It’s not every day that one ventures to Antarctica nonetheless to run a marathon! On March 17 and 18, two hundred runners will tackle a challenging 26.2 mile or 13.1 mile course on King George’s Island.
Local runners Kevin Callis, Jon Fritzen, Dennis Killian, Bill Malott, Clare Malott and Julie Sibley will be departing on March 9 for the two week adventure that begins in Buenos Aires before continuing on to Ushuaia to board one of the Russian polar vessels that will be home for the 10 day expedition to the ‘last continent’. This journey requires rigorous training as well as being properly prepared for the varying elements. The group has collectively run over 200 marathons in all 50 states – running on all seven continents is the next goal several of them hope to accomplish. In addition, in his quest to reach Antarctica Kevin Callis made it his personal mission to raise over $10,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Organized by Marathon Tours & Travel (MTT), since 1995 this race has provided a unique running challenge for adventure athletes while maintaining a commitment to protecting the environment. MTT takes its role in preserving Antarctica very seriously. For example, they use two ships to limit the number of runners and supporters at 100 on each of the two days to ensure minimal impact. Since the races inception, more than $180,000 has been raised for Oceanites, a non-profit scientific organization focused on Antarctica.
“To race on Antarctica is a goal of many runners. On average we have participants from more than 20 countries that join us for this tour that takes you to the most pristine corner of the planet. With a team of experienced professionals from logistics to medical doctors to photographers, we set the stage for an experience of a life time,” said race director Thom Gilligan.
