Concord Native among those entered in Antarctica Marathon
Posted Wednesday, 11 February, 2009
While most New Englanders will be battling the last vestiges of another long, snow and ice-laden winter, David Bryan, a Concord, NH resident, will be running a marathon in Antarctica. Things really heat up in Antarctica during March, with temperatures ranging from fifteen to thirty-five degrees Fahrenheit and winds gusting up to forty miles per hour.
On March 10, 2009, approximately 150 runners from around the world will land on the frozen continent for the eleventh annual running of what is known as “The Last Marathon”. The marathon courses through 26.2 miles of frozen tundra and glacial streams. Surprisingly, the trek requires little special gear - only a good pair of trail shoes.
David Bryan, a forty-five year old Concord runner, began running marathons four years ago. Before his first Boston Marathon in 2006, David spotted a table at the exposition for the “7 Continents Club.” “As the pain of Boston wore off in the months following the race, I couldn’t stop thinking about what an accomplishment it would be – to run a marathon on every continent,” explains David.
Last November, David began his quest for that goal by running a marathon in Greece, circling the grounds where the first modern-day Olympics were held. According to David, “Antarctica is the most difficult challenge logistically. It involves flying to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and then ultimately to the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, on the tip of Cape Horn. From there it gets interesting, with a three day boat ride to the Antarctic Peninsula on a Russian ice-cutter.”
Because of the significance of this race, an annual lottery is held to determine which runners will get the privilege of participating each year. However, David is interested in satisfying more than his own personal goals. He’s looking to endure the hardships associated with this marathon to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Hampshire.
David Bryan works for NH Federal Credit Union, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation is the charity that all of New Hampshire’s credit unions support together, through a variety of annual fundraising efforts. By June 2008, New Hampshire’s credit unions had raised more than $1 million for Make-A-Wish. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of NH helps make dreams come true for children in NH with life-threatening illnesses.
David’s employer, NH Federal Credit Union, along with his co-workers and friends, are sponsoring him in this race. In addition, employees from other NH credit unions are sponsoring David.
If you would like to contribute to David’s efforts in the cause for Make-A-Wish NH, please call 224-7731 extensions 158 or 163. If you’d like to check on David’s progress at the race, visit NH Federal Credit Union’s website on March 10, 2009 for updates, www.nhfcu.org.
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