Pole to Pole is going to involve activities I’ve never done before, specifically polar adventures and ocean rowing. This means extensive training is required. In March, I headed to Norway to begin my polar training. I was pretty apprehensive coming into it, unsure physically how challenging it would be. In preparation, I had been dragging a tyre (aka Wilson) up and down Maroubra Beach, but I had no idea if it would be enough for what lay ahead. I’d also had a hip replacement less than six months earlier, so that added to the doubts.

After flying into Oslo it was a scenic 4.5 hour train ride to Finse where the training was based. It was a bit of a shock, coming from summer and 30 degrees in Sydney to sub-zero temps! I was met by the incredible Hannah McKeand of Polar Expedition Training who was leading the training. Joining me were my fellow polar trainees, Noah and Lucy. We were a small group as three others unfortunately had to pull out.

WEEK ONE

The first week was learning all about what’s involved with polar expeditions, such as the clothing, camping, navigation, nutrition, risk management and much more. It was full on – with lessons beginning at 8am learning the theory and then the afternoon putting it into practice. More theory before dinner and then a related movie or webinar after dinner. We then had a couple of days preparing and packing for week two, which was a mini-expedition putting it all into practice.

Left to right: Hannah, Noah, Lucy, yours truly

As we prepared to set off, I was still a little nervous – what would it be like pulling a 40kg pulk (sled) – would my tyre dragging be adequate – how would the body hold up? Then what were the practicalities of the camping, the food, and dealing with the cold?

WEEK TWO

It turned out there was nothing to worry about. For one, we were in the best hands. Hannah is highly experienced - she’s Guinness World Record holder and has over 20 years of experience in the polar world through her own expeditions, guiding others and managing the camps in Antarctica.

Generally we were up at 6:30am – have breakfast, pack up and be underway by 8:30am. We would then do 1-hour sessions (marches) followed by a 15-minute break. That would be repeated 5 or 6 more times. For each march we’d take turns in leading, practising the navigation and learning the best way to find a path through the terrain. Then we’d set up camp – putting up the tents and getting dinner before sliding into our sleeping bags, very ready to sleep.

Before heading out on the mini expedition we created a series of success factors. The first was that we stayed safe. The second was having fun. And that we did – I haven’t laughed so much in a long time. For me, it’s an important part of adventuring – it can be full on, physically demanding and uncomfortable in many ways – laughter is a wonderful antidote to it all.

After seven days, we’d covered 108km, eaten a lot of snacks (a vital and very enjoyable part of polar expeditions), seen some spectacular scenery and built our confidence. It was an incredible experience, definitely very challenging, and a good reality check on what’s involved in polar expeditions.

My preference is to do the South Pole section of my expedition with one or two others rather than joining a guided trip. So next I will need to do a 21-day unguided trip – this will most likely be next February.

ARCTIC PLANS

One slightly disappointing thing was learning that it looks unlikely that any kind of skiing from the North Pole will be possible. There haven’t been any North Pole expeditions since 2018 for a variety of reasons. I was hoping this was on the cards to change, but sadly not. So the option I’m looking at now is joining a ship that heads to the North Pole during the summer where they aim to get close to the North Pole and then head out on the ice to reach the actual North Pole. The rest of the expedition remains unchanged and only cuts out 111km of skiing…so in the big scheme of things, it’s not a huge deal. There’s still PLENTY of physical challenge left!

REFLECTION

Norway was a big step on the road to the start line, and as mentioned, one I approached with a lot of apprehension, particularly around the physical demands. Polar expeditions are a different beast from anything I've done before - the Nile, cycling across Australia, bikepacking through Oman. This was new territory, and I wasn't sure my preparation would be enough. In the weeks leading up to it, I kept swinging between backing myself based on everything I've already done and quietly fearing this would be an overreach. I was heading out of my comfort zone, and the good news was that yes, it stretched me, but it was within my capabilities.

This was a reminder - following a big dream is always going to be uncomfortable. That's not a bug, it's the whole point, it’s a feature. If it felt easy, it wouldn't be a truly big dream. Norway reminded me what it feels like to be properly outside my comfort zone.

That's what the dream movement is about. Not the absence of fear or doubt, but moving forward anyway to the things that excite and scare us. Getting familiar with discomfort so it stops having a veto over decisions.

NEXT STEPS

One is finishing the ‘after action review’ - a full reflection of the training and expedition to take the learnings forward.

The primary focus is on getting a professional website created and then approaching potential sponsors. And a whole lot of actions on my project plan…

Polar Training in Norway

WEEK ONE

WEEK TWO

ARCTIC PLANS

REFLECTION

NEXT STEPS

Early Planning