North Pole Marathon

2006-05-17T21:27:00.000+02:00

2006-05-17T21:26:00.000+02:00

2006-05-14T14:43:00.000+02:00

2006-05-14T14:41:00.001+02:00

Naughty Santa !!!

2006-05-14T14:41:00.000+02:00

Medal ceremony....

2006-05-14T14:39:00.000+02:00

Mind the gap

2006-05-14T14:37:00.000+02:00

Locals are restless...

2006-05-14T14:35:00.000+02:00

FHM at the North Pole !!!

Ozy celebrates marathon efforts

2006-05-04T10:57:00.000+02:00

Legend!

2006-05-02T20:42:00.000+02:00

Jonnsie, Samsie, Gareth & Me at the North Pole

2006-05-02T20:40:00.000+02:00

Finish Line

2006-05-02T20:37:00.000+02:00

Running and writing

2006-04-30T20:40:00.000+02:00

Article on np winner, Michael Collins

From NP to Cambridge marathon!

2006-04-26T18:57:00.000+02:00

Mark Howe article

Blind leading the blind...

2006-04-21T20:16:00.000+02:00

I'm not sure people should be asking me for advice in relation to the marathon - but here's a mail I sent to Marianne who's running next year!!

Firstly - you'll enjoy the whole experience its great! Secondly don't get too worried about the minor details at this stage... Looking back what's important is general fitness level (as opposed to running ability) - Although the conditions are a lottery it struck me that for alot of the race 'running' was not an issue rather just hard work! And in some ways the step machine in the gym is of more use than a threadmill! Also we were lucky wrt the weather - so worrying about the cold shouldn't over concern you either (not yet anyway)!

So all round fitness with practise using snow shoes next winter in snow somewhere, and maybe a few runs on a beach so you get used to running in sand (as thats what loose snow is like!!)

The other aspect we didn't focus on enough was sponsorship and media attention, despite that we raised alot of money - but with some better planning and foresight we could have really done much better. For example alot of the specialist clothing companies were receptive to sponsoring (just don't leave it to the last 48 hours as we did!!) Also we managed to get Bloomberg interested who ran a story - but with some more focused effort we could have got alot more exposure (which probably would of translated into sponsorship and donations!)

Feel free to send any questions, and nearer the race next year I'll give you a more detailed do's and don'ts if you like!!

Best of Luck - Peter

Article from the Galway Independent...

2006-04-19T20:41:00.000+02:00

click here

All photos below published with kind permission of Mike (mike@mikekingphoto.com)

2006-04-19T20:40:00.000+02:00

2006-04-19T20:39:00.001+02:00

out of here!!!

2006-04-19T20:39:00.000+02:00

you know who...

2006-04-19T20:38:00.001+02:00

lunar landscape

2006-04-19T20:38:00.000+02:00

24 hour daylight

2006-04-19T20:36:00.000+02:00

and their off

2006-04-19T20:35:00.000+02:00

spot the odd one out....

2006-04-19T20:34:00.000+02:00

the starting line!

2006-04-19T20:33:00.000+02:00

Me after the race!

Thank you!

2006-04-13T11:05:00.000+02:00

I'd like to thank the following people, and everyone who helped out and made the whole experience so great!

Firstly to everyone who sponsored us, wow! We are all bowled over by your generosity and encour-agement! Just as we hope you got your money's worth, we know Cancer research and Sloane Kettering will make great use of it! Thanks again!

I have to thanks to Mel for all her help, patience and support. Any one who can live with that beard for 6 months is a Saint!!

I would never have started the race if it was just me and would have struggled to finish without their support during it... cheers to Gareth, Samsie and Jonnsie! Where to next???

Although cursed throughout the race, hats off to Richard Donovan! A more laid back easy going chap you'll never find - he set the tone for the proceedings and wish him all the best in future years and events! Maybe will see him at the Antarctic or the Irish stage race he's planning?!

A big thanks to Mike the photographer and the Doctor! Standing around in the cold for 12.5 hours is tough anywhere, but deserves a medal at the Pole! Can't wait to see Mike's photos from the race (which I will post here!)

The Russians are truly emerging capitalists! Selling beer and Coke on a exponentially increasing price scale and having new trinkets to sell with Polar related insignia every few hours was priceless... com-pass cufflinks you'd turn your nose up at on the high street were fawned at just as Smeagol coveted The Ring! Although Michelin haven't rated camp Barneo in its latest edition, surely that omission will shortly be rectified. My personal favourite was the frozen chips in luke warm water with tinned mush-rooms, Gordon Ramsey watch out!

The 2 winners were not the psychotic freaks one might imagine only capable of winning such events! Michael with his wry smile and Irish humour was a very talented runner and great character, who had the misfortune of been lectured in Oslo about the benefits of unfettered capitalism by yours truly! Al-ison was a real lady, who working for Runner’s World had taken up running only 2 years ago and travelled the world running and writing about events.

Unfortunately I didn’t get to know all my fellow competitors due to differing flights and tents and so forth! But fair play to the BBC star Kate for showing us all that great feats are only one facet of life. For The French runners who could declare, “C’est n’est pas difficile” with only the confidence one gets by being French! The Calvados they shared was truly great, Sante mes amis! To Johnny whose story of been thanked by people in South African slums inspired him to raise charity money to build further houses there was inspirational. To Giles and Jim whose sartorial elegance was matched by their wit and conversation! To Marcel for buying us all water and letting his hair down gracefully! To Jim who ran kilted and face painted and kept us all guessing with stories of sleeping with Gazza and God knows what else! To Neil and Johan for being the first to Row and Bike at the Pole! For Sal for play-ing soccer with panache and Brendan who could keep his hair intact no matter what and always smiled no matter the conditions! To Catriona, Kenwynne, Colleen and all the ladies for mucking in when the going got tough and making the whole experience more bearable! For the Ross’s who never let a draft go unchecked! For Simon who wrote the story in RW to get to the Pole that conveyed a great sense of imagination and by being there made us all feel appreciative of what we were doing! To Mark and Mark one finishing the ‘grand slam’ one in the middle of it – both bewildered by the card game 25 but great fun and characters who have raised tremendous amounts for charity! To Osy who ran 100 mara-thons and trudged a lap dressed in full Polar outfit! And to Brent who 150 marathons on was as light on his feet and humble as anyone I’ve ever met – a great inspiration to his students no doubt!!! To all the other runners, and to everyone who sponsored them!!! Thanks for the memories!!!

Finally thanks to my Grandad who passed away before the race, Life is not a dress rehearsal and if anyone ever instilled in me a sense of restlessness it was surely him!

Reminiscences of a runner

2006-04-13T07:34:00.000+02:00

There are ways to concisely summarise the North Pole marathon; the 8 1/2 hours it took me to finish; the -23C it got down to during the race; the fact that all 54 competitors were able to laugh about the experience that evening despite times ranging from 4 ½ to 12 ½ hours! But the race and experience as a whole is not something easily summarised and so the following gives you a flavour of what it was like, for me at least...

