South Aussie dad Aaron Crook wins gruelling Arctic Ultra marathon
Frostbite, hallucinations, nerve damage, this is what Australian father Aaron Cook endured as he took on one of the world’s most gruelling races.
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‘Frostbite or finish’ – That was the simple mantra Aaron Crook was repeating over and over in his head while dragging a 50kg sled across the Arctic Circle.
The father-of-two had battled hallucinations, severe tendinitis, nerve damage and possible frostbite after running 620kms in -42 degrees over seven days across Canada.
But it was a text message from his family back in SA just as conditions worsened that helped push him over the finish line of the world’s toughest ultra marathons – the Arctic Ultra.
“My phone which was in the sled started to get some reception and I started to get some messages from people back home who were tracking me, saying ‘You’re not actually that far away from the people in first and second, you’ve got to go’.
“About five kilometres later I saw the other two racers and they were sleeping. At that point, I just put my foot down and just went for it.”
Despite only sleeping for 11 hours across the gruelling race, the Somerton Park runner was able to beat out 14 other competitors – many professional racers – to take first place.
But, he says, an unfortunate mistake 80kms into the race forced him to push harder than the rest of the competition.
“I got into my bivi (swag) and the zip broke, which meant I wasn’t able to close it and protect myself from the elements,” he said.
“At that point, I thought I was done so I got up and got moving to see how far I could get.
“That was the beginning of my strategy that allowed me to win the race”
“I just waited until I couldn’t feel my toes and then I’d get up and start moving, so I’d only really be sleeping for five minutes each time.”
The 41-year-old was able to raise more than $26,000 for two charities, which support young people’s mental health.
While he has no plans for another challenge, he hasn’t sat still for long, already heading back to the gym in an attempt to rebuild his body.
“We’ve had some hot days since I got home, I’ve just been thawing out,” he joked.
“My wife was really nervous about this whole thing from the beginning, so I think she is just relieved that I’ve come home safely with all my fingers and toes, and most importantly my nose.”
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Originally published as South Aussie dad Aaron Crook wins gruelling Arctic Ultra marathon
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