So, here is how this is “running a marathon in Antarctica” is supposed to work.   Maria and I are leaving the last few days in February to fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina. We have friends from New England who live their winters in Argentina and have invited us every year when they head south for us to come visit and we give the same old “sure we will be right down” story we do every year.   This year we are going to pay a visit.

After spending some time with them, Maria and I will return to Buenos Aires for a few days before I leave for Ushuaia, Argentina – the southernmost port in Argentina.  On March 5^th I will board the ice cutter – Akademik Ioffe.   There will be a two day sailing across Drakes passage and a few days exploring glaciers, volcanoes, and abandoned whaling stations before we will anchor near King George Island.  The anticipated date of the marathon is March 9^th.   They allow two days for rough seas to be able to land on the island – so the actual date of the marathon could change based on weather – but I’m hoping for the best!   If all goes well, our return route will bring me back to Miami on March 16^th, 2015.

Arriving at the boat in Argentina on March 5, 2015

The other night at dinner Maria asked me if I was scared.  I looked at her in amazement and told her fear was not really one of my emotions.   I am excited to be going to a place that I would never have even thought of going if I was not a long distance runner.  My biggest fear was that I was going to be 9 or 10 days with no internet, telephone or outside contact with the world!  I have not had such an opportunity since I was backpacking in the Sierra Nevada’s when I was in high school and there were no cell phones.   I know I can do it and intend to bring lots of reading material to occupy all that time but it is still kind of scary.

I will be taking my Go Pro camera and will bring back lots of pictures of the marathon and the boat ride as well, but will not be able to share them until I am back in the USA.  So stay tuned for that around the middle of March!