North Pole Marathon 2020

The World's Coolest Marathon! Welcome to the running experience of a lifetime. Make history as a continuing new breed of Arctic adventurer and run at the top of the world - the Geographic North Pole where you will feel on top of the world! There is nothing else like it. By competing in the World’s Coolest Marathon, the North Pole Marathon, you can become one of a truly select few to race at the top of the world - at the Geographic North Pole. And you will feel on top of the world when you manage to overcome the extreme sub-zero temperatures to finish 26.2 miles in one of the remotest parts of the planet. But first you must ask yourself if you have got the nerve and drive to travel to the North Pole and run on Arctic ice floes, with 6 to 12 feet separating you from 12,000 feet of Arctic Ocean? Can you handle the extreme cold? Are you fit enough? Do you want to push yourself to the edge? If the answer is yes, then you are ready for the North Pole Marathon. Join race director Richard Donovan, the first marathoner at both the North and South Poles, in a trip of a lifetime. Remember, this marathon is not run on land - it is run 'on' water, frozen water, in the high Arctic Ocean. You will never have a greater adventure marathon story. The North Pole Marathon will also feature an exciting team challenge, with the title decided by the cumulative time of a team's first three finishers. Whether comprised from an army division, company, athletics club or charity, your team can enter this contest. This amazing race will additionally offer athletes who have completed a marathon on all seven continents the opportunity of joining the exclusive North Pole Marathon Grand Slam Club by also completing this marathon on the Arctic Ocean. Don’t let this experience of a lifetime pass you by. Your entry fee is all inclusive -  return flights from Svalbard (Norway) to the North Pole camp; entry to the official North Pole Marathon; helicopter flights in the polar region; the opportunity to stand at the exact Geographic North Pole;  t-shirt, medal, certificate and souvenirs; professional photos and video of the race; and more!  After registration you will have access to entrant’s information about marathon training tips; sponsorship advice; links to specific, recommended racing gear; a power point slide show; advice on flights; and a competitors' forum. Highlights of the 2018 North Pole Marathon Transport to the North Pole A jet will fly you to an international North Pole Camp called Barneo situated between 89N and 90N, drifting in the high Arctic Ocean. The jet will return to collect you approximately 36-48 hours later. The flight duration is 2½ hours each way.  The jet is an exceptional medium sized transport aircraft. It belongs to the category of STOL aircrafts: Short Take-Off and Landing aircrafts. Its unique design and a robust fuselage provide for a perfect performance in hostile weather conditions and shorter landing strips.  Will I get to Stand at the Exact 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 the short distance to the exact Geographic North Pole (90N). Remember that you will be floating on the Arctic Ocean and within minutes we will have moved away from the exact North Pole! Unique Attributes of the Race Certified 26.2 mile marathon distance (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) Only certified marathon that is run entirely 'on' water’, the frozen water of the Arctic Ocean Recognised by Guinness World Records as the Northernmost Marathon on Earth Participants are eligible to join the exclusive North Pole Marathon Grand Slam Club by finishing a marathon on each of the seven continents and this race on the Arctic Ocean. "I've been at the Pole before but this was pleasantly different in that I didn't have to haul a sled there! The race is a unique combination of two things I enjoy: polar challenges and marathon running. It's a great test of fitness and stamina. Well done." Sir Ranulph Fiennes, UK (Polar Explorer) "The whole experience of arriving at the top of the world and competing in the marathon was absolutely amazing. Fantastic fellow competitors and tough conditions gave the PizzaExpress team a truly unique adventure at the Pole and the genuine challenge we were looking for."  Harvey Smyth, UK (CEO PizzaExpress) "The North Pole Marathon is the most amazing extreme marathon I have ever run. It brought runners to the limits of their endurance and lived up to its billing in every respect, affording athletes a chance to run and feel on top of the world."  Michael Collins, Ireland (Novelist)