Chief Executive Bev Jacobson has admitted that the Antarctic Ice Marathon on November 24 is her maddest challenge yet.

She is heading for the South Pole in the Antarctic summer, where it will be light 24 hours a day, to run in temperatures of -25 degrees, and with winds blowing at between 10-25 knots. Her destination is further south than even penguins will venture.

With the snow and ice terrain, and no spectators to cheer them on, participants have been advised that they are unlikely to achieve the finishing time they would normally expect. The marathon cut-off is a generous ten hours.

Bev will fly to Santiago, the capital of Chile, then take an internal flight to Punta Arenas. From there, an aircraft will take her and the other competitors on a four-hour flight to the Antarctic. However, with weather conditions unpredictable, scheduled departure and return dates cannot be guaranteed.

Competitors stay at the Union Glacier Camp, where communications experts keep in regular contact with the outside world as the latitude renders normal mobiles useless.

While organisers say the training required is the same as for a road marathon, competitors in similar events have acclimatised themselves by running on treadmills in industrial freezers!

Asked why she was undertaking this exceptional challenge, Bev said: “Is this to satisfy my thirst for adventure, my awe of the outdoors, my passion for distance running? All these are a lure, but the real reason is that I turn 50 that week and I am full of gratitude and would like, more than anything, to use this landmark in my life to benefit others.

“Last year we were given an invaluable gift – the most precious thing that any parent of a child with a disability could hope for – peace of mind for the future.

“Our daughter Talya, who has cerebral palsy, learning disabilities and a severe visual impairment, moved into a Kisharon supported living flat in the heart of the community where she has grown and thrived beyond all recognition. My wish now is to provide the same for other young adults with learning disabilities and their families. My dream is to raise £300,000 to enable Kisharon to purchase a new property for this purpose. I am hoping to kick start this campaign by running in the Antarctic through which, with your support, I am aiming to raise the first £50,000.”

You can sponsor Bev by clicking here or through her fundraising page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Beverley.Jacobson

PHOTO: Union Glacier Camp, by Christopher Michel