104km -40c Mongolia

A Run In The Footsteps of Genghis Khan.

By Johnny Graham

January 8^th, 2019

Scottish Ultra Athlete & Merrell Brand Ambassador Dr Andrew Murray RAN 11 HOURS, 104kmin -40C in Northern Mongolia.

Scottish Ultra Athlete & Merrell Brand Ambassador Dr Andrew Murray ran 11 hour, 104km in -40C in Northern Mongolia.

Undertaken less than 24 hours after him winning the 2016 Inaugural Genghis Khan Ice Marathon in Terelj National Park, Mongolia.

"There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes" is a proverb familiar to those from cold climes that due to a UAZ and a blowtorch got put to the test before I had even started covering Andrew's endevour that morning.

The day had started with us dog sledding to our ger camp

The previous night had been a celebration for the party of marathon runners I had been covering. The day had started with us dog sledding to our ger camp and ended in a giant bonfire under the stars deep in the bitterly cold taiga forest of Terelj National Park.

Our Mongolian Ger camp for our last night in the wilderness.

UAZ driver and blow torch, worryingly also cardboard.

UAZ, blowtorch and dawn fast approaching.

Dr Andrew Murray readying up for his run.

Our aim: to get as near as possible to the birthplace of Ghengis Khan

The next morning Dr Andrew Murray and a small support group which included myself woke at 5AM, we quickly ate a cold breakfast and then we split from our main travelling party and rode off into the darkness in a Soviet era UAZ. Our aim: to get as near as possible to the birthplace of Ghengis Khan for a starting point for Dr Andrew Murray to attempt a endurance run to the Chinggis Khaan International Airport near the capital city Ulaanbaatar.

Dr Andrew Murray during his Mongolian solo run.

Disaster struck. The tough old Russian UAZ we were in suddenly got cold, very cold,

As we headed deep into the frozen nightscape the first streaks of the dawn where showing their hints on the horizon. Disaster struck. The tough old Russian UAZ we were in suddenly got cold, very cold, our view out the windows and most importantly the main windshield quickly succumbed to the ice. Our Mongolian driver a diminutive man of small words and a giant smile does the only thing he can. We stop. We remember he cant speak English, none of us speak Mongolian so we let the professional get on with it. Getting on with it involved him inexplicably lighting a blowtorch and heating up what at first looked to us as a fuel tank but what we hoped with hindsight was the radiator.

Dr Andrew Murray starting his 104km solo run under a pink dawn, Mongolia

Dr Andrew Murray during 104km solo run in Mongolia.

Dr Andrew Murray during his 104km solor run in Mongolia.

Dr Andrew Murray during his 104km solo run in Mongolia.

Time passes, we get colder, in the last few nights the temperature had plummeted down lower than -40C, this is dangerous territory, make the wrong choices and you could be dead in under fifteen minutes. Knowing this we all get out and move about to keep the blood pumping and secretly in fear of staying in a UAZ our driver is merrily blow-torching away at. Luckily I have came prepared. Multiple layers of clothing and protection, heat pads to keep my gloves warm and fingers flexible for camera work, a massive trappers hat to keep the brain matter warm and finally most importantly my camera equipment to capture the adventure. This is not "bad weather", this is a beautiful opportunity to take in the stunning colour of a Monoglian dawn coming to life for a day of adventure.

UAZ windscreen, beating the encroaching ice.

Dr Andrew Murray being filmed during his 104km solo run in Mongolia.

At some point as the dawn hastens its approach the decision is made for Dr Andrew Murray to start his run. Via gestures and hopeful non verbal communication we believe we are good to go once the driver finishes slowly barbecuing the front of his UAZ. I breathe a sigh of relief knowing I won't spend the day frozen solid in a small Russian made van alone out out on the featureless white tundra

Once we are underway I track Andrew eating the miles up through a changing landscape, pass nomadic herders and settlements from frozen tundra to mountainous taiga, with the company of stray shrine dogs, cattle, horses and even the tracks of nearby wolves. Soon the landscape changes one final time into the busy industrial and urban areas of the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. The light fades and the bitter cold gets even more so bitterly chill.

Dr Andrew Murray finally inevitably strongly strides into his final destination at Chinggish Khaan International Airport in 11 hours with 104km covered. Job done, pictures in the bag, I hope you enjoy them.