So just like when I decided to go to school for engineering the joke was… “Before I didn’t even know how to spell ENGINEER and now I am one”.   If it wasn’t for spell check I wouldn’t be able to spell Antarctica and now I am going there!

Most of you know that I finished my goal last year to run a marathon in all fifty states and when I finished I kind of went into a funk (OK, what do I do next).   I had a very similar feeling after training and completing an Ironman Triathlon the year I turned 40.  It did not even dawn on me that after I finished that triathlon in Montreal that I did not swim a lap for over 15 years!   It wasn’t until then that I started training to do a sprint triathlon the spring after I finished the 50 States.

The Christmas after I finished the 50 States quest my daughters gave to me a few books to read.  I think they were a little nervous that I had not set any new goals and I needed a little something to get me stimulated.  One of the books was called “The Coolest Race on Earth” by John Hanc.  I read it in one or two sittings and before the week was out I was a member of the “Seven Continents Club” and was confirmed to run the Antarctica Marathon in 2018.

It was kind of comforting to know that I had a little over three years to prepare for this marathon and figured I may be able to polish off a few continents beforehand.  I let a few people know my new goal and that 2018 was going to be “The Big One” and settled in for a nice three year wait.   I started doing some swimming and biking and actually did a sprint triathlon in Melbourne, Florida and ran a few races including the Fort Lauderdale marathon.   Then I got a blast e-mail…someone had dropped out of the 2015 and Antarctica Marathon and who wanted to fill the slot.  I was first to respond and before you knew it my three year “wait” was reduced to a nine month “holy shit”.

Now it was officially time to train and start preparing for spring weather in Antarctica.  The conditions in Antarctica during the marathon time can be from 10 degrees to 50 degrees.  This means that the terrain can range drastically – from fresh snow to knee deep mud.  The time of year down there would be like August in Alaska.

My first problem is, as some of you know, my true hatred of cold weather. Since I now spend over 60% of my time in Florida I cannot stand the cold in New England.   However, to not try to at least pretend and get out there and train would be a mistake.   Then it was early January in New England and I really got my chance.  As we went out the door one morning Maria took a picture of the temperature on the car dashboard that showed minus 7 degrees, and of course that did not take the windchill into consideration.  That day at noon it had warmed up to a balmy 4 degrees above zero and I went for a run.   Yes I survived, and hate to admit, I kind of enjoyed it. For the first time in years I did not sweat when I ran 5 miles. The day before when it was in the high teens and I returned from my lunchtime run.  I was teased about my frozen eyebrows since they were the only thing that was exposed and they froze as my forehead sweat.

I have been also been trying to run in difficult terrain.   One of my co-workers (who is still employed) invited me to run a Jingle Bell Half Marathon in Atkinson, New Hampshire.  After checking the weather on Wednesday I agreed to run as the forecast was for clear skies and 45 degrees.  That Saturday it was 28 degrees and pouring rain. The snow was the only traction you could find with the rain freezing as soon as it hit the ground. All in all, a good experience because I learned that cotton gloves do a great job of retaining moisture but are useless for retaining heat when completely soaked.

I also have been running on the beach in Florida a lot to simulate soft surfaces such as mud and slush and have been running on trails as much as I can because running on the roads has made me lazy when I comes to paying attention to trip hazards that are down low.   Not too many stumps or branches on the paved road I usually run on in New England or Florida.  Hopefully this will help to avoid some tripping hazards when it’s time to run in Antarctica!

Stay tuned for more details of preparing for the trip….and of course, for the actual Antarctica Marathon itself!