A-List Adventures – Arctic Marathons
- Images by Polar Running Adventures
In this week’s A-List Adventure, we take you from the blistering sun of the Sahara to the Earth’s Polar Regions for a bit of a run, and by run we mean a marathon.
Founded in 2002 by Richard Donovan, Polar Running Adventures gives runners the possibility of partaking in two distinct Arctic marathons, the Annual North Pole Marathon running since 2003 and the Antarctic Ice Marathon following suit a few years later.
For obvious reasons each marathon takes place during the hemisphere’s summer months – but that is not to say that the marathon runner can expect warm temperatures. Weather conditions are often windy and the air temperate fluctuates between -10 F (14 F) to -20 C (-4 F), and a marathon low of -37 C (-34.6 F) runners can expect a bone chilling experience.
If you do decide to embark on this type of adventure, there are a couple of things that you must take into consideration, the underfoot conditions are not those of say the New York Marathon, and while the arctic regions are still thankfully free from potholes, other risks are most definitely there. These include soft and loose snow, ice, deep snow, as well as uneven and unpredictable surfaces. For those who have ran marathons you’ll know that setting a rhythm is key, this is difficult to accomplish in arctic terrain.
Notwithstanding, should you opt out for the Antarctic race, which is also the only footrace within the Antarctic Circle, you’ll also have the chance to participate in the 100K instead of the marathon.
That said, to participate in this competition – like near anything that has to do with arctic tourism, it’s not cheap.
The Antarctic race will set you back a whopping 11,000 € (£9,800 / $16,500 US) and the North Pole Race is even more expensive at 11,900 € (£10,600 / $17,800 US). Now mind you, if you just want an arctic expedition there are much cheaper options out there, but if you want to push yourself, and tell your friends and family that you’ve ran a marathon in the polar regions, this is the way to do it.
Either way, twenty-four hour daylight, cold, and the adrenalin rush of pitting yourself against other die hard runners and nature will inevitably be worth it.
For more information on the runs – click the appropriate links – Arctic Run – Antarctic Run
Additionally, we would like to add that Polar Running Adventures is an environmentally conscious operator, making sure that each get away is effectively carbon neutral, well done.
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