The course is a tough one, but I am from Colorado, so mud and ice and steep hills are par for the course here in our mountains. A lot of the other runners only trained on asphalt, so they found it challenging, which it was. I gave 5 stars for spectators because what race has penguins as greeters and onlookers?!! Seriously, Steve Hibbs is a class act as is his entire team. Helpful, friendly, accessible, organized, and determined to give the racers the experience they expect. We had some unknowns during our time there; somehow, Steve managed to pull it all together and make it happen. The race will only get better, I'm sure. If you plan on running a marathon in Antarctica, go with Steve and his team. You will have the experience of a lifetime.

For an inaugural marathon, the White Continent Marathon was very well organized. It was a challenging course with breathtaking views that made it almost a surreal experience. I am looking forward to going back next year!!

Running in Antarctica has got to be the best feeling I have ever had. The mere touchdown of the plane on the runway was cause enough for celebration after 2 days of uncertainty and not knowing if we would even be able to fly into Antarctica. The fact that we ran the Antarctica marathon within 18 hours of finishing the Punta Arenas marathon in Chile gave it extra meaning and made it even more special. That's right - virtually a no sleep marathon!
We left our hotel at 1am, flew at 3am and landed in the White Continent at 5.20 am. The course was surprisingly hard but I would rather have a tough course than not; just to reflect back at how satisfying it was to finish 26.2 miles on the continent. When we started at 5.40ish, it was still a full moonlight twilight and in another hour or so had the sunrise as well. The course was not just hard due to the couple of hills we had to do multiple times but also due to the muddy trail (our shoes were way heavier), running on the rocks and pebbles and the cold weather...other than the trail, Weather played spoilsport and we all had to be flown out reducing the time we had to finish the race. But a few of us were determined not to leave without every feet completed on the continent and with the Race director's blessings continued to run. About 15 of us ( I was happy to be one of the finishers on the continent) finished the 26.2 and a little more for good measure on the Great White Continent before being whisked away into the plane as the wind, fog and chill started to roll in with a surprising intensity. The rest of the runners deservedly got their chance to finish their remaining distance in Chile. It was heartening to see how we had bonded as a group and supported every runner's finish. At the end, that's what it's all about...
Steve, Colleen and Kurt did a great job as the race organizers inspite of the weather challenges and the difficult logistics.
I signed up for this marathon as I wanted to strike off 2 marathons in 2 continents. Like every event, there are always avenues for improvement and I am positive Steve and crew will change a few things for next year. I am happy I was part of the inaugural 'Ultra' haha...as I had never signed up for 2 marathons within 18 hours in 2 separate continents. It ended up that way and I wouldn't want it to have been any different. Props to the race crew for making this an incredible adventure to remember and a story for the ages!

P.s. I rated the spectators as 5...how could you not rate Penguins and Seals as a 5???? ;). Yep, we had them as spectators!

I have been participating in The Great Wall Marathon ever since the first race. After the 10th marathon, the organizers nicknamed me 'Mr. Great Wall'. I had never expected to experience something as big as my yearly trip to China. My trip to Punta Arenas, Chile in February 2013, and the two marathons I ran within 24 hours, one in Chile and one on Antarctica, was in every way so special and spectacular that those marathons, will forever be reminded as something very special. To be initiated into 'The Official 7 Continents Marathon Club' means so much to me that it can't be described.