Testimonials from 2011 Participants

"I highly recommend this experience, everything was first class. From the leadership of Richard Donovan, the hospitality of the staff at camp, the accommodation, the camaraderie of the runners and of course the excitement of being in Antarctica."
Christopher Duff (USA)

"Antarctica is remote and beautiful. The landscape and environment are to be respected. I could not have ordered a more perfect day for Race Day. The people were amazing. The organisers were phenomenal, logistics went without a hitch, and the competitors were great to be around. The food at the end of the earth was fantastic. Thank you, Richard for an amazing adventure."
Michael Parrot (Canada)

"The Antarctic Ice Marathon trip was beautiful, poetic, romantic, inspiring beyond words. Worth anything in the world. I long to go back for more of it. Thanks so much."
Mala Honnatti (India)

"The Antarctic Ice Marathon was an amazing experience in an extraordinary place. The camaraderie within the camp gave the whole trip a positive vibe as everyone was friendly. Being the youngest competitor at 16 was an experience in itself and I feel privileged that I was able to run the ice marathon as my first marathon. Completing the run with my father was a unique experience to share with him and will be a talking point for some time. The scenery of the Antarctic is stunning and the trip as a whole was something I will never forget."
Jeremy Cashen (New Zealand)

"Doing an Antarctic marathon with my 16-year-old son was always going to be special. This one was made more so by the professionalism of the management and the wonderful staff. Fellow runners were generous with their support & encouragement, and all of this was enhanced by the competence & kindness of race director Richard Donovan."
Tom Cashen (New Zealand)

"The Ice Marathon had the perfect ingredients; the planning, the people and the place. What a place! Thank you for creating such a unique and unparalleled opportunity. There can be no place on earth more exquisite or more forbidding than this frozen wilderness."
Yvonne Brown (Great Britain)

The 2011 Antarctic Ice Marathon and 100km will remain lifelong experiences for me. The events combine surreal scenery with exceptional and complex running conditions. Runners have to deal with many parameters - cold, sun, wind, sweat - but above all it is a Human adventure. Nobody gets to Antarctica by chance: there are only passionate people on the 7th continent. All these exceptional factors helped me to give my best during the races, but once back home I encountered the Antarctic blues....I need to go back!"
Clement Thevenet (France)

"Running the 2011 Ice Marathon and 100K Ultra were true tests of endurance in one of the world's most spectacular and surreal environments. The competitors were a rare breed of athlete, highly accomplished and pedigreed, but also humble story-tellers who brought tales of exotic adventures from across the globe. While the race conditions were daunting, the team at Union Glacier did an exceptional job delivering a challenging, yet safe, memorable experience. Many thanks to Richard Donovan and all of the 2011 race competitors for supporting and inspiring the completion of my first 100K. Anyone looking for new frontiers of experience need look no further..."
Matthew von Ertfelda (USA)

"After traveling to the North Pole with Polar Running Adventures in 2008 and 2009 there was no doubt that I wanted to head south with Richard and his team. When heading to unpredictable polar regions, travelling with somebody as experienced and organised as Richard is a guarantee for a very well organised trip, a fantastic marathon, an amazing adventure, a fun journey and a lifetime of friends and memories."
Sarah Ames (Germany)

"The Antarctic Ice Marathon surpassed all of my expectations and that bar was set high. It's an experience that will provide you with many incredible memories. Richard did a fantastic job in organising the race and the people you meet are a joy to be around. It is quite a surreal feeling running along the glacier with such stunning scenery. A great adventure for any running enthusiast!"
Dave Kennedy (USA)

"Words cannot truly describe the Antarctic Ice Marathon trip. Very few life experiences combine all the elements of authentic exploration and world class adventure in such a captivating location as Union Glacier. You will test your mettle with like minded people from all over the world on the planet's least forgiving continent. Like I joke with my running mates, 'What you don't spend on running, travel, and beer, you just waste!'"
Brent Weigner (USA)

"The Antarctic Ice Marathon is a truly life-changing event. Aside from the physical challenge you will endure, the magnificence of the environment you will encounter will leave a powerful lasting impression. I felt humbled and yet empowered by the experience and met some of the most inspirational and extreme characters on the planet. If you have the chance to do this, don't hesitate."
Elizabeth Chapman (Great Britain)

"The experience and excitement of running a marathon in Antarctica has surpassed all expectations with memories that will last a lifetime. I don’t know where else can you meet so many adventurous people from around the world that have experienced so much. The camp, food and living conditions were superior for the environment, and the entire staff were excellent."
Ray Miller (USA)

