Homemade motivation

Stein Are Harder gives his wife Mary a big hug on women's day. She has beensupporting him faithfully throughout six years with hard work, sweat and blisters.

- We will not give away our best motivation tricks, laughs the couple from Kirkenes, but mentions that the main thing is not to make big mistakes. The handler is the person that is supposed to take care that everything is were it is meant to be, that nothing goes wrong at the checkpoints and that the motivation is up at all times. Definetely no easy job when you have to consider that the one that needs to be motivated has blisters, injuries and very little sleep for several days.

Psychological support

The job demands organisation and precission. - When I ask for the paw ointment, it is her job to have it there at once, says Harder, and it should not be frozen! He shows clearly that he appreciates the efforts of his wife. This is vital for a succesful race. - She is my love and motivation, smiles Harder.

Mary has never participated in Finnmarksløpet herself, but has been here as support throughout the last six years, both for the short and the long version av Finnmarksløpet. To be a handler is an extreme sport in its own way. They have to drive through the whole Finnmark and get little sleep. Still they have to be ready aclear minded when the team comes into the checkpoint. Furthermore is it important that she is psychological support: -It ia my job to ensure that he is in a good mood, says a happy handler who managed to stear her man into seventh place.