The defining moment came at about half way through the race. I was running with Gareth and every second lap we were seeking out the warmth of the mess tent to have some water and sit down for a minute or two. In the tent we were told there was no more water. I've seen two year old children react with more dignity when told they can't have something, yet after the tantrums all we could do was plod on and hope the Russians in charge of the camp would sort out more water. About then the tran-quillity of the Pole and the surrounding wilderness was shattered by the drone of Russians wielding chain saws! It failed to dawn on me why they were cutting blocks of ice from the ground, I was at the point where Russians waving chain saws around was par for the course. In hindsight the ice blocks were slowly been melted in the kitchen tent to get us more water. The drawback of water melted from sea ice is that it’s salty!

Much later when I had switched from salt water to whiskey I was encouraging Kenwynne, the resident 66 year old Granny, to keep on going despite the pain she was in and despite the fact that she was pet-rified of a new crack at one corner of the course! She had just been given some very potent pain killers by the Doctor, who was starting to ask her about allergies, medication etc., when she spotted the whis-key - and proceeded to wash the tablets down with it! The doctor's questions trailed off and his eyes looked to heaven - you had to sympathise with the years of training and careful diligence been dis-carded, but I was more concerned the Granny didn't neck all my whiskey!

Before we had set out we had spoke of ice leads and the dangers of only feet separating us from the Ocean depths below. Much of this was said tongue-in-cheek, to impress sponsors and make the ex-perience sound less package-holiday, more adventure. Thus with gasped breath we noticed the ice lead across the runway just before the landing gear touched down. The crack was 12 to 16 feet wide and in between was ocean. As we stepped off the plane into the 4am sunlight I was hit with a sense of claus-trophobia as the horizon all around was very close (possibly due to the earth’s greater curvature at the Pole?!) We sought out empty sleeping bags in the heated tents, and fell asleep to the sound of snow been blown against the canvas.

The morning before the race I walked the course with Samsie. It had been marked out the night before with the apparent help of a blind drunk who had a liking for icy hillocks and snowy drifts. A lap went from the Pole, past the mess tent, down the runway to where the ice lead forced the track right along the waters edge (Richard told us later that he wasn’t allowed to go left as the Russians said that side had more open water which was where Polar bears went to hunt seals) and then in a large sweeping loop back to the Pole again. While the runway had been flattened out and was runable, the rest of the course was tough to walk – let alone anything quicker! One thing we did notice was the weather was not a big concern, with little wind and a low sun shining we felt warm in all our Polar gear. This would change much later that day when my knee prevented any quick movements and the sun was covered by cloud!

The starting gun never went off, and a fake start for the TV cameras caused confusion – but as the leaders stretched off into the distance the reality of 26.2 miles ahead bore down on us and we shuffled along with great expectations. Turning right at the lead these expectations melted away very quickly as despite snow shoes strapped to our feet, the terrain was very tough to run on without constant tripping and stumbling. Although conjecture, I think part of the problem was that as it was so cold the snow didn’t react as ‘normal’ snow does! Normally you can pick up some snow and crush it in your hands to form a compact snowball. The pressure creates heat which melts the snow which then refreezes in a compact shape. But at the Pole the pressure never creates enough heat to melt the snow so the snow has the same consistency of sugar or sand. We had hoped against hope that after a few laps of 50 odd people trampling the snow a nice flat hard track would form – but if anything the snow was getting tougher to traverse as each time someone moved it more air was mixing with it making it even harder to move on!

Most people never find out if they would crack under torture, but I’m sure everyone would hope they would maintain their dignity and not lower their standards or moral beliefs. Most people can hold very high standards safe in the knowledge they’ll never be tested. Well the Pole created a quirky experi-ment in this regard… the course was marked out with small flags every 100 metres or so in a large loop. The course had been marked out with the help of 2 GPS devices and the 26.2 miles were closely enough mapped to warrant official classification as a marathon. The first lap or two people kept these flags to their right, ensuring the proper distance was been covered each lap. As the day wore on and minds became weary the tracks inside the flags grew and grew. At all points the flags were visible, just. Under enough pressure, people within the safety of a crowd can justify anything, do almost any-thing, rationalise anything. The same base human instincts that surface in riots and mobs and mass hysteria came to the fore out on the hillocks of ice at the Pole as the laps became subtly at first but then steadily and progressively shorter. People are monkeys with less hair, and cold tired monkeys will cut corners, I was no better!

The animal instincts were to be seen again the day after the race when we got stuck at the Pole due to bad weather. The Russians were running low on food and salt water was a luxury at this stage! We came to discuss what would happen if our enforced stay became prolonged and how we could possibly survive in this desolate ice hell. Quickly we settled on eating human flesh, and although there was a lot of laughing and mirth about whom and when we should eat first you sensed that behind the laughter were hungry bodies eyeing up the weak!! Perhaps a coincidence, but the French runners started to share their 10 year old Calvados apple brandy just after it was widely agreed that they would be the first to be eaten. Over hearing the conversation they surely realised their previous isolation might back fire when the knives were been sharpened!

The race itself was just a long hard slog. Little insight into life or my place in the greater scheme of things was gleamed. Highlights were far and few between, but near the end I had plugged the ipod in and was trudging along the back of the course alone when the Moby track, “When its cold outside I’d like to die” came on. The track is uplifting at the best of times and at that moment the sun came out from behind the clouds and the scattered ice formations around me were illuminated in a golden glow and the air was still and all the world seemed to stop. A moment I won’t forget in a hurry.
The low points were many; The disbelief of there being no water; Forcing down lukewarm salt water; the point with 3 laps to go that I couldn’t run anymore as my knee was locking up; Going back to the tent to change into dry clothes and having to explain to the winner that yes I had trained for this and yes I could run and yes I was a broken man…; Been lapped on many occasions; Falling flat on my face in the snow and just lying there without the will to move ever again; the realisation that I could be anywhere in the world in a field of snow – the futility of a marathon at the Pole, the futility of life!

And then it was over.

Heading south

2006-04-11T00:27:00.000+02:00

Well, what a crazy experience. Impossible to describe how hard it was, but 8 and a half hours after setting out I stumbled across the finish line... was then snowed in at the Pole for 48 hours, eating salt water and frozen chips in boiling water! Finally back in civilisation and had my first shave in about 6 months...
Guinness in hand, weary legs but some great stories to be told... will fill in more blanks soon!

Heading North

2006-04-07T23:06:00.000+02:00

Long story. Got to Svalbard. Luggage was found. Fly to Pole in 1 hour. Will be there at 4am Saturday morning. Will start running soon there after. No regrets!

