Francesco Galanzino has run the Gobi Desert, the Atacama Desert, and the Sahara as a Greenpeace volunteer, to raise the alarm about Global Warming.

His latest endeavour: a 42 Km (26 mile) marathon at the North Pole. Francesco and fellow professional and amateur runners faced temperatures of -30°C, which meant they had to pause and thaw their eyelashes from time to time. (Click the picture for a bigger version and have a look at the frozen mascara he's wearing.)

Francesco arrived second and opened an "Energy Revolution" banner for Greenpeace on his arrival at the finish line.

This is the stuff that the Greenpeace spirit is made of: individuals willing to face any challenge to make a stand for our planet's future. Thanks, Francesco, for this inspiring statement. It's a great reminder of just how many ways we can each make a difference, whether we're doing the extraordinary by racing at the top of the world, or the ordinary by changing the light bulbs in our own homes. Common to both is the knowledge that the actions and choices and statements we make as individuals are what the future will be shaped by, and the belief that we can all, in whatever way, make a difference.

Here's to the spirit of Francesco!