A DAVENHAM mum has become one of just six people to conquer this year’s 6633 Arctic Ultra Race and the first British woman to complete this epic challenge.

In just nine days, the 43-year-old covered 383-miles in sub-zero temperatures, all the while pulling her survival kit behind her in a sled on wheels.

A personal trainer at PureGym Northwich, Hayley was one of 15 athletes – and three women – to tackle the ultramarathon which started at Eagle’s Plain and finished on the Arctic Ocean in Tuk.

“Of all the races I have done over the years, this is by far the most brutal and I can see why its dubbed as the toughest and most extreme on the planet,” she said.

“Hallucinating, sleep walking and sheer exhaustion became the norm.”

Having previously tackled extreme endurance events such as the Marathon Des Sables across the Sahara in 2016, Hayley knew that preparation was key.

She’d spent 14 months carefully planning her race strategy, kit and nutrition, and could be spotted during many of her training sessions around Northwich dragging a tyre to help her get used to the feeling of pulling her kit in a pulk.

“Without the help of many local Northwich businesses, I would have struggled to have got the best kit,” she said. “I promised my sponsors I would come back with the win, and I did. It’s the least I could do for that support.”

Averaging around 43 miles a day in temperatures ranging from -20 to -31, Hayley – who was the only woman to finish the race – admits she ‘hit every mental low possible’ but says the challenge was life-changing.

“I have learned so much about myself and moving forwards, I think many aspects of my life will change for the better,” she explains.

“Upon reflection, I guess what drives me is that there is adventure out there. It’s exciting and brings about opportunity and inner calm. We are here for but a brief moment and I don’t want to go to the grave with any regrets or ‘if onlys’.”

As well as putting herself to the test, Hayley took part in the race to raise money for a cause very close to her heart and to date has raised more than £7,000 towards her £10,000 target for the mental health charity Mind. You can help her hit that target by supporting her at justgiving.com/fundraising/hayley-white26