Marathon Tours & Travel has been offering the Antarctica Marathon & Half-Marathon since its inception in 1995. As the proud event organizer and the exclusive tour operator, we are excited to bring a total of 360 runners and their supporters to this authentic event on our two voyages (March 9 and March 19) with the addition of an Ultra 50K on Voyage One!
The Antarctica Tour Package begins with three-nights in Buenos Aires for time to meet your running peers, participate in a few training runs, and attend the mandatory race briefing and welcome dinner. We will fly you to Ushuaia, which is located at the southern tip of Argentina. It is here where you will start your journey to Antarctica aboard our significantly enhanced new ship, the Ocean Victory. Over the course of several days you will sail through the Beagle Channel across the Drake Passage, through the Shetland Islands and before reaching King George Island – the location of the Marathon and Half-Marathon!
During your travels you will explore the most pristine corner of the planet, coming face-to-face with Antarctic gems such as glaciers, icebergs, penguins, seals and whales. Historians and scientists will provide lectures on board your ship and you will experience wildlife excursions during landings in remote areas, such as seal colonies and penguin rookeries as well as the research bases.
The course on King George Island has marked gravel roads that connect the scientific research bases of Uruguay, Chile, China and Russia. Great care is taken to leave behind zero impact on the environment in this sensitive ecosystem. As part of this, we are restricted to having a maximum of 100 passengers ashore for the event at any one time. Marathon Tours & Travel takes their part seriously and in fact has raised more than $550,000 for Oceanites, the non-profit scientific organization that monitors the effects of climate change and the impact of tourism on Antarctica.
To race on all seven continents is a goal of many runners and we can make that happen for you! On average we have runners from more than 25 countries represented each year including: Canada, United States, Norway, Germany, Great Britain, Bermuda, Ireland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Chile, Colombia, Russia, Poland, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Hungary, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Bermuda, Bahamas, Venezuela, Colombia, Australia, South Africa, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Japan, China, India, Uruguay, Guadeloupe, Pakistan and New Zealand.
LESS
Expect the Unexpected
I’m not even sure where to start for this review other than to say this is a once in a lifetime, unforgettable trip that if you have the time and … MORE
I’m not even sure where to start for this review other than to say this is a once in a lifetime, unforgettable trip that if you have the time and means to go on, sign up right now before global warming destroys Antarctica! This is a 2 week trip produced by marathon tours. The basic schedule is the trip includes 3 days in Buenos Aires and then ~10 days on an expedition trip traveling around the Antarctic peninsula. However the exact itinerary is very weather dependent and it’s the kind of trip you have to roll with the punches and just go with it. Marathon Tours did an excellent job making the trip as amazing as possible and really went above and beyond. We had some disappointing weather that could have really ruined the trip if they weren’t creative and coming up with multiple plans but they made the trip better than expected despite poor weather. I’ll start way back in the beginning. I am hoping to do a half marathon on each continent. There are limited options for Antarctica and all are expensive. I believe this is the cheapest option which is the main reason I picked it. This trip takes a ship to Antarctica while the others fly you there. It also theoretically has the most time in Antarctica (as you read my review you’ll understand why I said theoretically). The downside is it is a bigger time commitment than the other Antarctica races that fly into Antarctica. The trip had a few years wait list. I think I signed up in 2021. There was minimal communication since I signed up except an offer to run it early in 2024 which I declined as I didn’t have enough vacation days saved up that year. I do wish there was some sort of once a year check in that was like just to confirm you are in the wait list for this year are you still planning to attend. I didn’t hear anything about the trip for awhile and eventually emailed the trip organizer. Initially the communication was rather poor. This did not seem to be the result of incompetence or lack of caring but just lack of available staff as the trip organizer was constantly going on trips with limited WiFi so would often take 2 weeks to reply. I didn’t get