[…] charter a C130 Hercules to fly to the continent and scope out the feasibility of sucha venture. He also wants to do the famed Marathon des Sables in Morocco.

From there, who knows? I hear the first interplanet ultra is scheduled for May 22, 2039, on Venus—I assume Brent will be there. PH

Editor’s Note: Brent completed the 2000 Marathon des Sables in April. BRENT WEIGNER’S ULTRA-ON-EVERY-CONTINENT QUEST

Date Race Location Finish Time Place O5JUL98 Nanisivik 100K Baffin Island NWT 5 14532 14NOV98_——- Himalayan 100M __India/Nepal 6 20:10:00 13FEB99 ~— Antarctica 50K King George Island 5 6:57:00 O3APR99. ~=Two Oceans 56K Cape Town, SA 6,626 6:19:50 O5JUN99 Dartmoor 34M Princetown, UK 72 6:00:09 14JUN99 Shoalhaven 46K — Nowra, Australia 15 4:49:24 27JUL99 Inca Trail 27.5M Machu Picchu, Peru 3 TA430

Brent completes an ultra in every continent in 390 days, making him the first person in the world to accomplish this; then adds the following race, which shortens the feat to 267 days:

O7AUG99 = X-Calgary 57K Calgary, Alberta 37 6:46:23

Adventure Running At Its WORST!

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Cer eerie

Unforgettable -Maratho

(And What | Learned From It)

BY DON MCNELLY

S PITSBERGEN, NORWAY, September 6, 1997—In the middle of the night, somewhere over the Atlantic, I turned to my two fellow runners. “How do you feel about having to carry a rifle during this marathon?”

We were on our way to participate in the third Spitsbergen Maraton (not a misspelling; that’s how they spell “marathon” in Norway). The run is held in Svalbard, a group of Norwegian islands midway between the top of mainland Norway and the North Pole. Spitsbergen is the main island in the archipelago. Longyearbyen is the capital and largest settlement. It lies between 78 degrees and 79 degrees north (the Pole is at 90 degrees) and is about 800 miles south of the Pole and 800 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

This run is the northernmost organized marathon in the world. Two years earlier, we same three runners had completed the southernmost marathon, in Antarctica. We were, perhaps, to become the first runners to finish recognized marathons near both

100 Mm MARATHON & BEYOND

‘COURTESY OF DON MeNELLY

Don McNelly finishes the Marine Corps Marathon, one of his 560 marathonsl/ultras.

ends of the Earth. We have run in many exotic spots around the world: Bangkok, Panama, Lisbon, Nanisivik, Buenos Aires, Kilauea, and Cyprus, to namea few. We enjoy the runs and each other.

Wally Herman, 74, is a retired civil servant from Ottawa. He has completed 565 marathons/ultras on all seven continents and was the first to finish marathons/ultras in each Canadian province and territory and in all 50 states and D.C.

Dan Newbill, 69, is a microsurgeon from Honolulu. His accomplishments are similar: 150+ marathons/ultras, including Sahara, Everest, Western States, and Comrades. His side interests are mountain climbing (the big ones) and bow hunting elk.

As for me, I’m 79 and a retired box plant vice president from Rochester, New York. Ialso have completed 560 marathons/ultras, including all SO states, each Canadian province and territory, and 20 countries. Since my 70th birthday, I have racked up 289 marathons/ultras.

I had been aware of the Spitsbergen Marathon and had my eye on it for several years. It was cancelled in 1996 when a Russian plane crashed near the Longyearbyen Airport, killing 141 passengers and crew. It was rescheduled to be run in 1997. I had conducted extensive e-mail correspondence with the

(I to r) Wally Herman, Dan Newbill, and Don McNelly visiting the “sites” in Spitsbergen before the marathon.

