EXTREME adventurer Paul Fosh is kicking his heels back in Monmouthshire after being struck down with covid during his epic Lapland ultra attempt.

Mr Fosh is recovering at home battling the last symptoms of covid after being pulled from the Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra race half way round the 500km course when he tested positive.

Mr Fosh, owner of Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions, was taking part in the inaugural Montane Lapland Arctic Ultra in Sweden.

Although the gritty 55-year-old says he is disappointed, as he was well on the way to completing the epic 315-mile challenge, he will soon be back in training for his next epic challenge.

Mr Fosh, who has raised £4,200 for Wales homelessness charity Llamau through his Lapland efforts, said: "Had the organisers carried out comprehensive and ongoing tests of everyone involved - competitors and organisers - as had been done by an event organised by the same people in Canada three weeks prior, then I don't believe I would have caught covid.

"I clearly got it from either another competitor or a crew member. I had been in the country for five days before I got the symptoms and the omnicron variant has about a 48-hour incubation period so I definitely got it when I was over there, which is annoying.

"When I set off at the start of the race I was clear and felt fit and raring to go. No one asked us to do any tests. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but for the race organisers, who otherwise had everything in order, this was a little bit disappointing. I understand that three quarters of the crew got covid and as to how many competitors caught it, we don't know as it wasn't revealed."

Mr Fosh said one competitor who had had covid but was then symptom free was allowed to start at the rear of the race. He, himself, first felt symptoms 36 hours into the race.

Mr Fosh, who is asthmatic, was wheezing, with a slight cough and ear ache at a check point and was quizzed by organisers. He carried on for another 100km before being pulled from the event and ordered to isolate for 48 hours after testing positive.

Mr Fosh was told he wouldn't be allowed to continue partly due to his possible infection of other competitors but also for his own health and safety in such a gruelling competition.

He said: "It was hugely disappointing. I had got half way round, covered 247kms and had been feeling fit, strong and able to complete the course. The 515km was well within my capability.

"It's difficult. You don't want to record a DNF (did not finish). I'd previously had one in Canada in the Yukon which was my fault due to my lack of mental preparation. I hadn't prepared myself for coping with -45 degree temperatures. For this one there is nothing I could have done differently, it wasn't my fault and, slightly bizarrely, I almost find that easier as failing was beyond my control."

Mr Fosh says he will 'probably' have another go at the Lapland ultra but has other events in his sights.

Compared to his exploits in Canada's Yukon, Mr Fosh said temperatures were not as cold but this made conditions more testing as the 'pulk' slides less easily on the warmer, semi-frozen land.

He said Lapland is more precipitous than the Yukon, forcing eventers to contend with muscle-challenging metre-and-a-half deep snow drifts along the route if they strayed a matter of a few inches off the track.

Mr Fosh has signed up for the 430-mile Montane Yukon Ultra next February but prior to that he has some unfinished business to complete in the UK in June when he will compete in The Spine, a 268-mile race which stretches along the Pennine Way.

He hopes to add £800 to the money already raised for Llamau so he will be able to donate £5,000 to the charity

He said: "I am itching to get back into training as soon as I can once the last vestiges of covid have cleared up. I hope to start by walking but have been advised not to do too much too soon until my lungs are fully back to normal.

"I am pretty fit and you don't lose your fitness too quickly so if I don't get back into training until the end of April I won't be too worried."

Mr Fosh competed in 2015 in the Likeys Ultra in Canada when he was one of just eight to finish, coming fourth out of the 24 that entered. He also completed the 300-mile Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra in 2016.

To donate to Mr Fosh's Llamau charity fundraiser visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/paul-fosh1