Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Seven marathons, seven days, seven continents... no sweat for the world’s best
IRISH elite marathoner, Gary Thornton, made it three in a row when he won the Australian leg of the World Marathon Challenge (WMC) in Perth on Thursday night, although testing conditions in Cape Town spoilt his goal of running under three hours for each of seven marathons in seven days on seven continents.
Fifty- two athletes began their journey with a marathon around the Russian Novo airbase in Antarctica on Tuesday, before completing the Cape Town race around a lapped 42.2km course along the Sea Point and Green Point Promenade on Wednesday.
Participants then packed for Perth, flying out within hours of completing the Cape Town leg and were due to race in Dubai last night, Lisbon this afternoon, Cartagena in Columbia on Sunday with the finale in Miami on Monday.
Thornton, a 2 hr 17 min marathoner, beat the three hour mark in Antarctica (2:58:39) and Perth (2:59:55) but found the 27 degree heat in Cape Town taxing just 12 hours after racing sub-zero and clocked 3:06:55 for the event.
American Day Care Centre director, 37-year-old Becca Pizzi, averaged 3 hr 55 min for the seven races two years back – a world record – and aimed to improve it this time round.
But the extreme conditions in Antarctica and 40 degree temperature swing in Cape Town made it tough going and she has been unable to better the four hour mark, clocking 4:06:45, 4:11:15 and 4:02:13 respectively.
“I’m going to have to work hard to improve my record, although I have already decided to tackle it for a third time,” Pizzi remarked after completing the Cape Town leg. “I’m a huge fan of Richard Donovan (race director) and his event.
“The last lap in Antarctica was quite extreme. The temperature dropped and the wind got up and my sweat literally froze within my gear. Cape Town was fantastic – the views of the ocean and the mountains are exceptional, but the heat and wind made it tough.”
Seventh grade pupils at East Hampton, New York, are the envy of every school in town. Their social studies teacher, Cara Nelson, is a participant in the WMC, and stays connected with her classroom by skypeing her pupils during her races. With the Cape Town race in the afternoon, she gave an early morning geography lesson “on the run”.
“The kids seem to like it, and they’re working hard,” explained Nelson. “The lesson from Cape Town was on Nelson Mandela and I was able to forward some photos I got from Robben island before the event started and then talked to them while I was running. They are following me closely and have to monitor my speed and estimate my finish time!”
Wheelchair athlete, Johanna Garvin from Sydney, Australia, is enjoying the experience and was impressed with Cape Town and its friendly people.
Well supported by her support runners, James Alderson and Steve Birnie, she was delighted to meet Cape Town’s Anita Engelbrecht who, like Garvin, has a cerebral palsy disability.
Engelbrecht and her regular support runner, Hilton Murray, joined “Team Garvin” on their last lap of the Cape Town marathon, providing welcome support for the Australian team. “What a privilege to be able to meet Johanna,” said Engelbrecht, a sentiment that was immediately shared by her Australian counterpart. “We will certainly keep in touch and, who knows, perhaps I may also be able to do the World Marathon Challenge one day!”