How many North Pole Marathon races have occurred?

The first North Pole Marathon occurred in 2002 when the race director covered the distance alone. In 2003, the first exploratory competitive race was advertised and attracted ten competitors. There were further races in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 making five competitive events to date. The race is now an annual fixture on the international marathon calendar and one-hundred-and-twenty-seven people in all have successfully completed the event.

Does the North Pole Marathon have a carbon offsetting policy?

Yes. The North Pole Marathon pays the relevant amount of money to the CarbonNeutral Company for carbon offsetting projects. Polar Running Adventures has been pioneering in this regard, becoming the first business to completely neutralise the CO2 effects of all its flights to the North Pole. First, the CO2 impacts of the 2½ hour flights to the North Pole camp - and any related helicopter flights in the polar region - are scientifically calculated on the basis of the type of aircraft used,  fuel burn rate, fuel type and flight duration. Second, this calculated impact is offset by an investment in a mix of approved global projects such as tree-planting / forestry development. Competitors can travel to the North Pole with the knowledge that their polar flights have official Carbon Neutral status.

Does the North Pole Marathon have a positive environmental ethos?

Yes. The North Pole Marathon likes to use its race location on the polar ice cap in a positive environmental way. Indeed, many of the participants utilise the event to spread climate change messages to a large global audience. The race operates an almost completely paperless office, with all entries accepted online and payments made via bank wire transfers. The event is is a foot race and naturally promotes fitness and exercise as a substitute to car and vehicle use. Furthermore, there is a carbon offsetting policy employed for the polar flights. It should be highlighted that the emissions resulting from a 2½  hour return flight to the Pole are identical to those of a similar flight elsewhere in the world. Moreover, there could be a misconception that those flying to the North Pole are the ones leading to a shrinking of the polar ice caps, but this is obviously not the case! We are all responsible for the effects of our CO2 emissions on environments across the globe - and we should attempt to cut these emissions where possible or otherwise neutralise their impact.

I have no prior extreme weather experience. Is it ok for me to run at the North Pole? 

Yes. Proper clothing enures the cold is not an overwhelming problem when running or walking this race. A large heated tent is also available every few miles. Most participants will never have encountered extremely cold conditions before travelling to the Pole.

With little or no marathon experience, should I be able to finish the North Pole Marathon?

Yes. If you train properly and can run or walk a distance of 26.2 miles comfortably, then you should be able to complete the North Pole Marathon successfully. Some of the previous particpants had never completed a marathon before: determination is the key ingredient to finishing. One of the priorities of the organiser is to have everybody finish the race and there is generally no cut-off time of major significance. 

How will I get to the North Pole?

You will arrange round trip flights from your homeland to a town called Longyearbyen, which is situated on Spitsbergen (Svalbard) off the coast of Norway. There are daily flights from Oslo to Spitsbergen. From there, you will be flown to the North Pole.

Where is Spitsbergen, Svalbard?

Spitsbergen is the largest of a set of Norwegian islands called Svalbard, which is situated between 74N10E and 81N35E latitudes.

How do I get to Spitsbergen, Svalbard?

You will book your international flight to arrive in Oslo. From there, some flights go directly to Longyearbyen while others have a short stop at Tromsø en route. The flying time between Oslo and Tromsø is approximately 1½ hours, while the flying time from Tromsø to Longyearbyen Airport (Spitsbergen) is also about 1½ hours.

Where will I stay at Spitsbergen?

North Pole Marathon participants will share rooms at a hotel in Longyearbyen. Longyearbyen is a small settlement only a few minutes from the airport.

By what means am I transported to and from the North Pole?

An AN-74 (Antonov) jet will fly you to an international North Pole Camp called Barneo situated between 89N and 90N, drifting in the high Arctic Ocean. The Antonov will return to collect you approximately 36 - 48 hours later. The flight duration is 2½ hours each way. The AN-74 is a converted cargo plane that is purposefully built for such conditions. By design, the front of the plane is used for seating and the rear is utilised for cargo storage.

Is it safe to fly to the North Pole?

There have never been any accidents involving flights to the North Pole camp. The planes are chartered from a company that boasts a safety record 2.5 times the industry average and the pilots are experts in polar environments. The Antonovs receive appropriate certification from the Russian Ministry of Transport.  

Is there any land at the North Pole?

No. The North Pole is not situated on land, but on the Arctic Ocean. Athletes will therefore be running 'on' water…frozen water! You will be running on an ice sheet some 6 - 12 feet thick above 12,000 feet of Arctic Ocean on the top of the world.

What date will the race take place?

The marathon is provisionally scheduled to take place on 8th April 2009. Competitors will leave Spitsbergen on 7th April and return to Spitsbergen on 9th March, therefore spending about 36-48 hours in the polar region.  

Where exactly will the race take place?

The race will be run from a drifting North Pole camp, which floats about the North Pole between 89N and 90N. There will be a circular route of at 4.2 km if possible which must be repeated ten times. Leads (breaks in the ice) and safety criteria will ultimately determine the maximum length of the circuit. The finish will occur at the ceremonial Pole where all the lines of longitude symbolically meet.

Will it be safe to run?