confirmed until late June which is a bit annoying for a trip that requires so many days off. Around mid summer or early fall they seemed to hire new staff and communication had been excellent from then on so I think the communication issues previously mentioned have been resolved. They also have been confirming people already for next year so that issue seems to be resolved as well. They also have a new ship that holds more people so they no longer expect multiple year wait list. Pre race there was lots of communication including forms to fill out, a packing list, a virtual Q&A and a finalized itinerary for everything in their control. Then finally 4 years after I signed up it was time to go on the trip. Everything was very organized and smooth and they seemed to improve on issues from prior years. We had to arrive in Buenos Aires on Sunday. There weren’t direct flights from Boston to Buenos Aires so I flew to Atlanta Friday night and ran a half down there Saturday morning and then took a red eye from Atlanta to Buenos Aires Saturday evening. When you arrive in Buenos Aires Marathon Tours picks you up and takes you on a bus to the hotel. The hotel in Buenos Aires is super nice. I paid extra for a single supplement so had a huge, beautiful room to myself. You spend 3 days in Buenos Aires. There are some planned activities like a 4 hour city tour and a pre race dinner and briefing but also down time to do what you are interested in. Some notes about Buenos Aires. It was a very safe city. I actually felt safer than many cities in the US. Many people in the city speak only Spanish and have limited English. I speak some Spanish so could get by without issues but it’s a good idea to brush up on Spanish before you go. Although all the planned activities had bilingual guides and you can definitely get away with no Spanish it will just be more enjoyable if you speak some. Most places take credit cards or US dollars so you don’t need to exchange currency. The three days in Buenos Aires are nice to meet the other participants and marathon tours team and also provides a buffer in case your flight is canceled so you have a couple days to get down. The fourth day of the trip we take a chartered flight down to Ushuaia the southern most city in the world at the tip of Argentina. In Ushuaia we board the ship the Ocean Albatros. The ship is really nice and I somehow really lucked out and did not get a roommate (everyone is supposed to get a roommmate but if the numbers don’t work out occasionally a few people get a single. I’m not sure if I was just lucky or if there was a reason. I’m guessing I got it because I paid for the single supplement in Buenos Aires and have been a seven continent club member for a few years but maybe I’m just lucky). The ship isn’t huge but has a few restaurants, a small gym and spa, a lecture hall, hot tubs and decks to view the scenery from. The food on the ship was excellent and lots of vegan, vegetarian, gluten free options so you don’t have to worry if you have dietary restrictions. We left Ushuaia on Wednesday. Thursday was spent on the ship crossing the Drake passage. Usually this is a rather perilous and windy route but we had excellent, calm weather on our way down and it was smooth sailing. This is where the unexpected came. On Thursday while sailing the Drake we had a mandatory meeting with the marathon tours team and they gave a surprising announcement. We were cruising very fast and would arrive at King George Island (the race location) mid morning on Friday. The initially plan was for the crew to go ashore and set up the race Friday and we would run it Saturday morning. However they looked at the weather and weather was beautiful on Friday and kind of sketchy on Saturday so we would be running the race Friday afternoon. See what I mean by expect the unexpected. I was relieved by this as getting the race in was the main goal of my trip but it definitely came as a surprise. Friday was race day. We arrived at King George Island a little after 11am. Marathon Tours impressively set up the race in about 30 minutes and the marathoners started a bit before 12:30 and the half marathoners started a bit before 1pm. Race production is a bare bones compared to most races but for a race set up in 30 minutes I was very impressed and hence the 5 sneaker production. For the race you arrive to the island by zodiac. You have to wear waterproof out layer and put your sneakers in a dry bag and wear these big boots. You then go to the island and change your shoes and leave everything on a tarp. There is an additional tarp near the start line where you can leave water bottles. The course this year was a 3 loop out and back between 2 research bases. There was another tarp about 1 mile in that you could leave an additional water bottle but you had to carry it there. The initial race plan was to have the race go