If you’re planning to run a marathon and looking for a new challenge, the Antarctic Ultra 100k Race could be just the thing. It’s held just a few hundred miles from the South Pole, and it’s a gruelling race, as the official website describes, “this ultramarathon challenge is reserved for only the toughest of endurance athletes. The 100km (62.1 miles) distance will seem endless, run under a sun that never sets against the backdrop of hills, mountains and large expanses of ice.”
Marathons are tough enough, but the Antarctic Ultra is run all on snow and ice, in temperatures typically around –15C (5F) although it can drop to –40C (–40F) and that doesn’t take into account the windchill factor as biting katabatic winds race down from nearby glaciers, making it feel even colder.
The average course elevation is 700m (2,300ft) and the setting is magnificent at the foot of the Ellsworth Mountains, the highest mountain chain in Antarctica, although competitors may not be so interested in the scenery.
And on the plus side, it’s also usually dry at this time of year and there’s 24 hours daylight in the Antarctic summer. Some may even relish the quiet because there are very few spectators, and not even any penguins – they don’t live this far south. In fact the only sound apart from the other runners is usually the wind blowing at an average speed of 46kph (28mph).
The race takes place every January and the next event is on January 20. Registration is now open for 2017, but a note of warning – it costs €13,500 to enter the race.
