Regardless of the race outcome at the 2008 Yukon Quest, history will be made at the event and it is all thanks to Wilco van den Akker.

The 34-year-old Dutchman will be the first person to walk the trail unattended, hiking the Quest from start to finish, which will be a feat that he is doing for charity.

'It is an adventure and I think Alaska and Canada is the most beautiful place to be in,' he said. 'The most I like about expeditions like this is the learning that you do about yourself. In the upcoming weeks I only have to put one foot before the other and survive. This is absolute freedom. These things are all about experience learning. You cannot learn about these kinds of things reading a book or watching TV.'

Van den Akker's love of cold weather was what first attracted him to doing these types of expeditions, but his involvement competing in long distance races began as a result of him joining the army in his home country of Holland. In the army van den Akker was forced to run more than he was accustomed to and eventually got fed up with always falling behind everyone, which provided the motivation to start training for competition in the sport.

His first marathon was in New York, but the conventionality of the race didn't make him feel as good as he hoped it would, so van den Akker started searching for more unique types of long distance races to challenge himself with.

He eventually found the Marathon Des Sables, which is a six-day endurance race across the Sahara Desert. Van den Akker thought it would be perfect challenge because he was not that great of a runner and didn't like the humidity, so three months after racing in New York he found himself running 240 km in the burning heat of the Sahara desert.

Despite the Marathon Des Sables being a unique challenge it still didn't prove to be what he was looking for and van den Akker began to grow tired of stage format races, longing to compete in an event that was nonstop.

After all kinds of experiences, van den Akker found exactly what he was looking for in 2006 at the Iditarod Trail Invitational, held in Alaska. He won the event, finishing the 1,100 mile nonstop winter race on foot in 26 days, 10 hours and four minutes.

As difficult as that race was, van den Akker thinks hiking the Yukon Quest will be his most challenging expedition to date.

In preparation for the race, he has been training in his home town of Rotterdam, pulling around a giant tire, which simulates the weight of the sled he will bring with him on the journey. Van den Akker has also been strength training in the gym during the last couple of months and eating more than ever to get his body reserves up for the experience. During the Iditarod he lost 40 pounds.

All of the proceeds from his expedition will go towards helping children suffering from muscular diseases. Van den Akker will begin the journey in Fairbanks, Alaska on Jan. 20 and he hopes to be in Whitehorse by Feb. 23.

He said the hardest part will be the loneliness, which is the only thing you can't train for.

'This is something you cannot prepare but I have the experience so I know what to do. I have a four GB MP3 player so I think I will sing a lot, luckily nobody will hear me,' van den Akker joked. 'I don't have a Sinatra voice I am afraid. My singing will also scare the wolves away so bad things can also have a positive side.'

Van den Akker said there are a lot of great things about these types of races.

'Races like the Quest and the Iditarod are not well known in Europe and that's too bad. I found races like the Quest and the Iditarod a lot more interesting then, for example, the number one sport in Holland, soccer,' he said. 'Races like the Quest and the Iditarod are timeless and are all about respect for nature, being outside all alone and survival. It is also a surprise what or who you meet on the trail. The strange thing is people are always so nice. They invite you in and tell wonderful stories that can reflect on your living here in Holland. It will make you grow as a person.'

He wishes all of the mushers participating in the Yukon Quest good luck.

'I hope to meet them on the trail and I will make sure that I do everything to jump out of their way when they want to pass me. I will respect their trails,' van den Akker said. 'When my planning goes right they will pass me between Pelly Crossing and Whitehorse.'

Van den Akker hopes to raise as much money as he can for the cause.

'Here in Holland there are hundreds of fundraising charities and it is difficult to raise money,' he said. 'There are a lot of great charities and all are very important but there are so many. When you come to companies they always say oh another one, we just gave away our money.' This is sometime frustrating but off course, when you think about it, it is understandable. I am still looking for people that can help me organize when I am in Canada because I cannot do all these things by my own.'

Those interested in making a donation can contact van den Akker on his website at www.planetbyfoot.nl