Character building

2006-04-06T22:13:00.000+02:00

Well its 10 past 10pm in Oslo, Norway and I'm meant to be relaxing in the business class seat of SK4469 to Longyear byen at the moment... I'd probably be declining the glass of champagne, maybe a glass of red would be OK... would probably be sitting beside some fellow competitors for the race, chatting about this and that... the pilot would be giving the low down on the weather in Longyear byen... The cute air hostess would be joking about polar bears or something else...

Instead SAS, scandinavian airlines, decided to go on strike.

So I've just had a 30minute bus journey to downtown Oslo and checked in at a "comfort" hotel that's doesn't live up to its name...

These things happen I hear myself saying... but it gets better! Its hard to say exactly when it dawned on me... but to be perfectly honest I had an almost immediate sense of doom when I stepped towards the baggage carousel at Oslo airport... you see there's a golden rule with marathons: namely never pack your running gear in the luggage, ALWAYS take it onboard! Its a simple rule and one I've followed in the 3 previous marathons I've done... Problem is you can't fit all the stuff listed below into hand luggage... So with that sense of foreboding I stood before the carousel as it stopped. nada. nothing. zip. ingen fckn ting!

Tomorrow there is a 9:20am flight to Svalbard. SAS may fly, they may not. No one knows.... Its very very very tempting to get hammered, and I do know a great niteclub in Oslo... but as I said, this is character building!

I spoke with Jonnsie, who is at svalbard, and apparently half the competitors are not there due to the strike... The russians, who now control the Pole, are booked to fly two loads to the Pole - one at 10am and one in the afternoon. If I get the flight tomorrow morning I should make the afternoon flight....

Apparently the russians are a law unto themselves... seemingly they have to air lift a tractor to the Pole which will then flatten out a runway! If the ice cracks across the runway they lengthen it further, and so on.... maybe I'm safer here...

-ps I would change the profile photo to Ronald Reagan if I could... I know he didn't have a beard - but back in 1981 when the American air traffic controllers went on strike, he sacked the lot of them

Ronald I salute you...

Last supper...

2006-04-06T14:00:00.000+02:00

Well, all packed and have splashed out on one of those crazy Artic coats... Called SAS and the story is I should get to Oslo, but due to the strike will be 50/50 whether will get to Longyear byen today... Hopefully there will be enough north pole competitors affected that any delay in teh flight will mean a short postponement of the marathon - and nothing worse than that!!

Running home yesterday parts of my body hurt that have never hurt before... I'm putting it down to pre-race nerves!!!

To be packed...

2006-04-05T21:52:00.000+02:00

1 pair of Sorel snow boots
1 pair of neoprene socks
1 pair of double layered cotton socks
1 pair of ice bugs trail shoes
1 string wool long johns
1 jodhpur style woolen pants
1 double zipped ski trousers
1 windproof light leggings
1 string woolen long sleeved vest
1 armour fit wicking t-shirt
1 wicking long sleeved running top
1 long sleeved cotton running top
1 insulated zip up running jacket
1 insulated ski coat
1 woolen scarf
1 synthetic skimask/balaclava
1 woolen hat
1 pair of gloves
1 pair of oversized mitts (to be bought)
1 expedition style canada goose coat (to be bought)
1 pair of snow shoes (to be got off Jonnsie)
1 compass
1 termometer (to be bought)
6 sheets of warming tissue for gloves
1 box of compeed blister plasters
5 energy gels and bars
1 hip flask of Irish whiskey
1 ipod nano fully charged on shuffle
1 mobile phone
1 phone charger
1 list of addresses for postcards to be sent
1 ski shoulder bag to be worn to carry water depending on conditions
1 passport
2 books to read if get stuck in Oslo due to strike
1 fully charged beard trimmer and razor to get rid of beard after race
1 printed list of fellow competitors so know whos who!
1 certificate for emergency medical cover

Latest from Svalbard

2006-04-05T19:44:00.000+02:00

Just got off the phone with Jonnsie... the news is not good

Firstly there may be a sas strike tomorrow! i.e. can't fly to Svalbard as skandinavian airlines on strike
Secondly they ran 1 mile in the snow today and it took them 20 minutes!!! You do the math
Next, people have not been able to fly to some of the northerly islands in svalbard as the weather has been so bad
On top of that they haven't been sleeping well and they haven't seen any polar bears as the weather's been bad compared to the usual at this time of the year...

hmmmmmmm

Tomorrow Oslo

2006-04-05T07:48:00.000+02:00

No more need to count days, its now a matter of hours

Ran 4 miles this morning in a ski coat, heavier than I'm used to but will probably be what I run in at the Pole. The run was fine, just want to get the real thing started now...

Loads to do today, buy the last equipment, pack all the gear, get some food / drinks for before and during the race, get ipod loaded, send out last begging letters, write a will....

hmmmmmm

Hello Svalbard...

2006-04-04T22:03:00.000+02:00

Made contact with the 3 guys in Longyear byen this evening!

"Its freezing"

hmmmmm, quality information back from Jonnsie!!

Tomorrow need to pack and repack everything. Also tomorrow will probably be the last running before Svalbard, or maybe even the Pole....

Here comes the sun indeed...

2006-04-04T21:37:00.000+02:00

The world's most extreme cold weather parka

Just realised, that will need something to keep warm while not running (before and after the race)... this should do the job!

PRESS RELEASE

2006-04-04T09:26:00.000+02:00

April 4th - Contact Richard Donovan at rd@npmarathon.com

World's Coolest Marathon to begin at North Pole
The North Pole Marathon, which is scheduled to take place on April 8th, will see a record field of 54 competitors from across the globe.

Forty-four men and ten women will contest the certified 26.2 mile marathon event, the world's most northerly marathon, and BBC will be on location to film the race. Kobold expedition watches will be on offer to both male and female winners.

Among the favourites for the men's division is Michael Collins of Ireland who won the Sahara half-marathon in the run-up to this event. An award-winning novelist, Collins beat former world marathon champion Abel Anton in the process. The Irishman has previously run a 2.33 marathon on an island off the Antarctic peninsula.

Meanwhile, the women's division will see recent Antarctic Ice Marathon winner, Wendy MacKinnon of Scotland take on Alison Hamlett of England who finished fourth in the Mardi Gras Marathon in New Orleans.

Brent Weigner (USA) will contest his third North Pole Marathon and seven others in the race field will seek to join him as members of the global Marathon Grand Slam Club. The Grand Slam Club consists of athletes who have completed a marathon on all seven continents and at the North Pole. Among them, twenty-five year old Mark Sinclair of England is recognised by Guinness World Records as the youngest person to run the distance on all seven continents while Kimi Puntillo (USA) is acknowledged as the first woman to achieve this feat.

The diverse race field will additionally include a father-son duo, a sixty-six year old grandmother, a ten-person corporate team and people making their marathon debut. They can expect wind chill temperatures of -25C or below in addition to 24 hours of daylight at this time of year. Six to twelve feet of ice will separate them from the 12,000 feet of Arctic Ocean below.

