The Antarctica Marathon -- The Last Marathon

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I won in 2:23.11. Race day was truely an adventure. On February 17, we woke up expecting to be sent ashore via zodiacs to begin the race. Unfortunately, Mother Nature thought otherwise. The seas were very turbulent, much too high to load the zodiacs safely. The race was put off for a couple of hours. At about 10 am we were told to suit up, and that they were going to make a run for it. As we began to load, again the winds increased and the seas rose, and we were again postponed. Unfortunately, the other ship was able to unload it's passengers because they were in a more protected position from the wind and seas. This now left a problem. Were they to sit and wait in sub freezing temperatures, or go ahead and start their race? Of course, they started, much to the early disapproval by the members of my ship. I was particularly bummed, because I new that the other two best runners would have eachother to run with and I would be left to slug it out by myself. We watched helplessly from the ship through binoculars as the runners went up the glacier.

At 11:30 we were finally told that we would make another run for it. We made it this time, but the trip ashore was a bit hairy, as we navigated 15ft swells. Our race began at about 1:45 after the first race had started. I was able to see the first two finishers in the first race finish together. Mike Collins of Ireland and Ray Brown of Australia finished in 2:33.45. I guess after duking it out for the whole race, they decided to finish together.

I was able to talk briefly with Mike right before my start, and decided that I would just go out at a comfortable pace and see what would happen. I wasn't completely confident that I would be able to run as fast as they had. Mostly because of the fact that 1.) I was running alone and 2.) The course was getting more difficult to manuver with the mud and slushing ice on the glacier. From the gun I was running alone. After the first loop, I was 3 minutes behind the split time that Mike and Ray had gone through in, but I maintained my speed. This was the only split I had on them so the remainder of the race, at least until the last few miles, I had no idea how I was doing. At about 10 miles, my left hip flexor began to start bothering me. While coming back down the glacier, the surface had been uneven and there was a 40 to 50 mph wind. I had really dug in on my left side and I guess that's why it was paining me. I felt like it was straining a little. At 13 miles I came across a Chinstrap Penguin in the middle of the trail, and at 16 miles I came across two Fur Seals, who, unlike the penguin, weren't so indulging in getting out of my way. I had to go around them by circling them with a safe distance between us. Fur Seals are known to be fairly aggressive. This was truely the Antarctica Marathon! That encounter made my entire race. I took a Power Gel every 4 to 5 miles and water throughout. I think it really made the difference. I never hit the "wall." The race ends by doing two 3 mile loops back to back. I knew going into the 2nd to last loop that I was fairly close to their pace. Going into the last loop, I knew I had it won, and by a fairly good margin if I just maintained what I was running. I ended up winning by over 10 minutes. So, is the time legit? Well, to be honest, I personally think the course was probably about 1.5 miles short. That's being generous though. Even if you ad another 9 minutes to my time, I'm still pleased with it, all things considered. It was Antarctica afterall! There are several articles coming out about the race. USA Today ran a brief story before and after the race, and this morning I saw an article in the New York Times Sunday edition (March 2nd, 1997). It's a decent story with my picture in it. Keep your eye out for something in Sports Illustrated as well.

The days before and after the race were composed of zodiac landings to encounter Gentoo Penguins, Leopard Seals, Welder Seals, Fur Seals, Whales and a Science research station every now and then. That was the odd thing, we were more likely to run into a huge Leopard Seal basking on an ice flow then run into another human being besides ourselves.

The Drake Passage was rocky, but not nearly as bad as it could have been. Coming back was worse. I never got sick, but the rocking motion tended to make one drowsy. I slept a lot! My three days in Buenos Aires rocked! Victah Sailer, one of the most respected track and field photographers around, and I had a few adventures take place that are better off left unsaid here. They're more likely to be the kinds of stories that one tells around a dinner table after a night of good drinking. Call to make your dinner appointment!