If you donât finish this Antarctic marathon in time, youâre left behind
Would you pay $24,000 for the chance to be 'stranded' on the seventh continent?
Would you pay $24,000 for the chance to be 'stranded' on the seventh continent?
Would you pay $24,000 for the chance to be 'stranded' on the seventh continent?
Are you an adventurous runner? Maybe you have completed marathons all over the country or even the world. Is your taste for adventure matched only by your healthy bank account?
If youâve answered yes to these questions, and are searching for something even more adventurous than youâve ever done before, we might have the answer for you. You may be a perfect candidate for the inaugural , an unofficial but very real 26.2 miles across frozen Antarctica taking place next February.
For the price of $24,000, , the luxury adventure company hosting the race, will see to each runnerâs every need. The field, limited to 24 participants, will first arrive in Cape Town, South Africa, where White Desert staff preps them for whatâs to come. Next, they travel in style in a private Gulfstream 550 luxury jet, reaching Wolfâs Fang, Antarctica, in around five hours.
Within minutes of landing, the runners are off. Why so quick? The whole conceit of the Race the Jet Marathon is that flight regulations legally limit the Gulfstreamâs time on the ground to five hours. That means itâs taking off after that time has gone by, whether youâre on it or not. For that reason, a previous, verified marathon finish under four hours is required to apply.
Runners who miss the cutoff arenât truly stranded, of course. They spend the night at White Desertâs Wolf Fang Camp and share a cargo plane with a load of the campâs garbage back to South Africa the next day.
White Desert says itâs carefully curating the course, a roughly 6.5 mile loop at 3,700 feet above sea level that passes by towering rock and ice cliffs, so nothing but a top-notch pair of trail shoes are needed. Oh, and of course some high-quality extreme winter apparel â White Desert expects temperatures between 10 and 23 degrees, with strong winds a distinct possibility. The company is also operating three aid stations and a fleet of vehicles for emergency support.
If White Desertâs setup isnât your style, but youâre determined to run in Antarctica, another option does exist: The . That one, a part of the , takes place each December, leaves from Chile and costs a measly $17,000.