Subject to Mother Nature being kind, the race is scheduled to get underway in the early hours of April 8th at the drifting Russian ice base at the North Pole. Competitors will depart from Spitsbergen (Norway) on the previous day and will hope to return within 48 hours. They have the opportunity to not only run the marathon, but to stand at the precise Geographic North Pole in the course of the trip. Mike King, a UK Sports Photographer of the Year recipient, will photograph proceedings.

For more information, including profiles of the participants, see www.npmarathon.com.

tick, tick, tick...

2006-04-04T08:05:00.000+02:00

Jonnsie, Samsie & Gareth are in Oslo... time vanishing fast

Blind panic

2006-04-02T22:55:00.000+02:00

Back from Ireland... Sunday evening and this time next week it'll all be over Oh Christ I now feel very very unprepared...
Not much I can do tonight, but tomorrow is monday, and I fly to Oslo on thursday... hmmmm
5 days to the Pole....

While I've been away sponsorship has been going crazy!! wow... check out the link to the right...

Need sleep...

Sponsorship update

2006-03-29T23:17:00.000+02:00

Wow! Today the money raised really accelerated in a large part to Gareth's work Colleagues efforts... A big thanks to Fraser, Simon, Paul, Nick, Anon, Jack, Gary, Dlin, Jerald, Nill L, Bill M, Ralph, Paul, Anil, Dylan, S, Peter, Will Kashif, Roxy, Harry, James, Jeff, Michael, MB, Peggy, Brian & Jim

Wow again!

To date between Cancer research and Sloane Kettering we've raised 18,750 dollars AND 7,200 pounds!!!

We put two very large corporate donations offline on the US page today, more on those later!

10 days

2006-03-29T23:06:00.000+02:00

The skies are empty tonight, as there is no moon... little in the way of running today - but did manage 16 miles biking. The second 8 of which were spent most pleasantly conversing with Mads, a work colleague, about the smoking course he went on yesterday. It was over 2 years ago I went on a similar course, run by Allen Carr, to quit smoking - and haven't looked back since. Its interesting to wonder if I would ever have got into running, or ran marathons if I hadn't quit in the first place?! Of all the thoughts that were whirring through my head back on that memorable evening when I left the Allen Carr course, much as Mads' head was whirring today, I'm sure I never contemplated that not smoking would lead to more running which in turn would lead to the North Pole... strange days indeed.

Today's beard is a portrayal of famous viking (if not a Dane, at least of good Scandinavian stock, or not such good stock as it happens) explorer, Eric the Red!

Training disruption: as happens to all best laid plans, stuff happen! With great sadness I must return to Ireland tomorrow to bury my grandfather - not sure a wake is part of the tapering down process, but hopefully I will carry his legacy north in 10 days time and do him proud!

11 days...

2006-03-28T22:11:00.000+02:00

Another 8 miles run, another 8 cycled... weather hotter, snow melting fast! Who knows, maybe I'll be running in shorts before the Pole!
Another great day for donations; A big thanks to Anna, Pio, Rummers, Martyn, Eric & Willy!

If any one is looking for a good old fashioned hero, then I suggest reading up on today's beard, Nansen... an amazing Norwegian explorer and statesman. A true legend! I came across a book on him in New Zealand which was written about 50 years ago - real boyscout material! Most kids these days look up to Wayne Rooney and the like... hmmmm...

While I was running home got thinking about a playlist for the ipod for the pole run... Obviously will start with Start me up by the Stones... Then maybe Jumpin' Jack Flash... then well need to think about this one, any suggestions???

Heat wave...

2006-03-28T16:47:00.000+02:00

On the run to work this morning, it became pretty clear that the temperature here in Copenhagen has taken a turn to the upside!
This mini global warming episode is fine for your average punter running and cycling to work on a tuesday morning... but spare a thought for the Oirish bloke wearing the complete North Pole outfit... I'm talking Norwegian string vests, string coton long johns, thermal ski pants, wicking long sleeve t-shirts, cotton t-shirts, insulated padded zip up jacket, gloves and woolly hat (and excess baggage in the facial hair department)... mobile sauna springs to mind....

Is it wrong to wish for a little temporary greenhouse warming in the polar region for a few days at the end of next week?? well is it???

Longyear byen

2006-03-27T23:02:00.000+02:00

"Life here seems a little bit crazy sometimes. It's like a mix of Texas and The X-Files."

Read more about where we'll be flying to the North Pole from (and where Chris, Gareth & James are stuck for 48 hours next week due to a flight mixup...

2006-03-27T22:58:00.000+02:00

The locals are restless...

12 days

2006-03-27T22:49:00.000+02:00

~16 miles today; cycled not ran!
~Expecting a call from Bloomberg as type, what am I going to say??
~Called Canada Goose looking for sponsorship, fingers crossed!
~Broached subject of not coming back form Pole with Mel, she had a dream about it last night... oh fck!
~we have gone through the 13,500 usd mark for sponsorship! wow! Thanks today to Kirky, Pascale, Keels, Angie & anon!
~Mel bought me a compass, "just head south..."
~Had conversation with Jonnsie while he was in the gym in NY, I can sense he's starting to worry about the race now! alot!!
~started to make inventory of clothes I will wear, really unsure if going to be warm enough... now I'm starting to worry.... hmmmmmm

Weekend recap

2006-03-26T21:44:00.000+02:00

With less than 2 weeks to go, there's a real fear of over doing it at this stage and missing the entire event! With that in mind I only ran 8 miles & cycled 8 miles over the weekend (not including the photo shots below!)
The plan for the coming week, is plenty of cycling and spinning. Keep running, but don't push too hard or too long. Eat as much as can stomach. Keep pestering people for sponsorship! Get as much promotion for us as possible (Gareth is doing a bloomberg interview tomorrow, and I will chase up the FT leads as well). And ask a few outfitters like Canada Goose if they'd consider providing us with some gear...

Also, I'm considering using the daily beard photos to highlight some crazy and interesting people I've read about while surfing the net the last few weeks... if one more person suggests Forrest Gump I'm going to......................

2006-03-26T21:32:00.000+02:00

Dyrehaven ~ 4

2006-03-26T21:31:00.000+02:00

Dyrehaven ~ 3

2006-03-26T21:30:00.000+02:00

Dyrehaven ~ 2

2006-03-26T21:28:00.000+02:00

Dyrehaven: 2 weeks to go

List of Pole expeditions

2006-03-25T14:24:00.000+01:00

we're not the only ones heading north...
see list here

Is cold weather running bad for you?

2006-03-25T14:08:00.000+01:00

runners world article

Get me Max Clifford....

2006-03-24T20:57:00.000+01:00

We need publicity. Thats what it all boils down to from here on in! The more publicity the more donations, the more we raise for 2 great causes!!!
To this end we called the Financial Times in London this afternoon... got an answering machine, but after work met for dinner with a former Irish Times journalist who has 3 contacts at the FT, plus knows people at the Irish Times - so he has unwittingly become our publicist... I can feel the whole thing gathering momentum now!!

