FORMER Melrose doctor Andrew Murray stormed to first place in the inaugural Gengis Khan Ice Marathon in Outer Mongolia.

The 35-year-old ultra marathon specialist, who was a Borders General Hospital medic, braved temperatures of minus 34 degrees in a country with the lowest density of human habitation on earth to win his third freezing cold title, adding to the North Pole Marathon and the Antarctic Ice Marathon.

Murray crossed the finishing line in a time of three hours and seven minutes - winning by 35 minutes.

Amazingly, he ran a further 103km back to the capital Ulan Batar, on a route utilised by Gengis Khan centuries ago, following the race.

Murray, who used to live in Melrose but is now based in Edinburgh, works as a Sports and Exercise Doctor at the University of Edinburgh.

He told us: “The conditions were perfect. We were expecting minus 40, and there was virtually no wind which made it feel a bit colder than Antarctica, but a little warmer than the North Pole when I raced there.

“The ice river was frozen solid so there was no chance of us falling through and it is a place of unmatched beauty.

“I guess the main thing about racing in such extreme conditions is that all the competitors were very experienced, and the organisation by Sandbaggers was absolutely first class resulting in everyone retaining a full complement of fingers and toes.

“I’ve been working with the University of Edinburgh to raise awareness for the benefits of physical activity for health. This can be walking more, taking the stairs and certainly need not be ice marathons- every step is a step to health.”

The race was organised by seasoned expedition leader David Scott, of Sandbaggers.

He said: “Mongolia in winter is one of the most beautiful places you can imagine, but also one of the most hostile. “Perhaps it is unsurprising that few have attempted any serious endurance challenges there in winter, given the consequences of anything going wrong out there.

“The times the athletes ran were impressive, and only two competitors sustained frostbite, which was mild in degree.

“One competitor did go missing for a period of time, but he was found safe and well after a search and rescue operation. Judging by the reaction there seems a real appetite for this to be an annual event for experienced competitors.

“The communities we stayed with in Mongolia were hugely welcoming, and we enjoyed sharing some Scottish culture with the Ulan Batar Burns supper, and playing some wild golf on what we labelled ‘the cold course’.”

Andrew, who also worked at the Hawick Medical Practice, beat Australian Douglas Wilson and Englishman Paul Dunstan into second and third place, respectively.

The women’s race was also won by a Scottish based athlete, with Lucja Leonard of Edinburgh finishing ahead of Lenka Istvanova of Slovakia and England’s Marina Ranger.

The expedition is raising money and awareness for two charities - Riding for the Disabled Association and the Scottish Association for Mental Health, whilst legacy work in Mongolia will see the building of homes for needy families and the provision of scholarships.  Money can be donated at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/GhengisKhanIceMarathon