried by all competitors in the Race.

Click here to see pictures from the event.

Medical Training

Race doctor, Mike Whiteside, will be discussing general medical issues with each of the competitors, and then going on to explore in more detail typical cold weather injuries that the teams may have to deal with.

Click here to see pictures from the event.

Arctic Training Week

All racers have a week's hands-on training in the Arctic prior to the race. During this week a recap will be given of all previous training sessions, together with practical lessons and acclimatisation to the extreme conditions that can't be replicated anywhere else on the globe.

The week will include a two-night mini-expedition to give racers a real taste of the Arctic. This will help our racers get over the initial 'arctic shock' that plagues all newcomers to the polar regions.

The training will also recap:

• cold weather safety - the 'buddy system'
• polar bear safety - awareness and protection
• medical safety - minor first-aid and accessing the race doctor for bigger injuries
• emergency safety - PLBs (Personal Locator Beacons) and the emergency procedures
• communications - satellelite phone
• firearms
• clothing systems / moisture management
• food, nutrition and hygiene
• sleeping out in the Arctic
• skiing techniques
• pulk hauling techniques
• navigation
• race rules and tactics.

Polar Race 2005

From Resolute Bay to the Magnetic North Pole.