between 3 bases and you ran to 1 base then back to the start and then ran another direction to a different base and then back to the start and then back to the first base and then finish but with the change of plans with did 3 loops between 2 bases. I will admit it is really, really cool running in Antarctica and really cool to have penguins greet you when you arrive but the race itself is a bit underwhelming. The scenery on King George Island is cool but it is not the magnificent scenery you think of. The course is on dirt/gravel roads and there are some hills. It is a trail race but it’s not too technical. I’d recommend trail shoes if you have them but if you don’t you will be fine with road shoes. The biggest difficulty is it gets really muddy with all the runners. The loops while a bit boring, did add some fun as you kept passing by all the runners multiple times. There obviously aren’t a ton of spectators in Antarctica so it was kind of fun to have loops. It sort of felt like a mainly marathons race. My strategy for the aid stations was I carried a handheld water bottle with me and left a large water bottle at the start and refilled it each loop which worked well. I also carried an unwrapped clif bar in my pocket and ate a bit at each turn around for fuel. The weather race day was actually really nice. It was a bit above freezing and a mild wind. It was about the same as the race I did in Hyannis and I dressed exactly the same except had trail shoes instead of road shoes. I just needed 1 additional layer but in worse weather you may need more. The course is difficult but not terrible. I’d say it’s pretty average for a trail race. It may be harder than average if there is a lot of wind or snow. I was making pretty good time my first 2 loops and on track for about a 3:30 finish but the half has a 4:30 time limit and since I was in absolutely no danger of not making the time limit I decided to take the last loop a bit easier, soak in the scenery and take pictures as I would likely never be there again so I finished over 3:30. My finishing time was about 30 minutes slower than usual for a half which seemed to be the case for most people. In general expect to take 30 minutes longer for the half and 1 hour longer for the full marathon. The half has a generous time limit of 4:30 but the full has a tighter time limit of 6:30. As long as weather permits they will let you go longer but you will get a FNT (finish no time which will count for seven continents club but I’m not sure about other clubs). At the finish line you get your medal. It’s a bit underwhelming for a medal for a race that costs this much and not distance specific but we aren’t here for the medal. The other swag is a shirt which is a nice long sleeved tech shirt sent in the mail before the trip. There is no post race food at the finish but they served a nice tea on board the ship. On the zodiac trip back we were followed by swimming penguins which was adorable. I was very happy to have finished the Antarctica Half Marathon and relieved to have good weather. After the race the plan is to spend 4 to 5 days doing excursions in Antarctica before returning to Ushuaia. We did some excursions on Saturday and Sunday. The excursions were excellent and some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen in my life and full of penguins and seals. However we received disappointing news that there was going to be a big storm on the Drake Passage so we would have to leave Antarctica early. It was a rough trip back and I was sad to leave Antarctica early but then something amazing happened. On Tuesday we had a briefing that we would be docking in Ushuaia on Wednesday and that we would have Thursday and Friday to spend in Ushuaia. Marathon Tours learned that by some crazy stroke of luck that UTMB was hosting races at Ushuaia on Thursday and Friday and the start/finish line were less than a mile from the dock. What are the chances??? The races were sold out and typically require pre race packet pick up but Marathon Tours went out of their way to work with UTMB to secure us bibs and get our packets for us. So even though we had to leave Antarctica early we got 2 continents for the price of one (well technically we did have to pay entry fee for the UTMB race but a lot cheaper than traveling to South America again). The UTMB race is an adventure all to itself and that review is coming. Overall this Antarctica Half Marathon trip was an amazing adventure and I really appreciate marathon tours figuring out how to hold the race a day early in excellent conditions and figuring out how to make lemonade out of lemons with having to leave Antarctica early. I couldn’t recommend this trip enough if you are looking to do 7 continents or just looking for an unforgettable adventure. I will definitely be doing more trips with Marathon Tours and definitely recommend them!
