MENSHEALTH.CO.UK MEN’S HEALTH 97
February) the 24 hours of sunlight are a
mixed blessing. The sun heats the tents
and provides a constant source of solar
power for the camp, but it also plays havoc
with circadian rhythms.
Also of importance is calculating the
optimum kit to carry into the wasteland
with us. There are safety points along the
course, but overloading on supplies could
cost vital seconds. In an environment
where hypothermia can take hold within
20 minutes, prior preparation can mean
the difference between life and death.
Underfoot decisions are easier. Before
our arrival, camp staff had marked a
safe route – two laps for the marathon,
or just one for a few who merely want to
enjoy the tranquillity of the surroundings
without too much punishment. Grooming
the course with skidoos has compacted
the snow, meaning participants can
run relatively quickly without special
footwear. Some runners even compete in
road shoes without signs of discomfort.
But challenges are multiple. For those
new to polar running the tendency is to
overdress in fear of the cold. But on thegradually fades into an expansive and
unbroken silence. You are left listening
to the howling of the wind, your own
breathing pattern and the crunch of snow
underfoot. With the light shimmering off
the surrounding mountain tops and a sea
of white in every direction, the Antarctic
makes for a surreal place in which to run.
As the race progresses it is evident that
all the competitors are feeling the effects
of the testing terrain. Compacted snow
is more like hard sand than road – even
a gentle climb is fatiguing – and breathing
hard in these conditions takes its toll on
your lungs. Then there’s the cold itself,
seeping through layers to chill your body
the moment you stop moving.
No one comes to the Antarctic for a PB.
But having come so far, the race demands
you give it your all. Soon, two Brits, usually
sub-2hr 50min marathon finishers, are
tussling for the lead. Eventually, Paul Webb,
a scientist from St Andrews University,
breaks away three miles from the finish
to win in 3hr 35min 25sec.
Minutes behind Webb is Luke Wigman,
an ex-soldier who, while serving with
1 Para as part of the Special Forces Support
Group in Afghanistan in 2011, stepped on
an improvised explosive device and lost
part of his left leg. The damage was so
severe he feared he might not walk again,
but after several operations and a year of
intensive physiotherapy, he was not only
walking but running – fast. Remarkably,
with a renewed focus and commitment
to training, his new times – a sub-34min
10K, 1hr 16min for a half and 2hr 48min
for a marathon – is even better than what
he was capable of before the explosion.
Post-race we find ourselves stranded
in camp for a few days more until the
pilots deem it safe to take off. Among the
exhausted runners, stories are swapped,
alcohol imbibed, muscles soothed. In all,
19 nations are represented, with runners
from their early twenties to their seventies.
There are runners who could easily afford
the entry fee and many who saved to
be here. For most, the race has fulfilled
a lifetime’s ambition to visit the Antarctic.
One thing on which we can all agree is
that to have run a marathon here among
the cold, wind and sheer hostility of the
snowy plains is a privilege like no other.
If you’re interested in running the Antarctic
Ice Marathon visit icemarathon.comCOOL RUNNINGS
run your body
heats and sweats.
As the sweat cools
on your skin,
it accelerates
your risk of
hypothermia.
Wearing too little
is just as bad, and
leaving your hands
or face uncovered
can leave you
susceptible
to frostbite.
Paradoxically,
one of the biggest
dangers in these frigid conditions is the
sun. Not only are its rays more intense
through the thin atmosphere, but in the
endless white terrain, the reflected danger
to the skin under your nose and chin is
greater than from the sunlight above.GLACIAL PROGRESS
Anticipation at the start line is as palpable
as the teeth-chattering chill in the air.
We are quickly underway and it doesn’t
take long for the small field to string out
into a long line. By the first mile marker
most are out on their own and the field09
10
ICE
FLOW
06-07\ There’s
safety and visibility
in numbers, but the
best runners are here
to win, which means
going it alone
08\ Camping on
the tundra, athletes
must monitor their
bodies at all times
simply to stay alive.
There is no post-run
hotel retreat here
09-10\ With no crowd
to cheer competitors
over the finish line,
a simple medal marks
their victory. For
many, just surviving
the experience is
a reward in itself