President to Run “World’s Coolest Marathon”

On Wednesday, April 7, the president of Oakwood University, Delbert W. Baker, Ph.D., is scheduled to participate in “the world’s coolest marathon” — the 26.2-mile North Pole Marathon, or “The Grand Slam of Marathons,” as it is commonly known.  Baker is one of the few athletes to have completed marathons on all seven continents, thereby earning the athletic privilege of joining the exclusive North Pole Marathon Grand Slam Club.  Baker’s name is first on the list of 2010 competitors on the North Pole Marathon’s website:   http://www.npmarathon.com/html/200324/ .

Baker will be leaving on Sunday, April 4, to travel to the North Pole where he will physically and mentally prepare himself to run 26.2 miles on Arctic ice floes, with only 6 to 12 feet separating him from 12,000 feet of Arctic Ocean.  This comes just a little over a year following his successful run of the Ice Marathon at the South Pole in December 2008.

For several years, Baker has enjoyed running marathons, having completed 48 altogether, including the seven continents, and 34 states; however, as the chief executive officer of Oakwood University, his primary motivation is his students.  Baker’s passion for raising scholarship money and his love for athletics has fueled the successful Running for Scholarships campaign.

Florida Hospital in Orlando, Florida, sponsors Baker’s marathon quest by covering all expenses associated with running the marathons, allowing every dollar raised through this campaign to be applied directly to student scholarships.  Currently, the marathons that Baker has already run have generated approximately $400,000, which goes to assisting students who otherwise may not have the finances to complete their college education.  Baker has challenged himself to raising an additional $100,000 from this North Pole race for the scholarship fund.

Running The Grand Slam could set new records for Baker as the first HBCU president — or quite possibly the first college or university president, period — to run marathons on all seven

continents, in 34 of the 50 states (with a goal of completing all 50), and to complete The Grand Slam of Marathons.

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