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On January 30 at Shipyards Park, more than 60 athletes from 16 nations will converge on Whitehorse to begin the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra, one of the coldest, toughest, ultramarathons in the world.

Since 2003, the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra (MYAU) has been held every February along the Yukon Quest Trail 鈥� the route of the 1,000-mile sled dog race.

A cumulative total of nearly 900 hardy souls have toed the start line in Whitehorse next to the Yukon River to cover their choice of four distances along this brutally cold and challenging trail, with a marathon, 100 and 300 mile races.

Every second year there is also a 430 distance, which is the case again in 2021. In 2020 an expected 65 athletes from 16 countries will compete, with more than half signed up for the 300-mile race.

The 300-mile race sees athletes travel to Pelly Farm, there they will leave the river to turn around and go to Pelly Crossing on the farm road.

鈥淥nce again we have an amazing race roster with great athletes from all over the world,鈥� said Robert Pollhammer, MYAU race director. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a perfect mixture between veterans, newcomers and athletes returning to finish unfinished business. As always, I keep my fingers crossed that they all reach their respective goals.鈥�

Athletes can complete their chosen distance either on foot, fat bike, or cross country skis.

Shelley Gellatly is a local racer and is a 300-mile finisher. This year, she will attempt the trek to Pelly Crossing again, this time on skis.

Gellatly has been involved in the race since it鈥檚 inauguration and was inspired to try it as a way to see the Yukon Quest trail.

鈥淚 did it the first time in 鈥�03 because I wanted to see the trail,鈥� said Gellatly. 鈥淚 originally thought I would try and mush the trail but realized I didn鈥檛 have the cash or the knowledge and thought this would be a great chance to see it.

鈥淚鈥檝e been involved every year. It鈥檚 really fun and interesting.鈥�

During the race, competitors are expected to be self-sufficient, towing food and shelter behind them in heavily laden sleds called 鈥榩ulks鈥� and melting snow to provide water.

Night temperatures can reach as low as -50 C, which when coupled with windchill and sheer physical exhaustion can be not just challenging, but extremely dangerous. Situations which under normal circumstances would be inconsequential can become life-threatening.

For newcomers, there are training courses available immediately before the race. Gellatly leads one of these courses called 鈥淢YAU Pre-Race Workshop鈥�. She gets support from Jessie Thomson-Gladish and other race veterans.

鈥淭here has always been a workshop,鈥� said Gellatly. 鈥淎fter the incident with the Italian, if you don鈥檛 have winter experience you have to do a workshop.

鈥淭he workshop I help organize focuses on what you need to do to finish successfully. Its helps with problem-solving.

People are coming with less self-management in the bush and are reliant on GPS.

鈥淵ou learn every year it鈥檚 never the same. You have to be able to problem-solve.鈥�

The other course is called 鈥淪urvive to Race鈥� organized by Stewart Stirling. It is a four-day course and includes a full night spent on part of the trail used in the MYAU.

Gellatly said the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra is more for the experience than it is to race.

鈥淚鈥檓 not going out to race,鈥� said Gellatly. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not very often people race. Most people are here for the experience.鈥�

Dr. Russell Reinbolt from California attempted the MYAU 300-mile last year but had to drop out of the race at mile 86 due to impending frostbite, confusion, and near hypothermia.

He is back to conquer the trail.

鈥淚 left Whitehorse a broken man,鈥� said Reinbolt. 鈥淚 pulled out seven miles outside of Braeburn. I wasn鈥檛 eating or drinking and my spirit was broken.

鈥淚 still had a wonderful time. It was peaceful and serene and I made great friendships. I鈥檝e put the pieces back together and have unfinished business.鈥�

Reinbolt said he is back for another year as a way to challenge himself.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so hard,鈥� said Reinbolt. 鈥淚t allows me to challenge myself both physically and mentally. It鈥檚 the toughest race to challenge myself that鈥檚 reasonable. It checks all the boxes in terms of testing my limits and testing my mind.

鈥淚t鈥檚 odd but the race is 90 per cent physical and 90 per cent mental. The body won鈥檛 do what the mind won鈥檛 allow it.鈥�

To be successful, Reinbolt said he has learned from the previous year鈥檚 mistakes.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 sleep enough,鈥� said Reinbolt. 鈥淚 pushed too hard when I should have slowed down. You have to be patient and persistent and I was too persistent.

鈥淚 was racing instead of pacing it. By moving, by keeping going you are succeeding.鈥�

Reinbolt spoke about the fear he had when things started to look bleak.

鈥淚t was scary when I became altered,鈥� said Reinbolt. 鈥淭rees started to wave. I saw a 麻豆社区on the horizon and I thought it was a car. What really concerned me was when I couldn鈥檛 do math anymore.

鈥淢y mind was still working enough to call for help. I promised my wife and kids that I wouldn鈥檛 get into trouble.鈥�

Despite his close encounter with frostbite and hypothermia, Reinbolt said he is trying to push the fear out of his head.

鈥淭here is still some fear,鈥� said Reinbolt. 鈥淏ut, I鈥檓 taking the mindset that I am invincible and nothing will break me but I still know there are tons of threats.鈥�

Coming back to the race, Reinbolt hopes to motivate people and show them that they can accomplish great things.

鈥淚鈥檓 doing it to inspire people,鈥� said Reinbolt. 鈥淲e all have so much potential and people can realize that potential if they challenge themselves.鈥�

As well as looking to inspire others, Reinbolt is racing for local charity Little Footprints Big Steps, the non-profit organization that works to protect vulnerable children in Haiti.

MYAU quick hits:

This year is the 17th edition of the race. Gellatly said when it was founded it was not expected to run this long.

The 100-mile racers follow the Yukon Quest trail and go to Braeburn. Marathon participants go to Muktuk Adventures.

There have been 891 participants, including 2019 so far. Forty-one nations have been represented. In order of most representation are Canada, UK, Germany, Italy, United States and Denmark.

It is a non-stop race and the lowest cold temperature recorded during a race has been -60 C. MYAU has one of the coldest marathons ever run, temperatures at the start were -40 C, however, the marathon distance is not certified.