Today saw some fantastic donations, a really big thanks to Turts, Guy, Dmb, Cam, Marcus, Sam, 'Philly' & Sandro - great work!

The plan this weekend is for one last long run... maybe Sunday... this time two weeks I'll be on a very old russian plane over the artic ocean somewhere... Oh Feck!

Today's beard is Grizzly Adams... cheers Caroline

From the FT...

2006-03-24T14:51:00.000+01:00

The following article from the FT is of particular interest... Its about SADs or Sudden Adult Death syndrome... I ran the Great north run back in October when 4 people dropped dead, 3 of which I had the displeasure of seeing been treated by medics. The article is saying they probably died from SAD.
For 2 other reasons its compelling reading, as I had an ECG myself last june when I started imagining I was getting heart attacks at work (not a good month to trade bunds) and they found a slight abnormality with my heart beat and more poignantly a colleague at Danske dropped dead after running home last year.

from an Australian newspaper...

2006-03-24T12:26:00.000+01:00

"The trick is finding a supermarket freezer that is low on stock so that they can fit me in for a couple of hours for a training run before they re-fill it,"

read article about a fellow competitor here

- Supermarket freezer??? I had frozen peas tuesday night for dinner... does that count

24 hour challange...

2006-03-24T10:15:00.000+01:00

Came across the following site, talking about the 24 hour ultra race in Taipei recently in which the North Pole race organiser, Richard Donovan took part... seriously crazy people!!!

15 days...

2006-03-24T07:41:00.000+01:00

Cycled the 8 miles to work, no running as slightly over did it yesterday... felt OK. Have been told that we're going to be one of the top stories on bloomberg! Its getting harder and harder to back out of this thing now...
Some sales people from Sweden were in the office yesterday, apparently last night they were asking why 'Jesus' wasn't out for a few drinks... bloody swedes

"Does anyone care about his blisters...?"

2006-03-23T21:29:00.000+01:00

So asked my Mother... and to be fair she has a point...
Thats the downside of the whole "blog" thing... training for a marathon can be dull - so even the most banal thing can warrant a mention, for the sake of saying something... And over the course of 10 months or so you're keeping a blog, God knows the amount of times you have to ask yourself "why the hell am I bothering with this?!"

Well its a fair cop - but hopefully one or two people might get enough of a laugh, or pass enough time flicking through this that they might bother to sponsor me! That was the reason for the blog from word go, and thankfully its now starting to have an effect! On that note, a big thanks to Marc, Kevin, Ken & Derry, Graham, Afore mentioned blister basher, Kevin and Alan!

Back to blisters & co. Today was a pretty good day training wise, ran 8 miles, cycled 8 miles and 75minutes of spinning...

Gareth was talking about some T-shirts he's getting made up in New York with North Pole marathon logos and dates etc... He will also put corporate sponsors on if required... so if anyone wants one, I'm sure in return for a donation we can send one on!!! Also If anyone fancies getting a postcard from the North Pole, maybe to their kids or kid's school or who knows where - we can do that in return for a donation... just send me the details!

Finally today, one of my Danish colleagues (and I should point out that due to the high tax regime here Denmark doesn't have any culture of donating to charities) assumed that the sponsorship money was going to me - or partly paying for my costs. Let me assure you that every penny goes direct to either Cancer Research or to Sloane Kettering, DIRECTLY!

Excerpt from 2001 Pole expedition...

2006-03-23T12:06:00.000+01:00

"It was -15C when the day started, and we were walking in ice rubble from the start. After an hour we found better ice but soon we were in the worst area of ice rubble and chaos since leaving Ward Hunt Island. There was also deep snow, so much zig-zagging was necessary.

After clearing this area, we had two hours of good skiing, before we were back in yet more rubble. It was a formidable day, certainly the hardest physically we have had since the start. We had only 17 miles to do, but were 'on the move' for over 14 hours!"

read about it here

- don't like the sound of 17 miles in 14 hours... and that was at the Pole....

16 days...

2006-03-23T08:20:00.000+01:00

Well sent out begging letters yesterday! Already had a positive response - Thanks Dave and Chris! If there was any doubt about giving money to cancer research a friend sent me a page of a London marathon runner, Nick Teague... inspirational effort, puts me to shame! But also shows how badly cancer research needs all the money it can get!

I ran past 2 colleagues near the office this morning, and they asked me about the race etc... (since the photographer on the floor everyone knows the reason for the ridiculous beard!) Thay asked me where I lived and were very impressed when I said Lyngby, about 8 miles away.... didn't have the heart to tell them I cycled half the way and only ran 4 miles...

- today's beard is Richard Harris... was meant to be the Bull McCabe from the Field but had to settle for his role form Gladiator... well it was that or Dumbledore?!
-keep the suggestions coming!!

From Sean Burch...

2006-03-22T21:42:00.000+01:00

Peter,
Sorry for the late response..have been in NY in meetings for toooooooo long.
My best advice for you is to go in to it with your eyes and heart wide open. That's why you are doing it in the first place I hope. My whole attitude and reason for going there was the personal challenge and for pure adventure. Run a marathon at the NP? Nice!

I am sure you have experience running marathons so treat it as such...except a lot colder!

Good luck to you Peter, and let me know how the experience turns out for you, would enjoy hearing about it.

Skål,
Sean
Burch Hyperfitness Systems
www.HyperfitnessLiving.com
www.SeanBurch.com

Sean won the 2004 race in a ridiculously fast time!!!

17 days...

2006-03-22T18:49:00.000+01:00

No running today... but cycled 16 miles... was meant to also go spinning, but got bumped out of the class for showing up late! bugger...

Had a bad blister on foot yesterday and Mel came up with some new plasters specially for blisters... They're called Compeed - and they are the nuts... if you get blisters these work a treat!

After much fine tuning, we have finally agreed on the wording for the sponsorship pages... ultimately we decided to raise money for 2 cancer charities, Cancer Research UK and the Sloane Kettering Memorial foundation. Both do great work in cancer related areas - but most importantly they fund much needed research programs! Including the money already raised from last year's abandoned race we're upto almost 3,500 pounds! Thats 5,000 euros or 6,000 dollars!!!

Got a call form Chris in NY this evening... it seems the flights to Longyear byen in Svalbard (the furthest north you can fly to on a scheduled flight) are booked up... and he may have to head up to Svalbard 2 days earlier than planned... Thats 2 extra days in -20 weather and no chance of getting lashed up... I'm sure theres a moral there somewhere???

update on bits and pieces...