Don McNelly MY MOST UNFORGETTABLE MARATHON @® 101

people there, working out details of our trip. In the process, I discovered a marathon in Oslo on the following Saturday. We entered that one, also. Wally, Dan, and I met in Newark, and left together for Oslo. After a lengthy layover there, we caught our plane to Svalbard. It was a small jet with some seats blocked out for freight, medicines, mail, and food. We landed in Tromso, home of another of the five marathons above the Arctic Circle. We went through a sort of customs in Tromso, which seemed unusual, since Svalbard is politically a part of Norway. Apparently, they watch who and what is going into the area. In any case, getting to Svalbard is not difficult. There are scheduled jets all the way. The people were friendly and helpful. Many spoke some English.

AS NORTH AS IT GETS

We landed at Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost commercial airport. Our accommodations were modern, with “facilities” (ie., water closet) down the hall. Our rooms were in a building constructed as a dormitory for coal miners. Breakfast was Scandinavian food with lots of meats and many kinds of cheeses, some strange and different to us. We caught up on our sleep, then roamed the 1,200-person town, the largest of the five settlements on the islands.

Checking the preliminary entry list, we found that we three were in the 65+ age group, which turned out to contain more runners than any of the other fiveyear groups. There were several Italians, along with runners from mainland Norway and some locals, in addition to us Americans and a Canadian.

There is archeological evidence that Vikings spent time in this area around 1200 a.p. The Vikings named the area Svalbard, meaning the “cold coast.” But with two-thirds of the area snow-covered, with no trees, a two-month growing season, and limited topsoil (thereby producing little vegetation), it was not hospitable enough for even those hearty people. In 1596, it was visited by a Dutchman, William Barents. His log recorded: “The land is high and all covered in snow.” He was searching for the legendary Northeast Passage from Europe to China. His description, stark and minimal, reveals the land as a raw polar desert. He called the place Spitsbergen, because of its pointed peaks.

The islands are the size of Ireland. A whaling and walrus industry was developed during the 1600s, followed by trapping during the 1700s and 1800s. Coal was discovered in 1906 by an American, James Manor Longyear, for whom the town was named. Several mines were opened, and people came to work there. There were no native people. Current residents are all imports, so no group was pushed aside as they were in America, Greenland, and other spots.

There are only three species of mammals here. The eisbars (‘ice bears,” their name for polar bears) are at the top of the food chain, even as far as humans

ey 102 HM MARATHON & BEYOND September/October 2000

are concerned—and you had better remember it! There are also arctic fox and a short-legged, compact reindeer built to withstand the cold. Polar bears have been protected since 1974. Today, there are up to 10,000 of them, and there are discussions of culling. As many as 10 percent of the world’s polar bears live here. There are many varieties of birds but only one, the ptarmigan, stays during the winter. In the water bordering the islands, there are walrus, whales, and seals. A glacier the size of Connecticut and five stories high, curves for more than 100 miles along the coast of the northernmost island, Nordaustlandet. You have just entered the Ice Age.

MINIMAL PLANT LIFE

We saw the usual Arctic plants, some with fragile and tiny beautiful blossoms the size of the head of a nail, making the tundra look briefly like a rainbow. One hundred and sixty-one identified species of plants grow in the permafrost during the two-month growing season. One plant that interests me is the arctic willow, a tiny tree that grows about two inches above the surface, complete with pussy willow blossoms. Half the area has been set aside as parks and nature preserves.

Because of their location, the islands have been used as a jumping-off point for exploration of the “far north.” On July 11, 1897, Salomon August Andree (born in 1854), a Swedish engineer, attempted to reach the Pole by being the first to fly over it. After much planning, and with the support provided by Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite and the Nobel Prize, Andree took off from Danes Island in the archipelago. With him were two other intrepid aeronauts in a gas filled balloon named the Ornen (Eagle). They had enough ballast to last an estimated 30 days; the ballast was used to enable them to control their flight.

Problems developed right away when they lost a part of their drag lines, which were to keep the balloon at 500 feet altitude. They flew, or really drifted, for 65 hours in a northerly direction, about two thirds of the way to the Pole. Moisture froze on everything, the gas cooled, and they sank ever lower.

