An Aberdeen businesswoman has become the first female Scot to complete a gruelling marathon and trek across Antarctica in three days.
Audrey McIntosh, who lives in Glasgow but works as a consultant in Aberdeen during the week, took part in the Antarctic Odyssey Challenge in temperatures as low as -12C.
The 50-year-old finished the marathon in the top 20 and was the fourth woman to cross the finish line in a time of 5 hours 47 minutes and 53 seconds and with only a day’s rest she then completed the 100km (62 mile) trek in 17 hours 19 minutes and 51 seconds.
Mrs McIntosh said the challenge was difficult, but is already looking towards her next race.
She said: “The whole experience has been a bit up and down as after I completed the races I just wanted to be at home with friends and family to share my achievement.
“Receiving my trophy at the ceremony was a wonderful memory I will cherish forever. It all of a sudden hit me what exactly I had achieved and I cannot wait to share that with people back home.
“I don’t think I will be able to top this challenge and experience, although I have been making plans for 2014 and I have been thinking about perhaps attempting the continent marathon challenge.”
The mother-of-two, who has been running for 15 years and completed 13 marathons, has raised more than £10,000 for Alzheimer Scotland. The route for the event went deep into Antarctica at the base of the Union Glacier and Ellsworth Mountains, some 600 miles from the South Pole, which is too far south even for penguins.
The challenge was made even more difficult due to horrendous weather conditions – the worst organisers had experienced since the race began nine years ago – which led Mrs McIntosh and her camp to be stranded for five days and nights at the end of the trek.
Only one other British woman has completed the marathon and trek together, making Mrs McIntosh the first Scottish woman to complete both.
Mrs McIntosh said the support from her friends and family in Scotland helped her to keep going during the challenge.
“I made it through by thinking about all the messages of encouragement from friends, family and supporters,” she said.
“Those messages got me through the hard times in the race. You were alone most of the time which was extremely hard and a great contrast to other races back in Scotland where my friends and family would cheer me on.”