What a brrrrrrilliant achievement
Running a standard marathon is a feat beyond most of us, never mind running a distance of 100km in temperatures way below freezing in the Antarctic.
It’s not an event you’d think to associate with Irish athletes, but try telling that to Keith Whyte, who won today’s Antarctic Ice Marathon and his fellow Irishman Kevin McGeeney, who came second.
Keith completed the 100km course in an incredibly impressive-sounding 9 hours, 26 minutes and two seconds, almost four hours (FOUR HOURS!) ahead of McGeeney, who finished at a time when the temperature, including wind chill, was a balmy -25C.
Commenting on his victory, Whyte said: “It was an amazing once in a lifetime experience. The scenery is out of this world. I am delighted to start the New Year in this way, winning the 100k on the Antarctic continent.”
McGeeney himself finished just under three hours ahead of Quincy Wong in third place, although whoever’s looking after the Ice Marathon Facebook page should probably be told that he’s from Hong Kong and isn’t a member of the Wong family from out Connemara direction.
In all seriousness though, fair play to Keith and Kevin on a magnificent achievement; hopefully they’ll toast it with a celebratory hot port in front of the fireplace on their return home.
Main pic via Facebook/Antarctic Ice Marathon
Hat-tip to David Lyons for the heads up on this one
