WHILE MANY of us are doing our best to keep warm and out of the cold at this time of the year a Monmouthshire man is doing the opposite.
Paul Fosh said: “I need to get conditions as cold as possible to really test myself. It really pays dividends in the long run. it’s a real help.”
Who is this Monmouthshire masochist? And why does he need to put himself to the test and for what?
Well, seasoned property auctioneer Paul Fosh is also an extreme Ultra marathon competitor. He’s currently in training for one of the world’s most testing and certainly the most gruelling of all endurance competitions – the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra.
Married father of four Paul, aged 58, says he needs to do as much as he can and even go beyond during training; to help in some way to replicate the truly appalling conditions and privations he will face in the Canadian Arctic wastelands during the 340km/211mile event.
To that end while others may well be putting their feet up at home and drawing closer to the fire during the bitter weather Paul will be out pounding the roads, lanes and forest tracks, near his home in the Marches.
No stranger to the extreme demands of this most testing of endurance events Paul has a special reason to want or need, to push himself to reach his goal this time.
Seeped in decades of homes, houses and property, Paul is as aware as anyone can be that homelessness in Wales is a continuing nightmare for many especially the young and for women.
So, Paul has set himself a target of raising at least £3,000 for the Wales charity Llamau by ‘doing his bit” by completing the Yukon ultra marathon.
Training for the continuous 12-day event-in which Paul competes non-stop night and day sleeping out in the wilderness – currently consists of unremitting energy sapping 12 or more-hour days and nights. During training he drags harnessed tyres behind, to replicate the weight of the pulk that he hauls over all manner of ground.
The pulk, or sled, is his life source during the event packed with all the provisions that he will needs to keep him self-sufficient during the event face with every conceivable winter condition from well below zero temperatures as low as -40 centigrade, packed ice, loose snow, blizzard and biting wind and rain. And then there’s the energy sapping hallucinations, fears and loneliness.
And then there’s the energy sapping hallucinations, fears and loneliness.
Paul says with his customary twinkle as he gears up for his next training sessions, said: “I said after my last Ultra, not so very long ago, that, that was to be my last but… well, the call of the wild, the urge to compete against myself and also the challenge to raise thousands for Llamau was just too strong.”
Not seen so much on our TV screens since Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions went totally online and ended years of in person auctions at the start of covid, Paul says the business is as busy as ever and getting ever more diverse.
Which would seem to make his singular concentration on training and absence from the ‘hands on controls of business’ all the more pronounced.
He continued: “Not a bit of it. Over the years we’ve developed a very strong team at Paul Fosh Auctions.
“Everyone fully understands their role in the business. The place can almost run itself. It can certainly work without me being at the helm for a while which is tremendous testament to the group as a whole.
But Paul is never totally ‘absent’
He said: “Through the wonders of modern technology, social media and the like, I am never out of contact either while training or even in the wilds of the Yukon during competition with the aurora borealis, Northern Lights, resplendent above my head.
“The fact that I no longer have to stand up in person in front of bidders at a ballroom auction these days but operate completely online, is also a bonus.
“I’m taking on an epic challenge. It’s a gruelling trek through some of the planet’s most unforgiving terrain. Think bone-chilling temperatures, breathtaking scenery, and a test of both physical and mental resilience.
“Why, you ask? Well, for two reasons: a good cause and a good push!
“This adventure isn’t just about me conquering the cold. I’m raising money for Llamau, an organisation doing incredible work to make sure no young person or vulnerable woman should ever have to experience homelessness. Their dedication to supporting everyone as an individual truly inspires me, and I want to do my part to help them continue their mission.
“Let’s be honest, I thrive on a challenge. Those of you who know me can attest to that! I’ve always pushed myself, and this Arctic Ultra feels like the ultimate test.
“For the next four months, I’ll be putting myself through a rigorous training regime – you might see me dragging a tyre through town in the British Winter, or fuelling myself with enough calories to keep a polar bear happy at the local!”
Every donation, big or small, will get me closer to the finish line and help Llamau continue their critical work. Imagine – your contribution could pay for a mum to attend a You and Me, Mum session, supporting a victim of domestic abuse to develop relationships with her children and strategies for keeping her family safe.
He concluded: “So please, dig deep, donate what you can, and be a part of this incredible journey! Together, we can make a real difference.
“Sharing the page with your friends and family is also a massive help, too!”
Saying that Paul pulls on his goggles, adjusts his harness and gloves and trudges into the wilds of Monmouthshire and the Welsh Marches with thoughts of snow and ice and pain, darkness and, yes, possible encounters with polar bears, swirling around in his mind.
The Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra 2025 starts on Sunday, February 2 and ends on Wednesday, February 14. You can follow Paul’s training progress, and make a donation, on this JustGiving page as he documents his training journey and shares any pre-race jitters.
For more information about Paul Fosh Auctions, visit their website.