On the fourth day, Andree gave up, opened the valves, and landed on the frozen waste. The three loaded their supplies onto sleds they had brought with them and started off. Their only choice was to walk. For three months they zigzagged to avoid cracks in the ice. They pulled their sleds successfully to Kvitova (White Island), lying to the east of the main group.

Andree’s diary reports that he shot several polar bears, so they had fresh meat. But eventually they became ill and died. No one knows exactly how they died. They were poorly equipped for the cold. Perhaps they died from exposure or committed suicide with the morphine they had with them. Another popular

Don McNelly MY MOST UNFORGETTABLE MARATHON = 103

theory is that they died from eating the meat of bears, causing trichinosis, or possibly from eating the bears’ livers, which are easy to get at but are nearpoisonous.

The bodies of the three explorers were not discovered until 33 years later, 205 miles from where their balloon came down. Andree’s detailed notes and the exposed film of the expedition photographer, Strindberg, were also discovered. The film was carefully developed and produced 20 good pictures. The New York Times noted, “No more remarkable photographs can ever have been restored from death to life.” The bodies of the three were brought back to Sweden, and Andree became a national hero. A number of books have been written about this adventure and several movies made (including the excellent The Red Tent).

UNIQUE POLITICS

The islands are in a special political arrangement. Because of the harsh weather and lack of natural food supplies, they are never permanently inhabited. Norway, the nearest country, was awarded sovereignty, but Svalbard is open for economic development to 42 nations by a 1925 treaty covering the political arrangements.

However, in 1940, during World War II, the Germans occupied the islands. In May 1942, Churchill ordered an Allied landing. The Germans sent their battleships, the Scharnhorst and the Tirpitz, into the bay and flattened Longyearbyen with their guns and with Focke-Wulf bombers. The British and Norwegians, however, were successful in resuming their occupation.

At the end of the war, some Germans remained hidden away ina secret bay on the north part of Spitsbergen. After Germany quit on May 7, 1945, the Germans holed up in the bay had no one to surrender to and had to wait until a Norwegian sealing ship arrived. They were finally able to give up in September 1945, several months after the end of the war.

Longyearbyen is Norwegian. However, when we were there, there were two Russian settlements near the coal mines the Norwegians operate. The Russian settlements are uneconomical and must be subsidized. The two communities remain actively communist, the dramatic changes in the world not yet having reached the outlying areas. They seem doomed, though, as they can no longer be supported by a fractured and bankrupt state. Gradually, residents are moving back to the mainland.

The Norwegian coal mines were originally started by an American company and sold to the Norwegian government in 1916. These mines also are economically unsound. They are a questionable luxury. One local labeled their operation a “madness,” probably something like the United States and other

104 Me MARATHON & BEYOND September/October 2000

countries holding on to dubious areas for political or humanitarian reasons.

Tourist attractions and arctic research must be developed to enable Norway to express its sovereignty over the islands. However, the state-owned coal group recently announced plans to develop anew coal mine farther to the north; they expect the mine to be profitable in three or four years after the scheduled opening, which is set for 2003. I am sympathetic to their problem of hoping for a sustainable community to provide a Norwegian presence on the islands.

Today, 1,400 Norwegians and 700 Russians live in the province of Svalbard. Only 45 miles of roads have been built, and none of them connects any two settlements; instead, they lead from one mine to another or to the airport. Summer travel is by plane, helicopter, and kayak. Surface travel in winter, best from March to mid-May, can be by snowmobile, but snowmobiles do not work well in the summer when the snow softens in the 24-hour sun, becoming a bog covering the vulnerable arctic tundra. Off-road travel in four-wheel-drive vehicles is forbidden. Surface travelers carry a rifle for protection from bears.

The Longyearbyen community is unique. There are 200 children and a very active school. The kindergarten is protected by a fence to keep the children confined so they don’t wander away. People come here for fixed periods of from three to five years and are rotated in and out. All in all, there are overtones of a planned community.

