The Montane Arctic Spine race is a non-stop, 293 mile (472 km) foot race along the Kungsleden Trail in Arctic Sweden. This race captures the full self-sufficient, expedition-style feel of the Spine Race as we know it, but transported into the bitter cold of the Arctic.

This year’s event was the first-ever edition of this race which is the first of its kind. Athletes pull all their kit behind them on pulks as they carve their way along the trail on backcountry skis or snowshoes. Conditions were extremely tough with temperatures dipping below -30°c on the first day and not rising above that point throughout the rest of the race. Snow was deep enough in places that our pioneering entrants had to plough their own route through the terrain.

After 48 hours of racing only 2 athletes remained. Both went on to put in outstanding performances and both were well-deserving recipients of the first-ever Arctic Spine Race medals. Those 2 athletes were Ed Sellon and Kev Leahy who was crowned our winner. In this episode, you’ll hear about their experiences in the Arctic, including a wealth of tips on how to survive whilst racing in extremely cold environments.

If you’re interested in entering the event in 2025 then click the following link, read about the event, and enter your details in the registry of Interest form you’ll find there: ARCTIC SPINE RACE 2025

In the episode, we refer to a playlist of music that Kev was listening to out there in the snow. You can find that HERE.

Watch this episode below on YouTube, or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.