Readers’ Blog: 7 marathons on 7 continents

Most memorable race

It’s hard to say which was my most memorable race. They are all memorable in their own ways, though one or two I would rather forget!

For sheer beauty and uniqueness, the Antarctic marathon was a very special experience. Running in Antarctica is an experience that is hard to put into words. Unphased by the pre-race briefing that centred around warnings of frost bite, lost fingers, hypothermia, snow blindness and crevasses, we were piled onto a Soviet war plane, complete with paratrooper ropes, to fly from Punta Arenas in Southern most Chile to Union Glacier Camp. There were only sixty runners and we stayed in tents at Union Glacier Camp. It was 24 hour daylight and unbelievably cold at night, falling to minus 40 degrees.

We had five days there and spent much of the time waiting for the perfect running conditions. We were lucky and got to run only one day later than planned. We also got out safely, unlike runners in a previous year who were still there at Christmas!

With such a small race field on such a vast landscape, it was a very isolating experience. There were no crowds to cheer you on. The field spread out quickly so the nearest runner was merely a black dot against an immeasurable expanse of ice. It was just the endless sound of your feet crunching on the snow, step after step, and thousands of pristine white miles.

I felt totally alone running on some of the harshest conditions on earth. However, for me, this only added to the magic of the experience.