The ULTIMATE Destination Marathon
The March 23, 2023 course was a 6 lap out-and-back between the Russian and Uruguayan scientific research bases. We basically ran the same 2.18 miles back and forth 12 times. … MORE
The March 23, 2023 course was a 6 lap out-and-back between the Russian and Uruguayan scientific research bases. We basically ran the same 2.18 miles back and forth 12 times. Check out my YouTube trip recap: https://youtu.be/50x2ysVCAZU and course video: https://youtu.be/XDcnHMLXTeo to get a glimpse of what you will experience and see how the terrain looked like. It got a lot more muddy as the day went on which is not captured. We were advised normally it is a longer route with 3 laps but we were told the Chinese base was not responding to the organizers so we did not have access to their road. The conditions were brutal. There were constant strong headwinds blowing from the West, roller coaster hills, and uneven dirt roads that started the race as ankle twisting frozen ground and morphed into shoe sucking mud as the day went on. Temperature was 0°C/32°F not accounting for windchill. It turned out the cold was the least of our worries. Many runners finished with results one or two hours off their usual times while others dropped down to a half-marathon or did not finish. The field was originally 107 marathon participants. The wind created logistical issues and we had to spread the race over two days. There were 87 actual marathon finishers over two days (day two conditions were less windy but more muddy). There was consensus among the runners that this was the toughest marathon we competed in. There was a lot of camaraderie on the course that made up for the absence of spectators. Epic glacial views and a major accomplishment for all!
The medal is funky with only the year on the ribbon and the race shirt looks like it was designed in the 90’s by an amateur. I gave mine away. For a $10k package, there should be separate medals for Marathon and Half-Marathon with the year on the medal. The online pre-trip “shop” was ok but the t-shirts were Craft brand that only fits the taller crowd. A mainstream brand like Nike or Adidas would be better. Our tour was the second of a back to back on the Ocean Victory. The on-board shop had a nice selection of items but very poor inventory of sizes. Very few M and L were left. Seems like they were unprepared for all the destination marathon shoppers.
Race production was mixed. The course could have been better marked and some of the mile markers duplicates added to the confusion. Communications were muddled and sometimes Marathons Tours simply did not follow through on what they promised. They were generally disorganized. I think Jeff did a good job, but he needs help. Some finishers had to wait for three weeks to get their photos while others could see their pics on the ship. The Albatros photographer shared useless thumbnail sized photos of the polar plunge. We lost three days to the wind, why not simply share the hi-res images?
I recommend you train on a lot of steep rolling hills and go out when it is muddy and windy. It’s a once in a lifetime adventure for sure. Keep in mind the race is only half a day – there is so much more to see in Buenos Aires and Antarctica. Our group had bad luck with the wind and lost three days of excursions. The extra days stuck on the ship were painfully boring, but we had good company that made it tolerable. If the race is the top priority for you, go for it!
Exhilarating - penguins,wind,hills,mud
Unforgettable event! Arrive by zodiac off a small cruise ship to see penguins! Run between the Russian and Uruguayan research stations. Constantly uphill or downhill (5,000 ft elevation gain and … MORE
Unforgettable event! Arrive by zodiac off a small cruise ship to see penguins! Run between the Russian and Uruguayan research stations. Constantly uphill or downhill (5,000 ft elevation gain and loss); lots of wind, mud!
awesome race, terrible organization
There are really three components really to this race: 1) The race itself (beautiful, well-done, barebones but essentials all great). 2) The trip, as organized by Marathon Tours, that you … MORE
There are really three components really to this race:
1) The race itself (beautiful, well-done, barebones but essentials all great).
2) The trip, as organized by Marathon Tours, that you have to go on, in order to do the race (extremely disorganized with miscommunication, surcharges, and date changes)
3) The Antarctica-specific part of the trip, as subcontracted out by Marathon Tours (Albatros Expeditions, at least in 2023) (perfect)
Muddy, hilly & windy
This was my 2nd Antarctica race. The first time, 9 years ago I completed the full marathon. This year I did the half. A few months before , I fractured … MORE
This was my 2nd Antarctica race. The first time, 9 years ago I completed the full marathon. This year I did the half.
A few months before , I fractured my fibula. This is the lower leg bone. I was advised not to go or race.
I figured I could walk it and I’d be ok.
Did I forget all those hills? Maybe. I definitely struggle after running about 6.5 miles.
So without going on and on about my lack of training and misfortune, I still managed to make the most of my circumstances.
