Race Around the World

Every year, as part of a Christmas tradition, the South Pole hosts the Race Around the World, an appropriately named race that takes you in a wide loop around the geographic South Pole.

This year, the course was 2.3 miles long and it took runners, bikers, walkers, skiers and jugglers out to the dark sector (ie, the telescope section) and then over to the tourist camp and back. Though the temperature started out a little warmer at -1F, it was an epic day of low visibility, 20 knot winds and snow drifts. No blue sky and sunshine this year. This would maybe scare some people away but not Polies. We still got out there, a lot of us in costume, and gave it our best shot. I personally didn't do that great with a time of 34 minutes as I had a hard time breathing when running into the wind and snow drifts made my steps difficult. But no matter, I had such a great time just being out there.



Station was barely visible from the Dark Sector

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Not only are there runners in this race, but there are also skiers...

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and bikers...
(photo courtesy of Kris)

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and vehicles pulling vehicles
(photo courtesy of Kris)

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Santa??
(photo courtesy of Kris)

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Sidney and I celebrating our completion of the race
(photo courtesy of Kris)

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Post-race hero shot with everything askew and snow covered legs

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Mr. Banana (aka Kris), the photographer

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And finally, later that night, eating a well deserved Christmas dinner. Lobster = Yumm