100-mile run across a frozen lake to raise money for Children with Cancer
A father from Solihull is preparing to run 100 miles across a frozen Mongolian lake in temperatures as low as minus 48 degrees Celsius to raise money for children battling cancer.
Kris Canning, 34, will tackle the Mongol 100 on March 1, running across Lake Khövsgöl, a two-million-year-old lake covered in ice up to 1.5 metres thick.
The gruelling challenge is part of his ambitious mission to complete four extreme ultra-marathons: the highest, lowest, coldest, and hottest races on Earth.
“It’s probably the most extreme thing that I’ve done in my life,” said Canning, who has previously lived and trained with Shaolin monks for four and a half months and trekked through man-eating tiger jungles in Nepal and wild elephant territories in Myanmar.
Daytime temperatures rise to as warm as minus 25 Celsius
The Mongol 100, organised by Rat Race, attracts only the hardiest adventurers. Just five people are running it this year.
Daytime temperatures typically hover around minus 25 to minus 30 degrees Celsius, with nighttime conditions significantly worse. Three years ago, competitors faced minus 48 degrees, making it truly the world’s coldest ultra-marathon.
The scale of the challenge is formidable. Canning will spend days running across the vast frozen expanse of one of Mongolia’s most remote lakes, battling not just the distance but also the extreme cold, high winds and the psychological toll of such an isolated environment.
The ice beneath his feet will be solid enough to support him, but the sub-zero temperatures will test every aspect of his physical and mental endurance.
The world’s highest ultra-marathon
Canning’s extreme challenge journey began nine years ago when he completed the Kadung La ultra-marathon in Ladakh, India, the world’s highest ultra at 5,300 metres.
Starting at 4,000 metres altitude, the 72-kilometre race took him up to 5,300 metres before finishing at 3,800 metres. That race raised funds for Sight to Sky, helping to build a solar-powered school and community centre in Zanskar, a remote Himalayan region where temperatures reach minus 50 degrees Celsius for six months annually.
“The children before this weren’t able to do anything for six months of the year. They couldn’t go to school. Basically, it’s just pure survival for everybody that lives there,” Canning said.
“But now because of the money that I helped raise with the ultra, we managed to build this solar school cum community centre, which is really cool.”
Highest done – now for the coldest in support of Children with Cancer
Having ticked off the “highest” challenge from his list, Canning is now tackling the “coldest,” with plans to complete the lowest and hottest ultra-marathons in the future.
Now a father to a two-and-a-half-year-old, Canning has chosen Children with Cancer UK as his charity for the Mongolian challenge.
The organisation provides vital support to families, arranging days out and events to help take children’s minds off treatment during some of the most difficult periods of their lives.
“Since becoming a dad I’ve thought more about how I can help children or charities that are helping children, and obviously Children with Cancer UK is a no-brainer,” he said.
“I just think there’s not a better charity to support that is helping the wellbeing of children going through some of the worst things that they should ever have to go through.”
Toughest challenge yet
Canning has secured sponsorship from companies including Icebreaker, Night Vision, Sun God, and Real Meal to equip him for the extreme conditions. He’s initially aiming to raise £10,000 but hopes to reach £50,000 for Children with Cancer UK.
Despite his impressive resume of extreme adventures, including swimming with whale sharks in the Philippines and numerous jungle expeditions, Canning acknowledges this Mongolian challenge represents his biggest test yet.
To support Kris’s challenge, visit his JustGiving page at justgiving.com/page/krismongolia100
Kris is grateful to his sponsors: David Lloyd, Rawsport, Real Meal, Nike Vision, Icebreaker, Sungod, Shokz, Resonance Energywear, Trailskin, Regen Rooms and D3.
Follow Kris’s progress on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaolin_kris?igsh=amZ6d2FkZW5yb2pi