So I put on my thick Parker, grabbed my camera and took photos of the scenery, runners and birds. Something I forgot to do on my first trip.
I never once looked at my watch and completely lost track of time.
You can expect lots of hills , in fact the whole course is either up or down and there was 2 short flat areas but they were streams and large bodies of icy water.
It is a self supported race but there are a couple of staff on the course monitoring the turn around and an ATV out there checking on runners.
There are time cutoffs but Marathon Tours want you to finish and Jeff Adams and staff stay out there all day ( literally) until the last runner finishes.
It’s Antarctica, you really should expect the unexpected. The first trip was an icy course and many people fell. Some people didn’t finish. It’s a crazy course but with the right training you can get it done.
The elevation gain for the half was around 1,700 ft and the full 3,400 ft just to give you a heads up to include hill training before you go.
Muddy and severe wind was no walk in the park but both races are fun if you let yourself just be in the moment.
After all isn’t this why you go there?
I saw Chinstrap penguins, Gentoo penguins, petrels and Kelp gulls during the run.
I liked splitting the half marathoners to the morning and full marathoners in the afternoon. This gave anyone an opportunity to come back out and cheer your friends on during their race.
I won’t go into the journey there on the ship.
In part because we all went during Covid and there were restrictions on board that wasn’t typical.
If you keep an open mind and stay flexible you should really enjoy this race and trip.
I wore trail running shoes from Switzerland QC . They were good for keeping me upright but way too stiff and actually bruised my foot.
Even now 2 months later , my foot hurts.
Take gloves , hat and a gator . You can always take them off as you run loops and pass your bag often.
I drank 2 -16 ounce bottles but I should have added a coke or more electrolytes. I didn’t expect to be out there that long.
I also got hungry and my energy got very low.
The long sleeve shirts and medals were great. There are additional trophies for age group winners and a 7 Continents medal should you choose to make this race 7 of 7.
If you haven’t put yourself on the wait list and you are thinking of running this race, I’d sign up right away.
The ship and the crossing over Drakes passage is a fun trip with opportunities to see whales, birds , penguins & seals if you like wildlife.
To finish , I didn’t take any motion sickness tablets and I never got sea sickness even during the 55 mph winds we sailed through.
I did have to grip my feet on either side of the bed that night however.
Incredible experience, poor organization
A very barebones marathon put on by Marathon Tours, which unfortunately is a pretty disorganized company that is poor at communication. However, the experience of being able to run a … MORE
A very barebones marathon put on by Marathon Tours, which unfortunately is a pretty disorganized company that is poor at communication.
However, the experience of being able to run a marathon in Antarctica is unmatched, and I thank the crew of the Ocean Victory and Albatros Expeditions for a great ship and expedition experience.
Tough, but amazing!
This year was perhaps a little more difficult due to a late course change, likely not to be seen again. That said, this is an amazing experience with a magnificent … MORE
This year was perhaps a little more difficult due to a late course change, likely not to be seen again. That said, this is an amazing experience with a magnificent location. The Marathon Tours and Travel team is fantastic and made it a great run and tour. Highly recommend!
One for the ages
Weather conditions made it almost not happen. We had cold, hail, wind, hills, mud... it was worst of conditions, it was the best of times! Good logistical support by the … MORE
Weather conditions made it almost not happen. We had cold, hail, wind, hills, mud… it was worst of conditions, it was the best of times!
Good logistical support by the race director and support staff and volunteers. The event itself is just one part of a journey of discovery to the bottom pf the world in the company of many accomplished runners.
Coolest Race Ever!
