The race, dubbed as the world’s coolest marathon, will take place on April 9 when dozens of participants will compete in the 42-kilometer event on the frozen waters of the Arctic Ocean.

This year, runners can expect harsh conditions with temperatures of around -40 degrees Celsius.

The Indonesian said facing the low temperatures would be the biggest challenge.

Fedi, a finisher of the IRONMAN triathlon series in South Korea last year and Australia in 2016, added that he had been spending the past three months conditioning his body, accompanied by a sports medicine physician, ahead of the big race.

Prior to leaving for the North Pole, he said he would make several stops in Norway as part of his preparations.

“I will go to Tromsø in Norway, which I think won’t be as cold as the North Pole. I will stay there for four days to train,” Fedi told a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday.

“Afterwards, I will go to Svalbard where I will have another four-day training session. [Svalbard] is the place where I’ll do acclimatization before going to the North Pole.”

Fedi is an amateur runner who is experienced in marathons, triathlons and mountaineering. He has participated in a number of international events, including the Tokyo and Bali marathons. He also climbed Nepal’s Mount Ama Dablam, which is 6,856 meters high, in 2013.

Fedi and nine other runners from Asia are supported by insurance company FWD Life for the North Pole race.

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