President Delbert W. Baker’s Travel Log of His North Pole Marathon Trip (Part 1, Days 1 to 3), Tuesday, April 6, 2010
My wife, Susan, asked if I would take notes and keep everyone updated on this marathon adventure—sort of a Marathon Travel Log. So here are my informal notes and items of interest to share. I will do another update as soon as possible after the race either Thursday or Friday. Thanks to everyone who has supported this race and program through contributions, interest, and positive affirmation. Delbert Baker (Longyearbyen, Norway)
Day One (April 3)
As I’m about to leave, I am thankful to God for health and the motivation to raise funds for Oakwood University students in the Running for Scholarships program. It’s a blessing that I never want to take for granted. My wife and family, the administrators, and the Development team have really gone way out to help make this program the success that it is. Our donors have been incredible. Up to the time I was leaving Huntsville and since I’ve been on the trip people have given money and made pledges to give. It’s been very inspiring. We are well over $400,000 in moving toward the overall goal of a $500,000 endowment for the scholarship fund.
At Alumni Weekend Sabbath, before the trip
What am I doing?! In December of 2008, I ran a marathon (26.2 miles) in the Antarctic South Pole. We raised $85,000 for scholarships from that run. After the South Pole was done, I had run a marathon on every continent, which was a goal of the program. Now, running the North Pole Marathon offers the opportunity to be a part of the International Grand Slam Club and capstone the seven continents by completing a marathon at the top of the world. The goal is to raise $150,000 in scholarship funds for the North Pole race. To date funds raised stand at $140,000!
My Itinerary: Getting to the North Pole is tricky. Fly Huntsville to Charlotte. Fly Charlotte to Oslo, Norway. Fly Oslo to Longyearbyen, Norway. Drive Longyearbyen to Spitzbergen, Norway. Fly Spitzbergen to North Pole (and 90N).
Here are a few interesting facts related to the North Pole Marathon, as provided by the North Pole Marathon website (www.npmarathon.com):
“Welcome to the running experience of a lifetime. On 7th April 2011 athletes like you will have the opportunity to make history as a continuing new breed of Arctic adventurer. By competing in the world’s coolest marathon, the North Pole Marathon, you will 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.
Huntsville Airport Departure
“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 is the northernmost point on the earth—top of the world—and everything goes down from that point.
“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.”
Day Two (April 4)
I flew for more than 20 hours to get here. The trip was long, but I did get a chance to study, read and get a little sleep. One of the real foes on a trip like this is jetlag. You have to perform at your best, with great demands on the body, but you are just flat out tired with your body trying to catch up and regain equilibrium. By the time you catch up with yourself, you’re on the way back home. Oh well, that’s the way it is.
Oslo was relatively quiet when we arrived. It was Easter Sunday, and most businesses were closed. Above, I’m by the bus station (left), a shot of downtown, and finally, 5:30am, Monday, I took the Express Train to the airport (right).
I arrived in Oslo on Sunday—wanted to visit the Nobel Peace Museum to see the Barack Obama exhibit. I had been to the museum on a previous trip, but was told that the recent Obama addition makes the stop a must-do. I wasn’t able to visit Sunday but anticipate being able to briefly drop by on the way back.
April 5 Arrive at Spitsbergen (Norway) April 6 Fly to North Pole Camp & 90N April 7 North Pole marathon April 8 Return to Spitsbergen (Norway) April 9 Return to Homeland
Interesting Trivia: I am (God willing) the first African American on record as having run marathons at the South Pole and the North Pole! Richard Donovan, the founder and organizer of Polar Running Adventures (originator of the North Pole and South Pole Marathons and also a contributor to the Running for Scholarships program) has officially certified that if (or when) I finish this North pole Marathon I will the first African American to have accomplished that feat. I haven’t seen one African American once I left Charlotte.
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; Recognized 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.
North Pole: Also known as the terrestrial North Pole, the North Pole is the northern-most place on the earth. Its location is at 90 degrees North latitude and all lines of longitude converge at this point. The North Pole is situated 450 miles north of Greenland in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. There is no land at the North Pole. It is mostly covered by sea ice, though recently there has been evidence to suggest that the ice may be thinning and that there are some areas of open water. American explorer Robert E. Peary was the first person to reach the North Pole along with a team of four Eskimos on April 6, 1909. Peary and his team made their journey by dog sled. Just a month later, Floyd Bennett and Richard Byrd made it by plane.
2010 2500th Anniversary of the Marathon: In 2010, the world Marathon movement celebrates the 2500th anniversary of the Marathon Battle (490 BC) and the legend of Pheidippides, the Greek soldier-runner who ran from the village of Marathon to Athens bearing the message of victory to the Athenians. This legend provided the impetus for the establishment of the Marathon as an event during the first Modern Olympic Games, held in Athens in 1896. To commemorate this historic occasion the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) and the Athens Classic Marathon (ACM) Organizing Committee, in collaboration with AIMS, have created a unique logo.
Day Three (Monday, April 5)
I arrive in Longyearbyen, Norway. It is here that I meet with the other members of the 25 member North Pole Marathon Team. We check into the hotel and have safety and briefing meetings with the Marathon organizers and the Russian crew that will transport us to the North Pole by flight.
Marathon Briefing: At 7pm we had the pre-race briefing from Richard Donovan, the Irish organizer of the event who also ran the very first North Pole Marathon in 2002. I am on the first flight up which takes off at 9pm for Spitzbergen. From there, we will go on to Camp Barneo where we will rough it in tents prior to the North Pole Marathon.
Most of the group members met at the Longyearbyen airport, with the exception of one runner who missed his plane and will come later.
The flight takes two and a half hours. If conditions are good, and so far they look reasonable, the race will start Wednesday morning. I am number 1 as they assign numbers according to alphabetical order.
Camp Barneo is run by a private Russian outdoors firm.
Our team includes one runner who is visually impaired, but determined to finish the race. The race has no time limit—you finish when you finish.
Richard is aiming to lay a course just over 5km long to give 8 laps for the 42km, or 26.2 miles. The exact route will depend on the nature of the ice, if there are any leads (gaps in the ice), and if there are any Polar Bears.... (two years ago there were some.) Seeing bears during the race is a bit of excitement we do not need as bears move a lot faster than humans (lol). But seriously, the Russians who look after the camp have weapons, if needed.
There is a heated tent to act as a water and food station during the race, where I’m sure I will regularly pause. There are two medical doctors at the camp....and one of the competitors is a physician, so I imagine all eventualities are covered! The exact running and departure schedule depends on the weather, which changes quickly in these parts.
Well, enough for the logging and blogging—now I have to go and run this race. The plane is about to leave in 3 hours. Time to stop talking and start walking (or rather, running-lol)! Keep me in your prayers and support.
I’m practicing positive visualization by touching this mock-up of the North Pole marker. Finishing the race has a lot to do with seeing the Finish Line in your mind.
P.S. If you know someone who wants to contribute to the Running for Scholarships program, it is not too late. Tell them they can send a gift—large or small—by mail or use the Oakwood University website at www.oakwood.edu.
God willing, next time you hear from me I will have finished the race. Talk to you later.
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