In four weeks I, Sia Kindberg will be competing in a 230km self-sufficient ultra-marathon across the Arctic Circle, being the first female to represent Australia. 2023 was a challenging year for me as I lost two of my dear friends Andzelika and Greng to aggressive cancer. I witnessed them fight for more weeks, for more days, for more minutes, and ultimately for more time. It made me realise, life is so precious, life can be taken away without warning. I need to make the most of my time here. So, in March I decided to sign up for my biggest challenge, a 230km self-sufficient ultra-marathon across the Arctic Circle, raise funds to support my journey and rebuild my childhood school in Thailand. I recently visited my childhood school in a small village outside Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand whilst spending the last few moments with Greng. In this province, 90% of the population are rice farmers and have minimal income. The local school is in desperate need of a new roof and major maintenance work. To ensure the funds benefit the school, I will project manage the repair work directly with the school and the help of my private & professional networks here in Australia and in Thailand. A group of my closest friends and I are planning to bring our children to do volunteer work at school, while the repair work is taking place. I'm hoping this experience will make the children appreciate the life they have here in Australia and also inspire them to help the less fortunate. Having grown up in the poorest part of Thailand and having experienced poverty firsthand, I feel blessed for the education I have received and for the life I’m living — it’s shaped who I am today and given me the foundation that anything can be achieved if you put your mind to it. I am determined to complete the Ultra-marathon. Over 5 days I will experience daytime temperatures as low as -40 degrees, run across snowfields, arctic tundras and frozen lakes. This challenge will test my strength, endurance, mental toughness and self-sufficiency skills in the unforgiving arctic environment. “It’s just like ultra running, we are all equal at the start line and then it’s all about what we do with our time between the start and finish line.”— That’s what I always used to say to my friend Andzelika. I invite you to follow me on my journey. Most importantly, follow me on my mission to rebuild my childhood school in the hopes that I can change one child’s life and that child can go and change the world. Instagram for training progress: @siakindberg For Race details, race roster and GPS tracking during the race: https://www.beyondtheultimate.co.uk/race/ice-ultra