There are countless inspiring running races around the world, but if you’re looking for the daddy of them all, you need to head south to the Antarctic Ice Marathon. No other race can touch it for inaccessibility, extreme conditions and sheer icy magnificence. And as for its competitors, you won’t find a more varied, eccentric and vigorous bunch of runners anywhere else on the planet."
Alison Hamlett (Great Britain), Runner's World Magazine

Testimonials from 2010 Participants

"In 2010 I ran 52 international marathons in 52 weeks. I had a lifetime of adventures and memories, but nothing could have prepared me for the magic of Antarctica and the camaraderie I felt with the other participants. Of all the places I visited in 2010, the Antarctic experience and the Ice Marathon are the stories I tell the most. Just spectacular, thanks Richard!"
Tristan Miller (Australlia)

"This trip is exceptional: Exceptional running, exceptional scenery, lots of laughs and good times. I also did the North Pole Marathon in 2008 and both trips just stay in your heart forever! I cannot think of a better gift to give oneself or someone else for that matter."
Cathrine Due (Denmark)

"A remarkable event in a remarkable part of the world. It's well planned, skilfully executed, there's good food, warm lodgings and a swathe of the most interesting folk one is ever likely to meet in one place - what's not to like?"
Gary van Vuuren (Great Britain)

"This marathon is one of the most awe inspiring I have ever run and that's saying something. The beauty of this harsh landscape was made even more enjoyable knowing that we were in good hands. Everyone in charge was friendly and helpful. The course was well marked and well supplied with support (cheering included). All the difficulties of logistics were overcome by the organisers and it was very well planned. The best part of this run are the friends you can make for life."
Sarah Oliphant (USA)

"The Antarctic Ice Marathon was my favorite marathon by far. Although difficult, the experience was surreal and it couldn't have been organised by anyone better. Thank you very much."
Travis Kiefer (USA)

"The Ice Marathon 2010 was absolutely great! I was really impressed with this event and its perfect organisation. It was the adventure of my life. I would recommend it to anybody."
Ireneusz Szpot (Poland)

"A once in a lifetime adventure ...something amazing about running in the snow in such a scenic landscape ....it takes your breath away (what the run doesn't already take!)"
Ken Krys (Canada)

Surreal scenery, creating the feeling I was on a different planet. Perfect organisation. Friendly & nice competitors, sharing amazing stories. Great food. Great photos. Great... everything! It was the most beautiful marathon I have attended so far and I plan to return to Antarctica someday, running together with my son... hopefully!"
Andrei Rosu (Romania)

"Thank you Richard and Polar Running Adventures for making possible a lifelong dream, and the greatest running experience I have ever had. The solitude of distance running combined with the beautiful isolation of the loneliest continent is something few of us have been lucky enough to enjoy. Sharing the event with an inspirational group of fellow runners was an added bonus. The environment was surreal, and the organisation of everything from the catering to the event itself was superb. I could not have enjoyed it more. It was a week of my life I will remember forever."
Brett Karlson (South Africa)

"The race was very well organized. A lot of effort was made to groom the course and ensure our safety. The course was challenging but not impossible to finish. What an amazing experience!"
Mike Heyl (USA)

"It was always a dream of mine to go to Antarctica and I was very pleased with choosing to visit the continent by running the Antarctic Ice Marathon. I always felt the communication was superb and felt safe at all times. This is the most scenic marathon I've ever run.....and in addition to visiting Antarctica, I came away from the experience befriending amazing and impressive runners from all over the world."
Joseph Lim (USA)

“This is the most exciting marathon I have ever run and it is a polar adventure in itself. The camp and race are set in amazing Antarctic surroundings and the trip is very well organized despite its many natural obstacles.”
René Gross Kærskov (Denmark)

"On my journey to Punta Arenas I read a book about a different marathon in the Antarctic peninsula (not actually on the Antarctic continent) which had stories of runners trudging through sludge, scenery that wasn’t quite what they imagined, and a story of a time when they couldn’t land and had to run the marathon on a boat. I started to wonder what was in store for us in the Ice Marathon, but I could never have imagined the beauty and breathtaking nature of the experience we were about to embark upon. From the exhilaration of landing on a naturally formed blue ice runway in the awesome Ilyushin plane, the wind howling past the tents through the sunlit 'nights' to the silence as we ran across the endless glacier with the only sounds being your breath and the crunching noise of your feet breaking the snow; this was the most incredible experience of my life and topped off by meeting some of the most amazing and inspirational people you could ever hope to meet."
Greg Swan (Australia)

This is a fantastic event on about a hundred different levels. It is 26.2 miles in some of the most picturesque, awe-inspiring terrain you will ever encounter, and at the same time it is much, much more than that. An extraordinary event shared with amazing people in an extraordinary part of the world. Seize the moment if you have the opportunity to participate in this race --you will not be disappointed.
John Welk (USA)

 
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