2006-03-21T21:56:00.000+01:00

Well less than 3 weeks to go... over the course of the past year I've been fitter and been alot worse off... experienced the lows of Marathon du Medoc in September, and the highs of the Dublin marathon at the end of October. Then I had the trauma of an injury I couldn't pin point a reason for or at the same time get any better...
I've run to and from work, in forests, round lakes, in snow and ice and sweated in blistering heat. I've run up glaciers in New Zealand and through French vineyards on foggy mornings! I've cycled and gone to spinning classes, I've binged and stopped drinking completely... I've seen medics trying in vain to ressucitate runners by the side of the road and I've been trust a tri-colour as I've ran the final steps of a marathon on red carpet!!
All in the space of a year!
Recently getting over and understanding an injury has preoccupied my training and hampered its efforts - but now theres finally hope and only last Sunday I managed a 3 hour run on hilly snow covered ground.
I've been photographed by professionals and been interviewd about going to the pole, I've been knocked back on sponsorship and had to scrape together to pay for the entrance fee... but the flights are booked, and the starting line is within sight - so to speak!
The next few days will be focused on getting website up and running for charity donations which I intend to do in conjunction with Jonnsie, Gareth and Samsie. I think between now and the race we can really raise alot of money for charity!
Today is the vernal equinox, the day when eggs can be balanced on their end (amongst other things), the start of spring and as I ran home tonight with the sun in my face I couldn't feel happier!

18 days

2006-03-21T09:19:00.000+01:00

Was so knackered yesterday went to bed at 8!!! Felt good on run in this morning, although ankle not 100%, still pretty OK.

Coming up with new idea to raise money for charity... anyone who sponsors me will get a postcard from the North Pole sent to whoever they wish in the world with whatever message they want... might spark some interest, only question is can you send postcards from the north pole????

Yesterday's beard was the image of Jesus on a piece of toast, which apparently sold for alot of money on ebay... its a crazy world!

In NY yesterday, Jonnsie managed a 19 miler... hopefully we're getting all set for a memorable race!!! still dread the thoughts of the marathon du medoc back in September... brings tears to my eyes...

19 days...

2006-03-20T08:43:00.000+01:00

This morning was the coldest yet... cycled all the way to work as after yesterday's long run no need to overdo it.... Hands are red raw, not looking forward to - 30!

On the Greenland training trip, it seems its very hard to actually get there! So considering Helsinki now! Cold but accesible!

20 days

2006-03-19T20:38:00.000+01:00

Time very quickly moving closer now to D-day now... Ran for 3 hours today on snow and hilly terrain... at the pace I averaged a marathon would've taken 4 and a half hours... but with sub zero temperatures and the fact the last quarter is alot slower than the first one, really your talking 6 or longer... gulp!

Great news was that with my new insole my ankle did not play up at all! So thoughts that I wouldn't make the starting line are all gone!

We are now thinking about going to Greenland or Iceland for a weekend "training camp" between now and the Pole... will check out flights and temperatures... a bit extreme, but would give us perfect conditions to check out all the gear etc...

So with less than 3 weeks to go, I must admit things are looking up!!! Hopefully ankle problem has been sorted, and now a 2 & 3 hour run on successive weekends - and possibly a trip to Somewhere Cold thrown in as well... what more could you ask for?

Lights, Camera, Action...

2006-03-17T14:24:00.000+01:00

Just had a journalist and cameraman in to the trading floor taking photos... All to everyone's great amusement - got alot of "what are National Geographic doing here" etc...

Actually for an article for a Danske bank in house magazine...

Earlier today, picked up the new insoles for my trainers... they feel very odd, but shall give them a good run in tomorrow!

Oh, speaking of Danske bank - They turned me down for sponsorship!!!
"As you might know our sponsorship-strategy consist of 3 universes and 1 of them is Danske Sports. We believe that children and teenagers has a right to a rich supply of adventures within sports, since an active childhood is the best basis for a long and healthy life. Therefore we have chosen to concentrate our ressources on children and teenagers and every year we arrange 220 local events called Danske Bank Cups with more than 125.000 participants.

In that light I'm not able to give you a sponsorship and hope that you will be able to find a sponsor somewhere else."

Hello, hello, can someone please sponsor me........

23 days to go...

2006-03-16T21:23:00.000+01:00

All I'm going to say is its grossly unfair having Cheltenham a few weeks before the North Pole Marathon...

Thankfully I'm back on solids now after a severe dose of alcohol poisoning, tomorrow I collect my newly built insoles - Saturday, pain, pain and more pain!

Today's beard is very, very apt... Shane McGowan, it is St. Patrick's day tomorrow after all!

Cheltenham, where north pole marathons are won and lost...

2006-03-12T18:36:00.000+01:00

Spinning, cycling and possibly running will be curtailed as the annual pilgrimage to Cheltenham takes place this week... I will be bringing my running gear along with the trilby - but the blog may get stale for a few days, apologies!

Yesterday's Beard was inspired by my Deer Stalker meeting in the Forest... Today's by Adam Paul, The Gentleman's Swiss Broker!

2006-03-12T15:56:00.000+01:00

I should have started running about 100 years ago....

More on the Fiennes / North Pole controversy

2006-03-12T15:39:00.000+01:00

Well, after some digging through various websites, I have a better understanding of the controversy over the first men to reach the North Pole.
From wikipedia (link on the right hand side, under north pole facts)...

"The first expedition to the pole is generally accepted to have been made on April 6, 1909 by Anglo-American Navy engineer Robert Edwin Peary, African-American Matthew Henson, and four Inuit men named Ootah, Seegloo, Egingway, and Ooqueah. Polar historians believe that Peary honestly thought he had reached the pole. However a 1996 analysis of a newly-discovered copy of Peary's record indicates that Peary must have been in fact 20 nautical miles (40 km) short of the Pole."

Ran Fiennes got embroiled in this issue by stating in a Gaurdian interview that "I doubt that Henson and Peary ever got to the North Pole. It can be mathematically proved that they could not have done it on the basis of their notes."
read interview here

The pro Henson website, www.matthewhenson.com then gets stuck into Ran Fiennes - see my posting below!

So who did reach the North Pole first!? I think I need to do some more reading... Watch this space!

sore British loser...?

2006-03-12T12:20:00.000+01:00

Stumbled upon this site having a pop at the normally reverently treated Sir Ran Fiennes... "...bitter fights with Ran...dementia, blindness, and toes described as black bags of pus, ...the stench of rotting flesh ...evil body odors." More a horror story than an adventure epic.

2006-03-12T12:11:00.000+01:00

Desperate housewives?

Is the north pole becoming just another package holiday destination for the bored with spare cash??
Sight seeing tours

last of the summer wine...

