Dead Sea Ultra
North Pole Arctic Marathon
Gobi March
Challenge: Dead Sea Ultra, Jordan & Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon, Nepal
Date: April 2007
From the Dead Sea to Everest. That was the challenge set by blind adventure athlete Mark Pollock and his fellow adventurer and team-mate John O'Regan. Beginning on April 13, 2007, the challenge took them from the Dead Sea Ultra Marathon in Jordan 400 metres below sea level, to Everest on May 29 with a starting altitude of 5,356 meters above sea level.
In Jordan's capital, Amman, the Dead Sea Ultra Marathon started 1400m above sea level and finished at the Dead Sea 400m below sea level.
The temperature soared throughout the race but at least the terrain under foot was smooth enough to allow for competitive running.
“We moved quickly in the first 10km hitting our pre-race split times every kilometre. But from 10km on, we began moving faster and faster again. The pace was much quicker than we had planned for and, although feeling good, I was worried about what it was going to do to my quads later in the race.”
The race carved through the desert landscape of the Syrian African Rift Valley and the price of the fast-paced downhill was paid as the course flattened in the last 10km. After over three hours of fast downhill, the undulating end to the race saw almost all competitors slow drastically.
“The prospect of constant downhill for nearly 50km was a total unknown,” said Mark. “I was initially looking forward to the ‘easy' downhill. But John warned me about under-estimating the pain of hammering your quads for that distance. He was right and in the final 5km I doubted my ability to finish.”
Despite everything, Mark and John finished 25th out of 350 competitors in a time of 4 hours 42 mins.
Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon, Nepal
Three weeks later, Mark and John flew to Nepal for Stage Two of their challenge. On race day, the marathon group consisted of 150 competitors including 50 foreign competitors from 10 different countries and local runners. For the foreigners, the first camp was at the village of Phankding. The going was slow due to endless rocky steps and a final crossing of a suspension bridge over the Dudh-Kosi River. John and Mark struggled throughout the first day as they adjusted to a new system of guiding.
“We developed a new system for this race where I stayed ahead of Mark,” said John. “We had trekking poles from wrist to wrist and Mark was behind me.”
Mark also had a second set of trekking poles to feel the ground directly at his feet. “Very quickly I realised that the next couple of weeks would test my voice box as much as my muscles as I was constantly communicating with Mark,” said John. “We couldn't even have a normal conversation as any lapse in concentration could result in a twisted ankle or, worse still, a trip over the edge.”
The following day while trekking from Phakding to Namche Bazaar, they hit some serious terrain. Everest Base Camp was 10 trekking days away and by the time they reached Namche Bazaar, they were both physically and mentally drained.
“Trekking to Namche Bazaar was one of the most difficult days of trekking that I have ever done. I don't know if it was the shock of the terrain or the altitude or the new guiding system but it was simply awful. We had only just started the trek and I was already destroyed. Just like the Gobi Desert event in 2003, it was clear that I was going to be in a mental battle of survival for the entire trip.”
The effects of the altitude, the terrain, the food and the lack of sleep meant that Mark and John began each day tired and struggling to recover from the previous day. For Mark, the terrain was some of the worst that he has tackled. Almost all movement required intense upper body exertion as he had to ensure proper placement with his trekking poles on the uneven ground when negotiating boulders on the constant ascents and descents.
No pain, no gain…
“By the end of each day, my arms and shoulders were hurting even more than my legs. Each day, I felt worse and worse. The constant battle against dehydration and altitude sickness, the fear of getting sick from the food or water, the lack of sleep and the hours of thinking time at night all took their toll on my state of mind. By the time we went to bed before race day, I had not eaten solid food for two days and had not slept properly for over two weeks. And we were about to do one of the most extreme marathons in the world.”
The race started at sun rise. John watched as the other runners hopped, skipped and jumped across the moraine as they settled by default as the back markers. One hour and one mile later, we were in a race against the terrain and ourselves, nobody else.”
By the time they reached Dingboche, they were shivering with the cold, they had been on their feet for eight hours and they had covered less than half the distance.
“It was shocking how slow we were moving. My heart rate was pumping as I might have expected in a normal marathon but we could only move at crawling speed. It was tough knowing that we were going to be on our feet for at least 15 hours and maybe more.”
The next landmark was at Periche along a narrow path with steep edges falling down into the Imjatse river valley. This was one of the most dangerous parts of the race.
Mark recalls: “Progress was slow as John had to constantly stop and talk me through the next steps to ensure there was no mistake. There was no room for error here and there would be no second chances if we got it wrong.”
Half-way point
Mark and John eventually reached the half way point. But it was already getting dark and the worst climbs were still to come. For the next few miles, the terrain became as good as any part of the course and they passed through Deboche in relatively good spirits. However, the next section was difficult with a steep climb through a forest leading to the monastery at Thyangboche and then downhill towards Kunde before their final descent into Namche Bazaar.
“As we descended for over an hour towards the finish line, I lost concentration for a moment and collapsed backwards over one of the turns on the downhillm” said Mark. “It was not serious and luckily there were no injuries but it told me that my body was running out of fuel.”
Eventually Mark and John crossed the finish line 16hrs 27mins after the race started.
Special award
On their return to Kathmandu, they received an award at a civic ceremony from the Nepalese Minister for Sport and Tourism acknowledging Mark as the first blind person to complete the Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon.
Mark received a similar award from the Prince of Jordan as he was also the first blind person to complete the Dead Sea Ultra.
“The reality is that I never would have been in Jordan or Nepal without the support of John. It is not easy for a competitor to hold themselves back but that is what John does when he guides me over rough terrain. I really appreciate his continuing support and encouragement with my adventures.”
Our thanks also go to Powerade and The Great Outdoors, especially Derek and Ken for their expert advice and long-standing support.
Cold you couldn't imagine at the top of the world
Challenge: North Pole Arctic Marathon, North Pole
Date: April 2004
On April 10, 2004, Mark and team-mate John O'Regan completed the North Pole Arctic Marathon at the top of the world at the Geographic North Pole.
Along with 14 other competitors, they raced an official marathon distance of 26.2 miles over hillocks of ice and energy sapping soft snow in the high Arctic Ocean.
There is no land at the North Pole and immediately below the icy course of between 6 and 12 feet lies 12,000 feet of Arctic Ocean. Temperatures plummeted to between –40 0 C and –60 0 C with the wind chill.
“Before the race, I was comparing this event with the Gobi March which was six times the distance. I expected this to be relatively easy by comparison.
“But I can't compare them. The conditions at the North Pole are savage and just being there was a learning experience, never mind the challenge of doing a marathon with layers of arctic survival clothing on, snow shoes, face-masks, goggles, balaclavas and a storm-grade hat.
“ Hardcore? Yes. Difficult? Yes. Cold? Yes. Unforgettable? Yes!”
Mark Pollock, Adventure Athlete -
Challenge: Gobi March, Gobi Desert , China
Date: September 2003
Known as the Race of No Return, the Gobi March is not for the faint-hearted. Yet Mark Pollock and his running partner Nick Wolfe completed the Gobi March in 2003, alongside competitors from 15 different countries.
The Gobi March is a seven-day, six-marathon footrace in China's Gobi Desert. During the race, competitors must carry all their own food and personal gear for the entire week.
Race setter Keith Prowse told competitors that he intended to set the most difficult race ever run in China and he meant it.
“I expected to do a running event. The reality was we were wading up rivers, scrambling through canyons, crawling over cliff-tops and tabbing across rocky planes.
It was without doubt the toughest, most humbling thing I have ever done – but the best!”
Mark Pollock, Adventure Athlete -