The race is a contained one in that it is run on a circuit. Flags will guide athletes around the course and participants should be visible at all times. Moroever, there should not be a discernibly greater risk from the activity of running vis-a-vis doing any other activities at the Pole or being in the general location.

Will the circuit be a perfect circle?

No. The circuit will meander among hillocks of ice and incorparate part of the aircraft landing runway. The map opposite depicts the shape of the 2007 North Pole Marathon course, which was a loop of 4.2km. Competitors repeated this loop ten times to finish the marathon distance. A wheelchair competitor, William Tan, repeated a 1 km measured course on the runway section to complete his marathon. 

Will the course be moving during the race?

Yes. The whole course will move with the direction of the Ocean current during the race. Competitors will not feel this movement happening, but it does! Athletes should simply feel like they are running on land at the exact same longitutude and latitude coordinates where they began. The diagram below depicts the map readings of a competitor's GPS watch for each of the ten laps of the 2007 race. One can see that the entire course was moving as a block during the 5+ hours it took him to complete the race distance.

Will I get to stand at the exact Geographic North Pole?

Yes. Assuming we are not by some remote chance floating over 90N when all have finished the race, we will travel by Mi-8 chopper to the exact Geographic North Pole (90N). Remember that we are floating on the Arctic Ocean and within minutes we will have moved away from the exact North Pole!

Will there be a threat from polar bears?

It would be highly unusual for a polar bear to travel that far north, though the camp operators keep weapons for such an eventuality. To date, no marathoner has seen a polar bear on the trip!

What is the weather usually like?

It is possible that the wind chill temperature could be very cold at –30C or even below this. In 2003 and 2004, the wind chill temperatures averaged -29C and -25C, respectively. However, the 2006 North Pole Marathon proved to be the mildest ever with temperatures averaging only -10C thoughout the event, though dipping to -23C for a very short period. The 2007 race witnessed temperatures averaging -25C throughout. In 2008, the core temperature was -29C but the wind chill temperature may have been close to -40C.

What are the underfoot conditions at the Pole?

The terrain can be uneven, dotted with small hillocks of reasonably solid ice. In this case, athletes will have to be careful not to twist their ankles when running. However, it can also be comprised of soft and loose snow, and both features may be evident on the circuit. The 2006 terrrain was quite trying, comprising deep snow in patches and a very uneven and unpredictable surface, making it difficult to get a rhythm going.  

What shoes should I wear when running?

A pair of trail running shoes might work out best, but it depends on the snow profile. In 2002 and 2003, the underfoot conditions were reasonably solid, while in 2004 and 2006 the conditions principally comprised soft snow where snowshoes were necessary. In 2007, most competitors began with snowshoes and later discarded them finding it easier to run without them. In 2008, almost everybody chose to wear trail runners for the entire duration of the event. Moreover, it is advisable for a serious contender to bring snowshoes along with trail running shoes and to experiment with both types on the course prior to the race. However, if you are an inexperienced snowshoe user, be aware that they cause pain due to changed leg motion. There will obviously be no divisions based on the type of shoes worn in the race and competitors are free to avail of both options during the marathon - as occured in 2007.

What clothes should I wear when running?

A layering system is best, which should incorporate the following:

Upper body – thermal layer, fleece layer and outer windproof shell
Legs – thermal layer and windproof pants (middle fleece layer optional)
Hands – pair of gloves and mittens
Feet – two pairs of woollen socks and neoprene to cover toes
Head – balaclava, facemask, hat, neck gaiter, goggles

It is extremely important to keep the peripherals warm (hands, feet, face) as these are the most vulnerable to cold-related conditions such as frost nip. Specific clothing advice is given to registered athletes.

Will medical personnel be present?

Yes. Dr. John Apps was the medical doctor on location for the 2006 North Pole Marathon. Dr. Apps, a UK family doctor, worked in many remote areas for both military and civilian operations and spent four seasons in Antarctica. He has now covered for the highest, northernmost and current southernmost marathons in the world. Dr. Andrew Murray was the 2007 North Pole Marathon medic. 

Will there be media coverage of the race?

Yes. Press releases will be issued to a worldwide database and the event always generates substantial global media coverage. BBC News 24 was on location to film and broadcast footage of the 2006 race along with Runner's World magazine. In addition, Sports Illustrated, GQ and Men's Fitness featured photos taken by multiple award-winning sports photographer Mike King. Meanwhile, a multitude of other magazines in France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Spain covered the 2006 race, along with regional and national newspapers throughout Europe, the USA and Australia. In the USA alone, North Pole Marathon races have been covered by National Geographic Adventure, Associated Press, Bloomberg, LA Times, Chicago Sun Times, Houston Chronicle, Baltimore Sun, Salt Lake Tribune, National Public Radio, Runner's World and UltraRunning magazines. On televison, footage has been shown on Eurosport and BBC among other major channels. The race is also contained as a record in the Guinness Book of World Records. 

What is the North Pole Marathon Grand Slam Club?

The North Pole Marathon Grand Slam Club is an informal ‘club’ of athletes who have completed a marathon on each of the seven continents AND on the Arctic Ocean in the North Pole Marathon. Many athletes are members of the Seven Continents Club, but this is an opportunity to go one step further and add the Arctic Ocean to your running CV. Certificates and t-shirts are issued to accepted Grand Slam members.