Ben Saunders - Polar Explorer, Motivational Speaker

Broken Dreams

The simmering impasse between expedition logistics specialists Cerpolex and the Powers That Be in deepest Siberia seems to have finally imploded, and the three expeditions heading from Russia to the North Pole this spring were all airlifted off the ice today - Ann Daniels, Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft and the Poletrack team of Marc Cornelissen, Doug Stoup and Petter Nyquist.

I can't begin to imagine how disappointed and frustrated these guys must be, and my heart goes out to them.

Tony reminded me of the launch of last year's expedition, when we found our progress northwards delayed (for more than a week) by the same shady and intimidatory brand of Russian 'bureaucracy'. We were sat in our hotel room in Khatanga, going through my kitlist for the umpteenth time when I said to him 'maybe we should put it all off until next year'. I'm pretty glad we didn't.

{ Filed under Other expeditions on March 31st, 2005 | 2 Comments }

R&R

I'm spending Easter weekend with my mum - catching up on some sleep, getting in some long training runs and enjoying some top-notch home cooking…

The last couple of weeks have been as mad as ever, but there are some really exciting things in the pipeline (more on this soon, but I'm taking a day off from thinking about expedition stuff). After being knocked out with flu for a bit, I'm getting back into full-bore training and bashed out a decent two-and-a-half-hour run through the cold, damp Lincolnshire mist this afternoon. And now, I'm sat here on my mum's PC with a steaming mug of tea and the mouth-watering aroma of roast lamb drifting in from the kitchen. Happy days.

{ Filed under Random thoughts and reflection on March 27th, 2005 | 6 Comments }

Getting Warmer

On March 16 last spring, when I was skiing toward the North Pole, the temperature was -40°C. On the 17th, it was -31°C. For the same two days this year, it was -24 and -17 respectively.

The snow on Kilimanjaro has melted for the first time in 11,000 years and at lunchtime today I sat on the grass in Green Park, rolled up my sleeves and simultaneoulsy drank an iced latte and cursed the fact that I'd left my sunglasses at home.

The times they are a changin'.

{ Filed under Random thoughts and reflection on March 17th, 2005 | 5 Comments }

Bare-Faced Cheek

Good news: I'm currently featuring in a two-page Nike ACG ad that's running in a number of magazines (Men's Health, FHM, Men's Fitness, etc, etc).

Bad news: I'm sorry to disappoint, but it's not actually Nike gear that I'm wearing in the photo. In fact, I'm not wearing anything at all. I'm really sorry, mum!

{ Filed under Miscellany on March 9th, 2005 | 13 Comments }