Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Friday, 30 March 2012
Home safe and sound and a World Record under my belt!
Here is a recent press release written about the race. I will get a full day by day account written soon.
Also, I'd like to thank everyone who has helped make this possible. Thank you for your advice, kit, gear and moral support!
Maria Leijerstam, one of Wales's leading adventurers is now safely back on Welsh soil after becoming the first woman to complete the Siberian Black Ice Race along the length of Lake Baikal. She was second placed overall, second only to a local Russian Cyclecross Champion and out of 20 starters one of only eight to finish.
"I was nervous before the race", said Maria, "but having now completed it I'm even more nervous about the consequences of racing on ice". Due to the unusually high day time temperatures the ice had already begun to crack and so cycling on the ice was not just a matter of fitness, it also meant being very lucky to avoid open water which would have lightly re-frozen at night as temperatures dipped down to - 27 degrees.
Many other competitors succumbed to the extreme conditions through frost bite, fatigue, a fall through the ice and one team even managed to burn down their tent.
It took Maria only 7 days and 4hrs to complete the race where she covered approximately 900km as she weaved her way around hugh sastrigui ice fields and deep snow.
"On a few days the wind was so fierce that I simply could not stay on the bike as it was blown from underneath me", said Maria. "On other days I was having to work really hard as I peddled through deep snow fields. Only occasionally I was able to enjoy a tail wind on pure unbroken ice", she continued. "It was a race of massive extremes."
"Everything freezes, said Maria, so I slept with everything in my sleeping bag. I had batteries, toothpaste & wetwipes stuffed in my underwear and all water was kept near to my body."
Maria's tent routine at night was vital as the extreme cold temperatures dictated survival. The minute she stopped cycling she would put on her down jacket and begin erecting her tent. Once both the tent and bike were firmly secured with ice screws she would climb into her tent with her roll mat, sleeping bag, stove and food. Then began the arduous task of melting snow to make vital water for drinking and for rehydrating her food rations which took anything up to an hour and a half.
At night Maria would lie awake listening to the ice cracking underneath her tent and on a few occasions even heard gurgling water as it began to get closer to the surface.
On one day she did take a brief involuntary dip as her front wheel sank right down and she flew over the handlebars. "It took me 4hrs that evening to dry off next to my stove", Maria explained.
"Lake Baikal, known as the Pearl of Siberia is a beautiful place but now I have completed both The Siberian Black Ice Race and the warm challenge of the Marathon Des Sables in 2007 I'm ready for more, said Maria.
Maria helps to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society through her races so please find the time to donate. www.justgiving.com/leijerstam
If you fancy a challenge Maria is full steam ahead with planning another season of local multisport adventure races. To find out more visit her website on www.burnseries.co.uk.
Also, I'd like to thank everyone who has helped make this possible. Thank you for your advice, kit, gear and moral support!
Maria Leijerstam, one of Wales's leading adventurers is now safely back on Welsh soil after becoming the first woman to complete the Siberian Black Ice Race along the length of Lake Baikal. She was second placed overall, second only to a local Russian Cyclecross Champion and out of 20 starters one of only eight to finish.
"I was nervous before the race", said Maria, "but having now completed it I'm even more nervous about the consequences of racing on ice". Due to the unusually high day time temperatures the ice had already begun to crack and so cycling on the ice was not just a matter of fitness, it also meant being very lucky to avoid open water which would have lightly re-frozen at night as temperatures dipped down to - 27 degrees.
Many other competitors succumbed to the extreme conditions through frost bite, fatigue, a fall through the ice and one team even managed to burn down their tent.
It took Maria only 7 days and 4hrs to complete the race where she covered approximately 900km as she weaved her way around hugh sastrigui ice fields and deep snow.
"On a few days the wind was so fierce that I simply could not stay on the bike as it was blown from underneath me", said Maria. "On other days I was having to work really hard as I peddled through deep snow fields. Only occasionally I was able to enjoy a tail wind on pure unbroken ice", she continued. "It was a race of massive extremes."
"Everything freezes, said Maria, so I slept with everything in my sleeping bag. I had batteries, toothpaste & wetwipes stuffed in my underwear and all water was kept near to my body."