2006-03-12T11:36:00.000+01:00

Was just checking out what dates various marathons are this summer, thinking about running Medoc again and then attempting to qualify for Boston at the Berlin marathon in September... any way came across the following review written by yours truly, enjoy
Marathon du Medoc review

27 days to go

2006-03-12T10:04:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was first decent run since the Dublin marathon... over 2 hours of running through the forest near our house. Mixed terrain but mostly running on ice and snow over undulating hills - so perfect training! The weather was cold, but sunny and the sky was clear blue... not having had much opportunity to explore the forest since we moved here, it was a fantastic feeling just running down paths not knowing what to expect. I came across dead ends, frozen lakes, small woodsmen huts deep in the forest, people out cross country skiing and people having a picnic, dogs being walked and deer stalkers stalking... coming back down along the coast side of the forest I could see Sweden across the sea and most of all, silence. Just my own breathing and footsteps, and whoever happened to be blaring in my earphones at that time... The sense of freedom, combined with the pain from my ankle and leg along with the long version of Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo child - well, unforgettable!

check out map of forest in relation to house here

yesterday's beard was Jerry Garcia of the Grateful dead...

day 29

2006-03-10T23:34:00.000+01:00

Another hour of spinning today... I remember when people went for a drink on a friday after work... ran / cycled 8 miles home after the spinning Feeling very positive

On way home a young chap starting jogging alongside me, probably trying to take the piss out of me in front of his mates and girlfriend... he failed miserably to get my goat up... now, if he'd been driving a car... well that would have been another story altogether... jogging rage just hasn't caught on yet....

Tomorrow intend to test out the new ice bugs (and me) on snow for a LONG run... should be revealing

- Today's beard is Che Guevara...

30 days

2006-03-09T20:55:00.000+01:00

Time running out.. I on the other hand ain't doing much running today! Hamstring was so tight decided was apt time for a few drinks at the local watering hole.... body is strong, but the mind is weak.....

Today's bearded picture is Tom Hanks from Castaway, cheers Caroline!

From Richard Donnovan...

2006-03-08T20:54:00.000+01:00

"Dear North Pole Competitor:

Snowshoes will be permitted in the North Pole Marathon.

They may not be of benefit, but it is impossible to predict the terrain. Although the snow may not be deep, it can be powdery and energy sapping as a result. There may be long stretches of the course that can be solid to run on, yet other parts where it would be better to wear snowshoes. It's entirely up to individuals whether they want to wear them or not. My strong advice is to bring them as a choice, particularly if you are highly competitive. It is better to be looking at them than looking for them.

Snowshoes are generally very easy to obtain in North America. If you have difficulty finding them elsewhere, there is a distributor in Europe who is willing to offer Atlas Dual Trac SL racing snowshoes to North Pole Marathon competitors for approximately EUR 120. This represents a very substantial discount.

Please let me know this week if you need a pair so that I can supply you with further details.

There will be further updates on the race throughout March.

Thank you,
Richard."

- "particularly if you are highly competitive"... hmmm, does that rule me in or out...

31 days

2006-03-08T20:22:00.000+01:00

There is something very unnatural about spinning. 29 adults in a room, voluntarily - actually paying for the privilege, cycling on exercise bikes, listening to terrible music without any melody, while being shouted at by some hyperactive bloke at the front. (If I thought spinning was going to increase my Danish vocab I was sadly mistaken... "to minutter, kun to mere" "ti, ni, otte, syv..." "Kom nu, kom nu" well you get the picture).

The premise seems to be spinning leads to higher fitness levels... But at what cost? It has a very organised religious feeling to it - and I guess most of the people in the room are not the types to go to mass every morning of this Lenten period. So its modern society's mission.

A mission was something people of my local parish in Caragh (Co. Kildare, Ireland) looked forward to. It was in effect a week of early rising to go to church to get stern sermons from scary priests. I'm not sure why they called this "the mission" but perhaps because some of the priests had been in Africa or somewhere foreign saving the poor unfortunate souls, bless them!

So for one week the church would be jam packed at an ungodly hour, 7am! There was little singing and flailing about, this was catholic Ireland after all, but people were generally made to feel guilty for most anything that crossed the priests minds. The end result was after a week of self loathing, self questioning and realising how damn miserable we deserve to be given the multitude of sins we were committing - people ended the week feeling great because the mission was over! Thank God for that, we can go back to normal and stop all the self-this and self-that!

So I digress, but 29 people, all 20 to 35 year olds, none obese or in need of an hours exercise while been shouted at, with nothing to show at the end but a relief that it was over is scarily like the catholic church. In other words banging your head against a wall, so you can enjoy the relief when you stop. Perverse but you'd be amazed that young healthy and otherwise normal people in a gym near you are doing just that.

Or maybe I'm just bitter that none of the other "spinners" had to cycle the 8 miles home afterwards....

Back running tomorrow! And decided to alternate the photo from the biography page with famous bearded men... Jonty came up with the inspiration for Brian Blessed... Blessed are the spinners, they shall inherit sore bums....

Amen.

cool link

2006-03-07T22:42:00.000+01:00

check out the map and weather reports.. also can see my route from Copenhagen, Oslo, Longyearbyen and North Pole mapped out...

Gym'll fix it

2006-03-07T21:43:00.000+01:00

I've bever liked gyms. So was tough to go and sign up to one for a month tonight. But I managed to do it, just for a month mind, and strictly to facilitate higher fitness levels!

The place I went to is central Copenhagen, and unnervingly most people in there look like they dressed up to go out clubbing rather than to work out... wait until they get a load of me, eh!

So 5:10 pm tomorrow, yours truly shall be Power Spinning... what the final cycle on a washing machine has to do with north pole marathons I'll never know!

Will give the run to/from work a miss tomorrow as ankle played up a bit too much on way home tonight... probably not a bad idea after the spinning in any case...

32 days

2006-03-07T17:08:00.000+01:00

Wore the new ice bugs in today... pretty cool. Also went to get the purpose insoles measured and built... not so cool, the place was very strange - where they make false legs etc... hmmmm
Going to check out gym now... the things I do for the sake of this run!

2006-03-06T19:56:00.000+01:00

Longyearbyen, Svalbard. Where I'll be landing at midnight on 7th April... current temperature with windchill is -29.7 C or -21.5 F

2006-03-06T19:24:00.000+01:00

Icebug MR3's: The new wheels... (metal spikes that retract into the rubber on hard surfaces, or grip into ice in snow...)

33 days

2006-03-06T14:01:00.000+01:00

nothing ground breaking but things starting to come together:

1. Felt alot more alive on run in this morning, remembering that "running" feeling
2. Have bit the bullet and coughed up for flights to Longyearbyen in Svalbard, Norway!
3. Ordered a pair of Ice bug runners (for running in extreme ice conditions, sounds about right and apparently its what the 2004 winner wore!)
4. Doing some research into Neoprene socks... exciting, eh?
5. Talked to Steen Blaafalk of Danske Bank about getting the bank to sponsor my exploits... he's going to sound the pr dept. out!
6. Booked a session Friday with another crowd who claim to be The foot specialists for running!
7. Taking the drugs, maybe they're a placebo???
8. Starting to get some positive feedback on the blog! any suggestions???
9. Tomorrow have appointment with orthopedic specialists to get insole built!
10. need to sort out some gym visits next
11. Checked weather in Longyearbyen, only -19 today... remember to bring sun cream

arrrggghhhhhhhh

34 days

2006-03-05T22:34:00.000+01:00

Well as the song goes, the drugs don't work - they just make you worse....

