84-year-old Canadian becomes oldest person to complete Antarctic marathon

An 84-year-old Canadian man has become the oldest person to run in an Antarctic marathon. Roy Jorgen Svenningsen reached the finish line in about 11 hours and 41 minutes. Svenningsen has been running marathons for over half a century. Speaking to the media, Svenningsen told on December 16 that he thought he could not finish the race. The racer spent a year training for last Friday’s 42-kilometre race. As per reports, Svenningsen has been running ever since 1964, when he completed a race in Calgary. He aimed to complete a marathon on every continent and Antarctica was one of the last on his to-do list. Australia and South America are the other two continents that he has to cover.

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Svenningsen's challenges

Elaborating on the challenges at the marathon, Svenningsen said that where he lives i.e. in Edmonton, where the winters are tough although it is nothing similar to the icy winds of Antarctica. He said the winters are particularly milder than the Antarctic at his place and that they a very little bit of snow. The temperature at his place wasn’t anything comparable to the temperature or the snow that they have in Antarctica, he said.

In order to save himself from the chilling atmosphere in the marathon, Svenningsen wore two layers of socks, a toque and running shoes with tiny spikes, for added traction. Yet though the skies were clear on race day, the temperature was a frigid -15C. The racer explained that warmth wasn't a problem but by the 20th kilometer, he began to feel weak.

He did speak to a doctor who asked him to drink some soup which helped, but after another few kilometers, he felt the exhaustion come on again. Blowing Antarctic winds and a fresh dusting of snow were adding another layer of resistance to Svenningsen. Spectators recorded that Svenningsen spent the second half of the race walking and jogging and finally reached the final kilometre with a Canadian flag. When asked how he celebrated his victory, Svenningsen said that he celebrated with a hot shower and a long nap. 

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Explaining how he made to the finish line, Svenningsen said that it was his own drive to complete the race that made him continue.

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Antarctic Ice Marathon 

The winner of this year’s race was William Hafferty of the US. The Antarctic Ice Marathon is the planet’s southernmost race and is considered one of the toughest with icy cold temperatures. Temperatures at Union Glacier hover around -9 C this time of year which is considerably warmer than the South Pole.

With an entry fee of $24,800, participants are flown to and from Antarctica via Chile’s southernmost airport, fed and lodged in tented accommodations, and provided professional photos. Race director Richard Donovan lauded the Svenningsen and told that he’s truly an inspiration for all generations and a remarkable ambassador for Canada. 

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