Dan and I took a side trip through the fjord to Pyramidian, one of the two Russian settlements. It was a rough journey with strong winds, but the ship supplied a Dramamine-like medicine that really helped. The mine and town have been shut down since our visit, but while we were there, we were guided through their facilities. There was a large greenhouse, gym, concert hall, a stadium, meeting rooms, and a gift shop. I bought several traditional Russian dolls, including one made up of nine dolls nested together. I had to pose for a picture by the bust of Lenin, of course.

A VIEW OF THE OZONE HOLE

What is left of the Gulf Stream passes the west side of the islands, making it ice free during the summer and producing a warmer climate than northern Greenland or Canada. Cargo ships stop by to pick up the coal that has been mined during the winter. More and more cruise ships carrying people looking for something different visit the coast, checking out glaciers and exploring fjords. They occasionally visit the settlements, Longyearbyen and Russian Barentsburg. Nysesund, at 79 degrees, is the northernmost settlement and a research station. It was the first place where the hole in the ozone layer was confirmed.

On race day, the sun rose at 2:00 a.m. We were up and dressed by 7 0’clock and had picked up our startnummerutdeling (our racing numbers) at the starting

Don McNelly MY MOST UNFORGETTABLE MARATHON = 105

line before 11 o’clock. Because of our seemingly permanent or slow-healing injuries, the race director gave us permission to start early, which we did under his aegis at 11:04 a.m.

The course was 50/50 gravel and pavement. It was laid out in the town and on the roads along the fjord to the airport in one direction and to one of the coal mines in the other. There was some mud, and for some distance coal was used as gravel. The route rose 275 feet or more in two spots, making four hills in the two-loop course. The views were spectacular. Everywhere we looked was a postcard scene: mountains, glaciers, fjords, colorful housing, and blue sky. Several glacier-fed streams flowed swiftly from the mountain.

We cruised up the main street, took a side street back to the fjord, passed the only church in the small town (Lutheran, of course, the state religion of Norway) and went on to the airport. The course was not especially punishing except for the gravel and the very strong winds up to 40 mph, constantly present and seemingly always in our faces. The temperature was 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. On the outer edges of town, we passed dog teams, tied together to secure stakes. They barked aggressively as we passed.

Contrary to what we’d heard, it turned out that no law requires everyone leaving town to carry a gun for safety from bears. As our route kept us near settlements, we needed no weapons. The race committee had placed guards with rifles at the outer points of the route. We understand that if you are hiking,

Don checks out the race course, part of which is paved with coal, as shown here.

106 ll MARATHON & BEYOND September/October 2000

climbing, hunting, or fishing, you are strongly encouraged to carry a gun, which can be rented for $10 or so. The bears are protected, but of course one always has the option of self-defense.

In due time we completed our race. There were 22 finishers, with Enrico Vedilei of Italy winning with a 3:01:10. Alexandra Allamandi of Torino, Italy, was the first woman, finishing in 3:42:48. Wally had left Dan and me at 11 miles to finish in 5:30:06, while Dan and I staggered in with 6:53:54 each. We showered “down the hall,” then headed for the awards ceremony, where we were served reindeer stew and our share of Norwegian beer. The natives cleaned their plates, which I found an attractive custom. This was more than encouraged in my home as a youth, but somehow it seems almost politically incorrect today.

All in all, our trip was a delightful adventure into the Far North. A bit primitive, of course, and with cool weather, so it is not for everyone. The race officials were most gracious to the out of town runners. A large group of Italian runners attended and had a good time. The four in our age group were all treated as age-group winners, given medals and our choice of merchandise. As the oldest finisher, I was presented with a very handsome sweater made by a Norwegian company called Mr. Dale.

Tam areal fan of northern marathons, having run in Anchorage, Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Cambridge Bay, Nanisivik, Greenland, Antarctica, and now Spitsbergen. I recommend the Spitsbergen Marathon for the marathon runner who is looking for adventure. The race’s Web address is www.svalbard.com.

