Thank you for visiting my page.

Goal:  To notch up about 2000 miles in one season with my sled-dogs, through training and racing.

Location:  The northernmost county in Norway - Finnmark - way north of the Arctic Circle.

Participants:  One mad Brit and my team of Alaskan huskies.

Timespan:  June 2010 until mid-April 2011.

Chosen charity:  The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 40,000 patients a year.  And with me hailing from the Manchester area, it's a natural choice to support The Christie.

Training:  I train the dogs all year round.  During the snowless months, the dogs are hitched in front of a 300kg quad-bike, and away we go!  The engine is rarely used, so I help by running alongside and pushing the bike.  With the security of the quad-bike, I can train the whole team at once - all 11 dogs.  In the winter months, I switch to a sled and train as many dogs as the conditions allow.  We're out in all sorts of weather - from the still summer nights under the midnight sun, to snowdrifts, near-gales and white-out.  Driving a team of sled dogs is all about trust.  My trust in my dogs, but equally, their trust in me.

Racing:  The race season on snow runs from December until mid-April.  Without ever leaving the county of Finnmark, I can take part in up to 5 races.  My main goal is the 300-mile Finnmark race in March.  This is a race that I've started and completed twice, being the first (and only?) British woman to do so.  The 300-mile race takes about 2.5 days, and it's not just a case of standing on the back of the sled, watching the scenery!  My dogs and I are together as one team.  I help the dogs as much as possible with the movement of the sled, and I organize their rest and eating to allow for maximum use of their fantastic energy resources.  If I'm lucky, I'll manage a few hours' sleep in the course of the whole race.  The dogs sleep more than I do!  Update April:  Five races begun and completed this season - nearly 600 miles of racing in addition to all the training!  My third Finnmark race was completed in great weather, and I raced my first Pasvik Trail on a tough trail for the dogs.  In the words of one race winner, all that reach the finish line are winners!

How to donate:  Please help The Christie with a one-off donation.  Even better, give a donation based on the number of miles I have covered with the dogs. Mushers don't like sharing how many miles they've covered in training, but I had about 1200 miles in training, in addition to the 600 miles raced.  Remember to tick the Gift Aid box if you are a UK taxpayer. 

Further information:  Please also visit my website:  http://www.prospecthuskies.com  Corporate sponsors are especially welcome.  Sled-dog mushing is an fast-growing sport, and it would be great to get some support with the cost of feed and equipment.  The more we can train, the better the race results will be.  At the end of the day, this will mean more donations to The Christie Charity.  There's logic in my thinking.  Meanwhile, thanks to The Christie Charity for a great press release!