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I loved running this race and this vacation. Well worth it! The temperature was around 20 degrees. I wore only a pair … MORE
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I loved running this race and this vacation. Well worth it! The temperature was around 20 degrees. I wore only a pair of running pants and I was totally fine. On top, I wore underarmour cold get shirt, a lightweight pullover with a hood, and a nike down running vest. I actually got a little hot. Smartwool running socks were key. It the wind that is a killer. I would train on rolling hills. My garmin worked and the elevation gained was 1,083 feet for the half so it is very hilly.
once of a lifetime
not too many finished it; very limited availability; you will be one of the chosen; penguins and seals as the only spectators; you can await blizzards, rain, wind, hard trail, … MORE
not too many finished it; very limited availability; you will be one of the chosen; penguins and seals as the only spectators; you can await blizzards, rain, wind, hard trail, creeks
Race /Experience of a lifetime! Surreal
Getting to the starting line truly is an accomplishment! Watch out for penguin interference! You can run from Russia to China and back, several times in one day. You can … MORE
Getting to the starting line truly is an accomplishment!
Watch out for penguin interference!
You can run from Russia to China and back, several times in one day. You can win a lot of bets with those that don’t believe it possible
Absolutely magical.
The most improbable marathon I ran, and best trip of my life. An unforgettable experience and encounters with runners of all nationalities with special profiles and trajectories. Not to forget … MORE
The most improbable marathon I ran, and best trip of my life.
An unforgettable experience and encounters with runners of all nationalities with special profiles and trajectories.
Not to forget the proximity with unspoiled nature.
A race and a trip out of time.
Once-in-a-lifetime race? This is it.
The simplest, most honest way I can think to bottom-line the Antarctica Marathon experience would be “once in a lifetime”. Not only was the race itself unique and surreal, but … MORE
The simplest, most honest way I can think to bottom-line the Antarctica Marathon experience would be “once in a lifetime”. Not only was the race itself unique and surreal, but my fellow travelers were some of the most passionate and accomplished runners you could ever hope to meet. If you’re a running enthusiast with the time and resources, do whatever you can to get yourself to Antarctica, before climate change transforms it into an exotic island destination devoid of ice and snow. But do so with an open mind… if you’re a compulsive type-A personality who hates surprises, then you might want to skip this race. Sensible expectations will go a long way toward optimizing your Antarctica Marathon experience.
ITINERARY: The Antarctica Marathon was the brainchild of Thom Gilligan, the founder of Marathon Tours & Travel who produces the race. Our adventure began with a 4-day stay in Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina, followed by a short(er) plane flight to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world at the tip of South America. In Ushuaia we boarded the Akademik Sergey Vavilov, the Russian ship on which we’d be making the voyage to Antarctica, a voyage that would total 11 days – 3 outbound, 5 on the White Continent and 3 inbound. Two of those days in each direction would belong to the Drake Passage, the expanse of ocean between South America and Antarctica that is reputed to be the nastiest and most discombobulating stretch of open water in the world. Luckily both the Transderm Scopolamine patch worn on the outbound voyage and the Dramamine we substituted on the return trip did an admirable job of staving off motion sickness.
The marathon (and half marathon) were run the day after we sighted land and immediately after we all stepped ashore for the first time in 3-1/2 days. Gentoo penguins frolicked along the shore and joined runners on the course (see videos). But despite being every runner’s central focus, the race itself wasn’t the highlight of the trip – that distinction belonged to the continent. In the three days following the race, we stashed our running shoes and immersed ourselves in Antarctica’s nature porn, in the process earning a face-to-face appreciation for what is arguably the most breathtakingly pristine setting on the planet. I’ve yet to spend time on a space station, but Antarctica certainly feels like the last frontier. Check out the photos and videos on this page and on my blog to get a better sense for the landscape… though when it comes to capturing and conveying the Antarctic experience, nothing compares to being there yourself.
WEATHER & GEAR: Antarctica is the coldest, highest, driest, darkest and windiest continent on Earth. But despite the cold, it’s that last variable – the unpredictably brutal winds – that are the real wild card, and in this respect our diverse group of 92 runners (plus 8 spectators) lucked out. Yes it was cold (though relatively balmy at -5C/23F), and after the race both the marathon winner and runner-up made brief visits to the Russian medical tent for hypothermia. But the winds were conspicuously subdued on race day, and I found myself able to shed my face protection early in the race. Though I still felt like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man running 26.2 miles in three upper-body layers (wool base layer, synthetic mid-layer, wind- and waterproof outer jacket) and two lower-body layers (fleece-lined tights and lightweight running pants).
