Mum of 4 skied solo to the South Pole in 42 days | Wendy Searle
Mum of 4 Wendy was busy with a full-time job in the civil service. She dreamed of reaching the South Pole. She had no money, no time and no experience. In early January 2020 Wendy reached the South Pole after 42 days of solo skiing. She proved to her self and many others that you can achieve your dreams. Wendy's incredible story is in partnership with Castore.
Who is Wendy Searle in one paragraph?
An ordinary person, with an extraordinary drive to succeed. A mother of four, Wendy has a full-time job as a civil servant. When she came up with the idea of skiing solo to the South Pole, she had no money, no time and no experience. What followed was an epic journey in every sense. Commitment, resolve and focus on the long-term goal brought rewards. No one was more surprised than Wendy to reach the South Pole in 42 days, becoming only the seventh woman in history to do that journey. She’s always been motivated to push her comfort zones, taking up skydiving in 2016 and pausing only to train for the Antarctic expedition. Jumping in the UK, Europe and America, Wendy has overcome a fear of heights to take part in this sport. She describes herself as ‘nothing special’ and hopes that other women can relate to the juggle of managing everyday life with making your big dreams a reality. She hopes to inspire others to pursue things wholeheartedly and adopt a positive mindset in everything.
Where did your thirst for adventure come from?
We went on active family holidays – always within the UK. Wet weeks in the Lakes, cycling holidays in Devon. I can honestly say I didn’t enjoy it all that much at the time – a combination of leaky kit and wishing I was abroad like some of my school friends. I can only image how annoying I was for my parents – always trying to chivvy me along. My mother is very surprised that it was me, out of all of the siblings, who went on to have a love and affinity with the outdoors. I came back to it as an adult through running – I got into running by doing the Race for Life and I was hooked. I soon discovered I preferred running on trails and in the countryside to road running, and my re-wilding was complete!
Why did you decide to trek/ski to the South Pole?
I’d met a team from the Army who were doing a full traverse of the continent. They were strong, well-trained and had lots of support from the Army in terms of time to train, kit and funding. I read a few books on Polar history and it literally opened up a whole new world to me. I just had to go and see for myself.
Had you done anything like it before?
Nothing but a bit of camping and a few trail marathons! I knew there was a massive gap between my ambition and my experience. I immediately set about speaking to anyone I could find who’d done anything like it before. I found Hannah McKeand, who offers courses which teach you everything you need to know. That was nowhere near enough to be out in Antarctica alone though. I did a crossing of Greenland in 2018 as part of a team, a solo trip to Iceland and several other snowy sessions. I wasn’t sure it was enough, even as I was dropped off at the start point in Antarctica, but I’d learned more than I realised. All those journeys and that preparation were essential.
What was the hardest aspect of your South Pole trek?
The slow progress was like mental torture! Having to get out of my tent every day and ski for another 11 or 12 hours, the same as the day before, and the same for weeks on end, was the hardest thing. It was physically hard, but only as hard as I was expecting, and I was well-prepared for that. It’s hard to prepare for the mental challenge and you’ll never know how you’ll cope until you do it. The other thing I’ve been reflecting on is the lack of time. You’re always busy – skiing, eating, putting up your tent, doing your blog, sleeping. Then it all starts again. There were maybe a few minutes in 42 days where I just lay down in the tent with nothing to do. (Even then I was waiting for my cooker to melt snow). It’s not something that’s very familiar to us in ordinary life and I really enjoyed just doing nothing once I was back.
What did you enjoy the most during your trek?
It was so satisfying to get the tent up each evening, crawl in and feel totally safe and protected – it was my sanctuary. I enjoyed the satisfaction of a hard job done well, but there were only a few days I can honestly describe as fun. It’s much easier to contemplate – enjoy even – in hindsight. I also loved the rations I’d brought – Expedition Foods. It’d taken me every trip I’d done up to that point to get it right, and I was so happy to scoff my fish and potato pie. The wonder of a hot meal in the tent cannot be underestimated. I really appreciated everything that was good – good conditions, low winds, firm surfaces. There was something to be grateful for every day.
What were the comedy moments of your trek? Were there any?
I’d trained so hard that it could have been a bit of a boring expedition. I had no gear issues, no medical issues, no need for a resupply. I was laughing at audio books mainly. I think if anyone had been watching, it would probably have been me falling over, which I did every day bar one. I wasn’t funny at the time, you wipeout, you take a minute or two to pick yourself up and check you’ve done no major damage. There was a lot of that! I did start stroking the fur ruff of my jacket one evening, thinking ‘this feels a bit like my cat.’ That was when I knew I’d truly lost my mind!!
You had 42 days of self-isolation. What self-isolating tips have you got for us mere mortals during the coronavirus?!
First off, I think of it as solitude, not isolation. I know it’s only words, but it makes a difference for me how I frame things. I marked each day by drawing a heart on the inside of my tent with a sharpie. I could have done a tally, but it would have made me feel like I was in prison. Drawing hearts was an attempt to convince myself I wanted to be there. I also focused on everything that’s good, and taking everything a step at a time. One day at a time, or an hour, or a step, whatever you can manage. I’m naturally an optimistic person so I’m always looking for the benefits – I was alone, I was totally in control of my own routine. Now I’m in lockdown, I can’t go on adventures, so I’m bringing them to me – calling my friends from around the globe to learn about their country. The one thing a lot of us have now is time at home. It’s so precious.
You’ve just come back from Norway? What were you doing in the Arctic?
I’ve gone from polar student to assistant Polar guide! I helped out with a trip run by the Shackleton Company. A team had donated to charity to have a Polar experience. It was a steep learning curve for me, as I’ve only had myself to think about before, but I found I really enjoyed introducing other people to the beauty and the satisfaction (if not the joy at the time) of Polar travel.
What other expeditions have you got planned for the future?
So many expeditions!! I’ve been inspired by talking to friends to look at a long journey somewhere more populated, but Antarctica has me firmly in its thrall. There’s not much I wouldn’t do to go back there. There are several routes and journeys which have never been done before, and the idea of a world first or first ascent is one which is I’m hoping for in future.
Who inspires you?
I really love the golden age of Polar exploration – Amundsen, Mawson and Shackleton. Amelia Earhart is my inspiration – she was really ahead of her time. She said ‘Probably my greatest satisfaction was to indicate by example now and then, that women can do things by themselves if given the chance.’ The only thing I’d change about that quote is ‘if we take the chance.’ We can’t wait for the world to give us opportunities, we must go out there and create them for ourselves.
If you want to work with Wendy please contact mark@athletemedia.co.uk or call 07952 3034340.
This article was written in partnership with Castore, the premium performance sportswear brand that exists to make athletes better. Visit www.castore.com and use discount code CASTOREAMB20-ST1C for 20% off. #betterneverstops