Maria's tent routine at night was vital as the extreme cold temperatures dictated survival. The minute she stopped cycling she would put on her down jacket and begin erecting her tent. Once both the tent and bike were firmly secured with ice screws she would climb into her tent with her roll mat, sleeping bag, stove and food. Then began the arduous task of melting snow to make vital water for drinking and for rehydrating her food rations which took anything up to an hour and a half.
At night Maria would lie awake listening to the ice cracking underneath her tent and on a few occasions even heard gurgling water as it began to get closer to the surface.
On one day she did take a brief involuntary dip as her front wheel sank right down and she flew over the handlebars. "It took me 4hrs that evening to dry off next to my stove", Maria explained.
"Lake Baikal, known as the Pearl of Siberia is a beautiful place but now I have completed both The Siberian Black Ice Race and the warm challenge of the Marathon Des Sables in 2007 I'm ready for more, said Maria.
Maria helps to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society through her races so please find the time to donate. www.justgiving.com/leijerstam
If you fancy a challenge Maria is full steam ahead with planning another season of local multisport adventure races. To find out more visit her website on www.burnseries.co.uk.
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Maria first woman to win the Siberian Black Ice race
Great news! Maria has finished the race after 900k of cycling and come in second place, pipped only by a local Russian who came first.
"A huge congratulations to Maria for being the first woman to win the Black Ice Race. Herself and bike are now safely on the Trans Siberian Express on her way back to the UK," say the organisers.
Full story to follow soon.
It is day 10 and we are at the finish line receiving and sending people back to Irkutsk. A huge congratulations to Maria for being the first women to finish the Black Ice Race on Lake Baikal. Herself and her bike is now safely on the Trans Siberian Express on her way back.
It is day 10 and we are at the finish line receiving and sending people back to Irkutsk. A huge congratulations to Maria for being the first women to finish the Black Ice Race on Lake Baikal. Herself and her bike is now safely on the Trans Siberian Express on her way back.It is day 10 and we are at the finish line receiving and sending people back to Irkutsk. A huge congratulations to Maria for being the first women to finish the Black Ice Race on Lake Baikal. Herself and her bike is now safely on the Trans Siberian Express on her way back.
"A huge congratulations to Maria for being the first woman to win the Black Ice Race. Herself and bike are now safely on the Trans Siberian Express on her way back to the UK," say the organisers.
Full story to follow soon.
It is day 10 and we are at the finish line receiving and sending people back to Irkutsk. A huge congratulations to Maria for being the first women to finish the Black Ice Race on Lake Baikal. Herself and her bike is now safely on the Trans Siberian Express on her way back.
It is day 10 and we are at the finish line receiving and sending people back to Irkutsk. A huge congratulations to Maria for being the first women to finish the Black Ice Race on Lake Baikal. Herself and her bike is now safely on the Trans Siberian Express on her way back.It is day 10 and we are at the finish line receiving and sending people back to Irkutsk. A huge congratulations to Maria for being the first women to finish the Black Ice Race on Lake Baikal. Herself and her bike is now safely on the Trans Siberian Express on her way back.
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Maria at first checkpoint in third place
Day 4 of the Black Ice Race and several teams on the marathon have made an awesome effort covering over 100 miles on their mountain bikes to reach the checkpoint. Jezz and Mat, followed closely by Maria, arrived at 18.30hrs and 18.40hrs respectively after a gruelling day on the ice. They are all in good spirits and looking remarkably fresh after a long day.
We are still waiting for an update from Maria but a fellow racer has this to say about the conditions. The first day and evening on the ice was a major shock for us and we had no idea that the conditions on Lake Baikal could be so harsh! It was a frightening wake up call.
Monday, 19 March 2012
Just a quick update. Today started well. I was up nice and early and on my bike. Got about an hour of good cycling in and the winds here just got stronger and stronger throughout the day until I couldn't stay on the bike any longer. It was literally blown from underneath me on a lot of occasions. And when I thought it couldn't get any worse I hit a field of sastrugi so then spent the next two hours dragging my bike in high high winds over that. By about 6:00pm I was just lucky to pitch my tent which took me two hours to do in the strong winds, but I am now safely inside and have had something to eat.
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