The Global Telegraph - March 2002
brought to you by Run The Planet / March 2002 edition / 8
The Global Telegraph is published 12 times a year
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Run The Planet.
Editor
Indro Neri
Associate editor
Jennifer Walker
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Luis E. Arribas
Franco Civai
Hélio A. Fontes
O. Atakan Tekin
Tero Töyrylä
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This month we feature running news from: Brazil, Cyprus, Illinois (Usa), Wisconsin (Usa) and... the South Pole!
• BRAZIL / Supermaratona Cidade de Rio Grande
One of the few ultramarathons in Brazil, the "Supermaratona Cidade de Rio Grande" - a 50k (31 miles) race - had its 9th edition on February 17. This singular race passes through the historic city of Rio Grande and, to make things "easier", the last 5 miles are covered on the sand of the beach. The field of 259 runners started that challenger race early in the morning in order to prevent the hot weather. The winners were Claudir Rodrigues in 2:49.37 and Maria Salete Herold in 3:31.34. Source: www.copacabanarunners.net
• WISCONSIN (USA) / Marathon training program
When it comes to running marathons, having a structured training routine is critical. The "Cellcom Green Bay Marathon" and Prevea Sports Medicine have coordinated Saturday training runs beginning Saturday, March 2, 2002. Interested runners should meet outside the Osco Drug entrance of Washington Commons. Runners will be grouped according to speed and ability and let by veteran runners Carol Lagaite and Lynn Mayer. In addition to the training runs, the free Prevea training sessions offer runners tips for running an effective marathon. The next session on March 5, 2002 will address foot care including proper shoes and blister care. Subsequent sessions will address supplements and performance on April 2, 2002 and "Failing forward" on April 30, 2002. For more information about available training programs, visit www.greenbaymarathon.com or call (920) 432-6272. You can also sign up directly for this series by contacting Jane Bodilly-Birr, Prevea Fitness Specialist, at janeb@prevea.com or (920) 405-1475.
• CYPRUS / Running and wine tasting in Tsada
The 7,5 kilometers "Tsada Village Run" is a unique opportunity for overseas runners to get a taste of the village life in Cyprus. The event will be organised on Tuesday March 5, 2002 in Tsada, a village situated 9 kilometers from Pafos, just off the main Pafos to Polis road. More than two hundred runners participated in the fun event last year and enjoyed the warm atmosphere created at the finish line by the village people. The course is magnificent and incredibly well organised and supported. Attractions prior to and after the event include children's fun run, wine tasting, folklore dancing performed by the children of the local school. After the completion of the running event all participants are given the opportunity to sample local dishes prepared by village families. All finishers will receive a bottle of local wine as a commemorative memento. More information available at run@pafosmarathon.com.
• ILLINOIS (USA) / Participants from over four hundred cities
The "Lakeshore Marathon" which will be held in Chicago on April 22, 2002 opened up its archive of registrants. Confirmed entries for the inaugural edition shows, as of today, 45% female and 55% male, from 418 cities across 35 states and 8 countries. Entrants are from Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, Cayman Islands, Czech Republic, England, Ireland, Scotland and Mexico. The inaugural "Lakeshore Marathon" is comfortably under the 6000 runner cap and looks to be a very fun and most enjoyable run through the park along Chicago's scenic Lake Michigan shoreline. Register for the Lakeshore Marathon today at www.lakeshoremarathon.com/registration and help build a new spring marathon in the Midwest.
• SOUTH POLE / Making running history on the ice
On January 22, a team of the world's most intrepid runners embarked on a run of epic proportions, the first ever marathon race to the Geographic South Pole. A group of six runners representing three countries arrived at Adventure Network International's Patriot Hills Base Camp on January 7, expecting to run within approximately four days. However, due to weather and logistical delays, the runners had no choice but to wait patiently and continue to train and test their gear. After waiting ten days, the weather cleared enough to allow the runners to fly to the Polar Plateau. At this point, German runner, Raphael Rottgen was regrettably forced to leave Antarctica because of work commitments. The remaining five runners spent four nights acclimatising to the elevation on the Polar Plateau. Although the elevation of the area around the South Pole is approximately 9,300 feet, because of the related polar position and the atmospheric conditions, the effective elevation is between 11,000 and 12,000 feet. Finally, on January 20, the runners began the race only to abandon the attempt two hours later when poor weather conditions made it impossible to see the course markers or the surface features of the snow and ice. The following day the weather improved and the race was started again at 6:00 pm. The starting line was located at 89.5º south latitude and the 26 mile, 385 yard (42.195 kilometers) course finished at the South Pole. The runners had to navigate over miles of "sastrugi" (wind blown waves of snow and ice) and endure 7 to 10 knot head winds that dropped the temperature chill factor to minus 50 ºC. The runners were supported by two snowmobiles that stopped every mile to provide aid consisting of hot soup, water, chocolate, and nuts. After 8 to 9 hours, the finish line was in sight at the earth's point where all the lines of longitude meet. The group ran into the record books as the first ever individuals to have completed a marathon to the Geographic South Pole. Despite suffering a knee injury at the Patriot Hills Base Camp, Richard Donovan not only completed the marathon with the fastest time, but he and Brent Weigner, went on to run a 45-kilometre ultramarathon, continuing on for an additional three kilometres past the finish line. Although the other marathon and ultramarathon runners chose to wear snowshoes, Dean Karnazes elected to run in regular running shoes.
Results: (half marathon) 1. Ute Gruner 5:48.56, 2. Don Kern 5:53.00; (marathon) 1. Richard Donovan 8:52.03, 2. Dean Karnazes 9:18.55, 3. Brent Weigner 9:20.05; (ultramarathon) 1. Brent Weigner 9:59.53, 2. Richard Donovan 10:10.09.
"After two years of planning, I am gratified that the marathon was a success and that everyone finished without injury", says Doug Stoup, marathon coordinator. To view expedition photos and read a day-by-day account of the expedition, log on to McCormick Junior High School's virtual fieldtrip page (www.angelfire.com/wy2/marathon/SouthPoleMarathon.html). Adventure Network is currently planning next year's marathon. Please visit their website at www.adventure-network.com for more information on the 2002 marathon, 2003 dates, and their various other programs.
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