Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
January 18
I am at the South Pole. I have survived, and what's more, set a new
record for running with assistance from Union Glacier to the Pole:
20 days, 9 hours and 2 minutes.
Today is the day I have been looking forward to since I started
running back in early April, at the North Pole. I have dreamed of
reaching the South Pole for so long, and at the start of the day it was
within my grasp. I'll forgive you for thinking that adrenalin would have
allowed me to float the last 35 kilometres to the pole or maybe enabled
me to turn on a sprint to get it over and done with, so I could break
out the champagne and celebrate, but those things did not happen.
For reasons I cannot fathom, I had to fight mentally and physically for
every step through to the finish. I have seen marathon runners stum-
bling to the end of a race with no comprehension of where or who they
are, and then just before the finish line their legs fold beneath them
and, with the crowd willing them on, they crawl to the end of the race.
