Blind Scot Takes On Chilly Challenge

29 MAR2010

Running a marathon is hard enough, running it as a blind man would be a tricky challenge, but a blind man running a marathon in sub zero temperatures with nothing but ice between himself and the frigid sea is a truly amazing achievement.

Jamie Cuthbertson lost his sight 24 years ago in an explosives accident whilst serving with the Royal Engineers and early next month, will become the first ever blind Scot to take part in the world's coolest marathon, the North Pole Marathon. This is an officially recognised marathon, which takes place on the Arctic ice.

Jamie wants to show that being blind doesn't mean that you have to limit your ambitions or sense of adventure. He is aiming to raise £50,000 for St Dunstans, a charity which supports blinded ex-service men and women.

Having completed several desert races since the loss of his sight, including the Marathon des Sables, Jamie's latest venture will take him from one extreme to the other, as he will now tackle freezing conditions and surface ice.

During the race, Alex Pavanello, who works for St Dunstans in London, will guide Jamie. This makes training together very difficult and most of Jamie's training is done on a treadmill in his garage. Although recent weather patterns in Britain have provided a glimpse of the conditions that can be expected, one of Jamie's biggest concerns is striking the balance between wearing enough to keep warm and wearing too much and risking sweating. Footwear options are also a major issue for consideration.

View Jamie's fundraising page here.