Taiwanese runner Tommy Chen (???) completed the 700-kilometer Yukon Arctic Ultra on Tuesday with a time of 10 days, 6 hours and 4 minutes, finishing in fourth place overall.
Chen, who became the first Asian athlete to finish the event in Canada’s Yukon Territory in 2013 at age 27, completed the route from Whitehorse to Dawson City on foot, while other competitors used mountain bikes or skis.
He said prior to the race that he had returned to make good on a promise he made to himself ten years ago.
During Chen’s 10-plus days on the trail, his team shared daily updates on his Facebook page documenting his progress in the race and the challenges he faced.
These included dragging his food and gear in a sled behind him, across harsh terrain in isolation, frequent darkness, and in temperatures as low as -32 degrees Celsius.
On Tuesday, with less than 40 km left in the race, Chen reported that his face had become swollen from the cold and that he was increasing his calorie intake to overcome mild hypothermia.
Even closer to his destination, a missing trail marker caused him to briefly wander out onto a glacier, before finding his way back on course and continuing toward the finish line.
In a Facebook message late Tuesday, Chen confirmed that he had completed the race and thanked his followers for their support. A post on one of the event’s social media accounts, meanwhile, showed him celebrating the feat by breakdancing in the snow.
According to the race’s official leaderboard, Yukon native Jessie Gladish finished the race first on a mountain bike, followed by Matt Weighman of Scotland and Tim Young of Australia in second and third place, both on foot.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel