The original when Richard Donovan covered the distance alone

And now we faced grand logistical trouble (Richard accomplished basic)

Ever since then, Richard arranges the fresh North Pole Race yearly. Also tossing brand new world’s northernmost marathon, the guy together with organizes brand new earth’s southernmost race, the new Antarctic Frost Marathon.

Richard is actually good 46-year-old Irish runner and you can marathoner having complete a number of the most diverse ultra-marathon events in the world. Their racing safety not simply huge distances, however, take place in various extreme weather conditions and you can circumstances: on mind-numbing cold of the Southern area rod into the hot heat of the fresh Sahara Wilderness; on the sea-level from local seaside Ireland into altitude heights of your own Andes and you may Himalayan hills; and you will away from cooking sand dunes so you can accumulated snow and you can frost.

He worked in the past once the an enthusiastic economist. Their lives drastically altered when you look at the 2002, when he went 7 super-marathons toward seven continents for the place out-of a year. He then decided to purchase their lifetime so you can running issues. In the past ten years, he’s claimed numerous away from-path events, such as the Antarctic Freeze Race, the Inca Path Race, the new Everest Difficulty Marathon, the new Antarctic 100kms, therefore the Himalayan one hundred-Kilometer Phase Competition. Anywhere between , the guy lay a world record for powering eight marathons on each of your eight continents from inside the under six days, purchasing nearly 1 / 2 of this time around in the air providing from you to , he improved his own listing by completing 7 marathons to your 7 continents in 4 weeks 22 circumstances and you may 3 minutes (the world ).

In the 2002, I got place an enormous purpose to run seven tough super-marathons for the 7 continents in a single season. That’s why, into , We took part in this new inaugural – and just – Southern area Rod Marathon. So it race has never been organized while the. The newest competition was hard from the temperatures (-50°C) and also the altitude (9000 legs).

2-3 weeks following competition, I read the 2nd placed finisher, Dean Karnazes, was thinking of running a marathon within Northern Rod. I desired to get to the fresh North Pole just before your in order to end up being the basic person to focus on a marathon on Northern Pole. We been successful into the doing this and ran a solo . A great Russian copter decrease myself of, and i also only regular a circular route. I registered the distance which have GPS. Dean Karnazes need failed to work with a race on new North Pole but this “friendly” race that have Dean are a corner away from my personal decision so you’re able to focus on around. I additionally knew that this was the opportunity to become basic to operate a marathon during the each other posts.

It absolutely was in reality colder at the Northern Rod you to definitely year because the off quite strong gusts of wind, it sensed a lot less really serious since there craigslist New York all personals is no altitude. The fresh landscaping during the Northern Rod is fairly various other in that you really have all these brief nothing ice mountains, due to the fact Southern area Pole provides more level landscapes. But in standard, the brand new work with from the Northern Pole appeared super easy compared to the brand new South Pole Marathon. It took me a while to recover from all round tiredness I had after the Southern Rod journey. Demonstrably, the top improvement ‘s the height. Within Southern area Rod, simply looking to move try terrible. Its not designed for men and women to make an effort to create distance operates.

There had been only half dozen competitors inserted, and around three of these didn’t pursue expenses particular amount of time in the newest Antarctic!

Even the 2006 competition. It was not very cold although epidermis was very bumpy that the battle was extremely hard. This new terrain are some trying, comprising strong snowfall within the patches and you will an extremely uneven and you will volatile surface, so it’s difficult to find a rhythm heading.