Started on the anti-inflammatories, but had to skip running totally this weekend as ankle in a bad way, and very nervous about running to work tomorrow... Did manage to buy some thermal underwear and running stuff yesterday - and tuesday I go to get my special insoles measured up and made... but hard to stay positive at the moment...

2006-03-04T14:33:00.000+01:00

Peter McGarry and Mo training

2006-03-04T14:20:00.000+01:00

Homer J. Simpson

2006-03-04T14:10:00.000+01:00

Does my backside feel cold in this... YES!

2003 runner's comments...

2006-03-03T20:56:00.000+01:00

"There were several cases of frostbite. Some of the cases were mild and other cases were more serious and the victims skin blistered. Besides the soft and loose snow, the leads (open water) and pressure ridges caused problems for the runners. I stepped in one lead that had mostly closed up and I could have easily broken my leg. Fortunately, I did not...."

read more of Brent Weigner's comments here

36 days

2006-03-03T20:24:00.000+01:00

The last four days I've cycled 32 miles and ran 32 miles. I feel a touch fitter and feel like some progress is being made. That said, on the run home tonight I almost stopped and walked, as my right calf muscle was very very tight and my ankle joint felt, well felt banjaxed to use the non-medical term!

In the short run this means I can rule out the planned 16miler tomorrow as I think it would do some real damage. But I've come to the conclusion there is no point in focusing on the negatives - instead make the best attempt to be as fit and prepared come April 8th and stop fretting about ankles and so forth!

In this vein I think form next week I'm going to have to sign up to a gym and start doing some rowing, spinning or whatever else it takes so after the next 30 odd days I'm fighting fit! Watch this space...

After the run home, Mel gave me a 20 minute massage on my right lower leg... thankfully I no longer feel like I'm walking around on a ticking bomb!!

Due to Jonty's constant pestering, I will be taking some photos tomorrow of me training... the general idea is to get Me, the Beard and some Snow all in the same shot... hmmmmm

National Geographic interview...

2006-03-02T20:51:00.000+01:00

"But, you know, when you are running at the Poles you don’t feel like you’re sitting at the top of the world or anything; it’s just a bunch of ice all around you and no real atmosphere. It’s anticlimactic. You’re all alone running around and you kind of ask yourself, What am I doing here?"

-The more I read into this marathon the more I wonder what the hell am I doing...
read whole article here

Danish TV ???

2006-03-02T17:11:00.000+01:00

just got this email from Richard, the race organiser...

Hey Peter,

Danish TV would like to talk to you about the North Pole Marathon. Would you be interested and can I pass on your contact details?

Cheers,
Richard.

-maybe I'll postpone those after work drinks and run home now... bloody conscience!

Eilif Larsen

2006-03-02T13:08:00.000+01:00

After visiting my local GP and a man I will call the foot tickler, it was with great trepidation I met Eilif this morning... His reputation is the best foot specialist in Denmark and it took 6 weeks to get an appointment... and I have to say, he knows his stuff.

The story is the tendon that wraps around my right ankle is too tight due to bad cushioning of my sole and is now inflammed... you don't need to be a specialist to see my right foot's natural position is off centre, so running exacerbates the strain on the tendon hence the pain.

Soooo, he has prescribed me 10 days course of drugs to fight the inflammation (apparently they're bloody strong so expect escalation in my Rocky anecdotes). I have to see a specialist to get an insole built (sounds good) and I have to get an ultra sound on my foot to see the extent of the damage to the tendon...

All sounds good! bring on the drugs

37 days

2006-03-02T12:54:00.000+01:00

OK not sure what happened on run this morning, perhaps it was the weather, perhaps it was due to a bad night's sleep, perhaps the pressure is getting to me... BUT I started to think of myself as Rocky...

OK, OK... I know... but there I was running head down into sleet, at dawn and I couldn't stop thinking about that scene in Rocky (was it IV??) where he is training in the wilderness with no gym etc... while the (no doubt evil, drug taking Russian) was training in the soviet gym with state of teh art equipment.... now my fellow competitor Kate Charles (see video on earlier post) is not the equivalent of the Russian boxer, Ivan Drago, and in all likely hood I might not even get to the starting line with my ankle... but at 6:30am on a deserted road in driving sleet in Copenhagen your mind needs to latch onto something.... anything.... dum dum dum dum.... Risin' up, back on the street....

Fellow competitor's training video (gulp)

2006-03-01T20:19:00.000+01:00

from bbc.co.uk

I'm officially starting to sh#t myself now... managed another 4 miles run and 4 miles bike on way home, with no ankle problems... but felt like I was wearing a deep sea diving suit (made out of solid copper)

Piece about the 2003 race...

2006-03-01T12:03:00.000+01:00

"The marathon took place on April 17, 2003. Running was very difficult over soft and loose snow and in temperatures with a wind chill of -29°C (-21°F).
Martin Tighe of the United Kingdom was the winner with a time of 5.02.10. Richard Donovan of Ireland took second place and Dave Kanners of the USA came in third. At different times during this extreme race, competitors were temporarily withdrawn to be treated for frost damage to their noses. There was no serious frostbite, and all runners continued.

"As the marathoners struggled over the ice, through the snow and against the biting cold, a support helicopter stood by - constantly heating its engines while waiting for them to finish. The running times were much slower than a regular marathon because of the very difficult terrain and biting wind (For comparison, this year's Boston Marathon winner had a time of 2:10:11) and the extended time resulted in a fuel shortage problem for the chopper. Therefore, after the first runners finished the course, the distances of the others were marked and they were flown back to base camp - where they finished running the required distances.

"Luckily, no matter how long the race took, the runners would not run out of daylight. On race day at the North Pole the sun was shining all day, and it would not set for another 159 days!"

- hmmmm

38 days...

2006-03-01T11:07:00.000+01:00

cycled ran in again this morning.... snow on the ground, and misty cold weather. the run seems to take for ever (only 4 miles) and really labouring... it seems like years ago I ran Dublin and felt great... Meant to be seeing another specialist tomorrow morning, but will struggle to get time off work! but next appointment I can get is April 20th!!!! not much good for np marathon, but I doubt he will have any miracle cure for the ankle... no pain this morning, but a dull ache at times... very worried it packs in and I have to postpone the np marathon...

After reading the dispatches from the 2004 event got VERY concerned about my preparation y'day (see below)

hmmmmmmmmm

Dispatches from the 2004 NP marathon winner

2006-02-28T08:34:00.000+01:00

"The funny part (or not so funny part) about the race was when I couldn't see anyone on the course. There are pressure ridges throughout the ice, so I would be going up and down little hills. At the far end of the course, I'd always be looking over my shoulder, waiting to see if a polar bear was stalking me. They blend in with the snow so that you can hardly see them until they're right on top of you."
Read more here