RESEARCH ON FLU VICTIMS

The year after we ran, a group of medical scientists led by a Canadian, Kirsty Duncan, PhD, visited the cemetery in Longyearbyen. They were interested in the graves of seven young men, aged 18 to 29, who died of the flu soon after arriving there in 1918 to work as coal miners. The scientists reasoned that if the bodies were buried six feet deep, in the permafrost, they would be well preserved, and samples of the virulent flu virus could be recovered and studied. It turned out, however, that they were buried in shallow graves above the permafrost. The scientists took 100 soft tissue samples from six of the victims. Great care was taken for the safety of the limited number of people working on the project, and the deceased were accorded the utmost respect. More than 20 million people around the world (including an uncle of mine) had died in one year from the flu during this century’s greatest pandemic. The scientists hope to determine why this strain was so deadly and yet disappeared so quickly.

Don McNelly MY MOST UNFORGETTABLE MARATHON M107

Don visits the cemetery in Longyearbyen, where seven young coal miners were buried after dying of the same flu that killed 20 million people worldwide in 1918. In 1998 Canadian medical scientists took tissue samples from the seven victims in an attempt to unravel the mystery of the 20% century’s greatest pandemic.

ON TO OSLO

After leaving Svalbard Monday morning, we flew to Oslo for their “maraton” the next Saturday. We again arranged for an early start and this time were given a bicycle guide: Sebastian Sundbereg, a Danish speed skater with Olympic aspirations. He felt that he was the number one speed skater in Denmark.

We were started by an official at 12:30 p.m., an hour and 35 minutes ahead of the scheduled start at 2:05. The first part of the course was two times around a nearly five-mile loop through downtown Oslo, past the harbor, and on the main street. We ran through the university and cultural areas and past ships, including a huge modern ferry that plies between Copenhagen and Oslo.

We saw the old fort that once guarded the city, then ran a single loop through apark filled with the life’s work of the Norwegian sculptor, Vigeland. Ina series of statues, Vigeland depicted the joys and struggles in life from beginning to end—overall, a moving display.

After that, we repeated the same three loops. There were rolling but fair hills and another strong wind off the fjord. Whitecaps and waves brought up by the wind crashed against the seawall. We finished on the best track we’ ve ever

108 HM MARATHON & BEYOND September/October 2000

encountered. It had been the site of the Bislett-Mobil games several months before, where a number of world records were broken.

Again, as in Longyearbyen, we each were awarded a plate as “Maraton Klassepremie,” which I think means age-group winner. Because of our ages, and because we were North Americans, we were treated especially well. The people of Oslo, particularly those on the race committee, were kind, cooperative, and accommodating. We recommend their marathon.

POSTSCRIPT

Several days after I returned home, I received an e-mail message from a new friend in the Svalbard Tourist Office informing me that an accident had occurred in the Russian mine in Barentsburg. Twenty-three miners were killed. This is a tragedy that will affect the entire population, Norwegian as well as Russian.

A Thank You

I was assisted in collecting and checking facts for this article by Tor Jostein Furu of Longyearbyen, a member of the marathon committee.

ie ate eye leaem eu e S

(and from my 32 years of running)

S SOMEONE further down the running road than the average reader,

| have a comment or two to pass on. As you have already learned, our avocation is much more mental than physical. A slant that | bring is that when competing with yourself and your fellows, do not be too hung up on how you are doing overall. In the long run, your health and ability to keep running is more important than the next PR.

I can never again approach my best times of 20 or 30 years ago. My times have nearly doubled, and they increase a bit each year. If | brooded about this, | would give up running. Who really cares about your times besides you? Your mother? Your spouse? Your kids? Nope! Nobody cares but you!

As runners, we share several common goals. In our races we should try to run well, and most of us do, most of the time. However, as we move through our running life, our goals are, or should be, slowly modified as our circumstances change. | write this as a 79-year-old runner who has been in action for 32 years. Because most of you are considerably younger, your running goals are different than mine.

Don McNelly MY MOST UNFORGETTABLE MARATHON 1M 109