A YOUNG woman had a baptism of ice when she completed her first marathon.

Only a few hours after completing the 26-mile race across the icefields of the South Pole, she was persuaded to take part in a physically demanding 100km race.

Clare Apps became the fastest woman ever to complete the Antarctic Ice Marathon when she took part in the race earlier this month.

Then, after only five hours sleep and a 13-hour shift at work, she took part in the 100km race.

It was the first time the 24- year-old from Darlington had ever entered a marathon and completed it in a time of 4hrs 47mins 37secs.

As well as being the first woman to finish, she was the fourth competitor overall.

Then she was the only woman to compete in the 100km race and crossed the line in a time of 18 hours 58 mins 19 secs.

Miss Apps said: “I had such an amazing time.

“I nearly bailed at 75km because I was dead to the world and almost seeing fairies, but I got some food and people were egging me on.”

Miss Apps, a former student at Carmel RC College, has been working at the South Pole as a kitchen assistant for Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE), a company which provides support and back-up for climbing groups and adventurers.

She has been working for the company since last month and will return to the UK in February.

She eventually hopes to become a firefighter.

She began working for ALE after her father, John, a Darlington GP who regularly visits Antarctica, informed her of the vacancy. It will be the second time she has spent Christmas at the South Pole.

Prior to going this year, she trained hard in Darlington for the race, jogging distances of more than 30 miles in preparation for the race.

Her mother, Jayne, said: “She was a novice competing against a field of experienced marathon runners from all over the world.

“Clearly, what Clare lacked in experience, she more than made up for in her sheer determination to succeed.

“It’s typical of her.”