COURSE: This wasn’t the most challenging race I’ve run, but it was certainly challenging enough. The hilly course consisted of two different out-and-backs (past several research bases) that marathoners ran three times each, with the start/finish line separating the two. Footing was precarious, with patches of snow and ice blanketing the course and causing many runners to fall at least once. Preparation-wise it’s important to bear in mind that with its precarious footing, this is a bona fide trail race. Then again, if you want to run in Antarctica it’s not as though you have a slew of choices – you can’t just opt for the road version of the race.
PRODUCTION: Thom and his crew did a commendable job of orchestrating all aspects of the marathon – their race-day execution, under some of the most challenging weather conditions any race director could face, was nearly flawless. But in the end, the real stars of the show were the highly competent, experienced and entertaining crew of One Ocean Expeditions who, along with the largely unseen Russian crew, ensured our safety and well-being from the moment we stepped aboard the ship to the moment we again set foot in Ushuaia 11 nostalgic days later.
SWAG: My only real critique of the Antarctica Marathon experience (and it’s a small one) would be that the finisher’s medal should vary from year to year, and should always include the year of the race (or barring that, complementary engraving on the back of the medal that includes name, finish time and year). There’s no excuse for the fact that as of the 2013 edition, the Antarctica Marathon medal had remained the same for at least six straight years (dating back to the image I found online of the same medal from the 2008 race). On the other hand, age-group awards included personally engraved plaques sent to the winners after the trip, so that was a nice and much-appreciated touch. That said, if you’re running a marathon in Antarctica, the swag – as long as it reads “Antarctica” – probably isn’t top priority.
For a (much) more detailed narrative of the Antarctica experience, check out my blog post at https://blisterscrampsheaves.com/2013/04/28/antarctica-marathon-2013-race-report-act-1/.
Land of snow and ice
Tips: Bring a brightly coloured jacket (top layer). You need to be wearing colour to look good in the race day pictures against the cold white and grey background. Purchase … MORE
Tips:
Bring a brightly coloured jacket (top layer). You need to be wearing colour to look good in the race day pictures against the cold white and grey background.
Purchase reusable containers for your gels (check out: humangear – GoToobs)
Penguins, whales, and running
This is a tough course with ice and hills. The temperature is not the big issue here. It's cold but not sub zero. Marathon Tours does an excellent job putting … MORE
This is a tough course with ice and hills. The temperature is not the big issue here. It’s cold but not sub zero. Marathon Tours does an excellent job putting this race on. I was signed up for the full but ended up doing the half because of blister on foot. The trip over to Antarctica and back can be an experience. Checkout the Marathon Tours website for past videos of the trips to get an idea of the trip. This race and the entire trip is well worth it. I’m going back in 2017
Penguins, and whales and fur seals OH MY
A once in a lifetime experience. After a 2 day boat ride across the Drake passage, which might have been the most difficult part of the race, day 3 finds … MORE
A once in a lifetime experience. After a 2 day boat ride across the Drake passage, which might have been the most difficult part of the race, day 3 finds you landing on King George island, where you are guaranteed to see (during the marathon) the first of many, many penguins. The race is run among the Chilean, Chinese and Russian scientific research stations and a number of their staff also run. The best part of the marathon trip to me was the friendships made. After 10 days on a Russian research vessel, talking about running with other runners, life cannot get much better! After the marathon, you then have another week at sea, exploring the frozen continent where you most certainly will see whales, more penguins and fur seals. A must do run for the adventurous marathoner!
The Journey not the Finish...
A trip of a lifetime! The course is not terribly difficult unless there is snow and ice..lots of slipping and sliding. It is a incredible unique location and the hardest … MORE
A trip of a lifetime! The course is not terribly difficult unless there is snow and ice..lots of slipping and sliding. It is a incredible unique location and the hardest part of the race was getting in/out of the Zodiac and water gear before the race and getting chilled at the end. The scenery and animals (penguins and seal) was incredible!