Inside the world's toughest marathons | North Pole to Antarctica
What does it take to organise a marathon at the North Pole?
In this exclusive conversation from the Global Event Logistics Summit (GELS) 2026, Richard Donovan, Race Director of Polar Running Adventures, takes us behind the scenes of some of the world's most extreme endurance events.
From landing aircraft on drifting Arctic ice to organising races in Antarctica and across seven continents, Donovan reveals the extraordinary logistics required to safely deliver these once-in-a-lifetime marathons.
In this discussion, you'll discover:
How helicopters scout the Arctic ice before an aircraft can land
Why an Antonov AN-74 performs trial landings before bringing runners to the North Pole
How pilots assess the colour and condition of the ice before selecting a landing site
Why marathon courses are limited to a 4 km loop because of shifting ice, weather and polar bear safety
How only a brief seasonal window allows races to take place before the ice begins to crack
The logistics behind staging marathons across seven continents in seven days
Richard Donovan's plans for new Arctic and Antarctic races
Why the next frontier for endurance racing could be... space, where there is no gravity
Having led more than 40 expeditions to the North Pole and Antarctica, Richard Donovan shares first-hand insights into one of the most complex sporting logistics operations on Earth.
Watch until the end to hear how the future of marathon running could extend beyond our planet.
