Runner returns to Yukon, 2 years after frostbite took him out of race

If there's one word to describeMichalKielbasinski, a Polish adventurer who's just set off on a lonely and gruelling1,600-kilometrerun through the remote back country of Yukon and Alaska, it's offered up by his friend Mike Tribes "stubborn".

Kielbasinskiis back on the trail that almost claimed his fingers and toes, two years ago and this time he aims to finish what he started, and then some.

Kielbasinskiset off in2015to compete in the Yukon Arctic Ultra, a long-distance race from Whitehorse to Dawson City, Yukon. But less than a day intothat race, the40 C temperatures sent him to hospitalwith severe frostbite.

He nearly lost some digits, but doctors were able to treat his injuries so he's nowgot "pretty much full use of them again," according to Tribes, whohelpedKielbasinskiset off from Whitehorse and will providehis support along part of the way.

Now,Kielbasinskiisdetermined notto fail asecond time.

"It just seemed like something that he wanted to do, to be able to run that distance. And he felt quite defeated by not being able to make it," said Tribes."He's pretty stubborn and he just wants to do this."

Raising money for dogs

Kielbasinskiis not racing thisyear, though. He's doing it on his own, at his own pace.

But he is following the same route using the Yukon Quest sled dog trail and he plans to go past Dawson City, and continue all the way to Fairbanks, Alaska. He's equipped with a GPS unit totrack his progress online.

Kielbasinskiis also raisingmoney this time, for homeless dog shelters in Poland.

"He just felt that he wanted to do something for the dogs," Tribes said. "And because the [Yukon] Quest trail is what he's using, he was kind of inspired by that."