Indonesian Digital News Archive

Earlier this week the big news surrounding polar exploration was the announcement that Sir Ranulph Fiennes would be attempting a South Pole expedition in the dead of winter, something that has never been accomplished before. But it seems Fiennes isn't the only Brit set to leave his mark on polar history next year, ultra-runner Tim Williamson has announced plans to make a solo and unsupported round-trip journey to and from the North Pole. Considered by many to be the last great polar adventure that to be completed.

Describing Tim's adventure as a round trip to the North Pole and back simply doesn't do it justice. He has so much more than that planned. The entire journey is expected to cover approximately 2200 miles (3540 km) beginning and ending in civilization. That means he doesn't plan to charter a plane to fly him out to a starting point, but will instead embark on January 13, 2013 directly from Resolute Bay in Canada. Tim expect to return to Resolute just 100-120 days later, which is an incredibly fast time. Even more impressive, he plans on completing the expedition without the use of skis.

In a press release I received earlier in the day Tim is quoted as saying "The majority fail because they aren’t built for walking long distances. This is the thing I’m specially built for. The North Pole holds a great amount of wonder to me, and as an ultrarunner, it is the ultimate challenge."

For anyone who understand the logistics of travel in the Arctic and the herculean task of getting to the North Pole, this will be one epic journey to watch unfold. Traveling across the ice and snow without skis, while dragging all of his gear, food and supplies behind him on a sledge is not going to be easy, even for an endurance athlete. Add to the fact that he's going in the dead of winter, when there is no daylight, and you begin to get a sense of challenges that Tim will face. But the extreme cold at that time of the year will also help to keep the pack ice in place and he could possibly face fewer open leads of water along the way.

I've said more than once in the past few years that the days of traveling to the North Pole on foot may be coming to an end soon. Climate change is making that a very dicey proposition to say the least. It'll be interesting to see an ultra-fit and fast runner give it a go early next year, as Tim's approach is certainly a unique one. I'd hasten to bet he's doing it on a budget that is fraction of what Sir Ran is using to go to the South Pole and back. One thing is for sure, 2013 is going to be an interesting year for polar explorers.

Tim's expedition will be coordinated through DiscoverALifeLessOrdinary.com, in conjunction with Chillisauce.co.uk/.

A new ultra-length stage race is set to get underway this weekend in the western United States, where some of the top endurance runners in the world have gathered to take on a unique course that will undoubtedly challenge them both mentally and physically. The seven-day, six-stage event will cover more than 160 miles (257 km) and feature over 21,700 ft (6614 meters) of vertical gain.

The race is called the Grand to Grand Ultra, deriving its name from the fact that it begins at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and ends at the summit of the Grand Staircase in Utah. Over the course of next week, competitors in the event will be running an average of 28 miles per day, mostly through remote desert regions as they pass through two national forests and Zion National Park on their way to the finish line.

As is typical with these kinds of events, the G2G Ultra requires that all of the competitors be self supporting while out on the course. That means they won't just be running more than a marathon per day, but they'll also have to carry all of their gear with them while out on the course. Mandatory gear includes first aid and emergency supplies, a windproof jacket, lightweight sleeping bag and more. They'll also need to haul their food and water with them as well although they will receive fresh water at each of the checkpoints they pass through along the way.

One of the things that I find most interesting about this race is that the organizers are giving away some of the proceeds to charity. This year they selected one of my favorite organizations, impossible2Possible, to be the beneficiary of those charitable contributions. I've written numerous times about the efforts of i2P, which encourages education and physical activity through the use of adventure. The non-profit organizes a couple of expeditions to remote places on the planet each year and then interacts with students and faculty in a variety of classrooms to help raise awareness of global issues. It's a great program and one I'm always happy to see get some attention.

The G2G Ultra actually begins Sunday morning at the North Rim. While it is underway you should be able to get updates from the official website. And if you want to take part in the 2013 version of the race, they are already accepting early bird applications.

This past weekend the North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc took place in the Alps. Over the past decade, the race has earned itself a reputation for being one of the toughest competitions on the planet as runners attempt to circumnavigate around Mont Blanc, passing through France, Italy and Switzerland in the process. The route, which features more than 9600 m (31,496 ft) of climbing, is typically 168km (104 miles) in length, but this year, bad weather caused last minute changes which dropped those distances dramatically. That didn't necessarily make it a much easier race to run however.

On Friday, when the race was scheduled to get underway, UTMB organizers announced that due to wet conditions and cold temperatures they had elected to alter the course. The new route would stay completely within France and was cut down to just 103km (64 miles) and 5790 meters (19,000 ft) of climbing. That didn't seem to dampen the spirits of many of the runners however as thousands of them hit the trail to test their skills. A little more than ten and a half hours later, the first competitor was crossing the finish line.

French runner Francois D'Haene claimed first place in the men's division finishing more than a half-hour in front of second place runner Jonas Buud. American Michael Foote claimed third, finishing at 11 hours, 19 minutes even. On the women's side of the bracket, Brit ultra-legend Lizzy Hawker took first place once again, earning her a record fifth UTMB title. She was an hour and five minutes ahead of second place finisher Francesca Canepa, with third place going to Emma Roca with a time of 13 hours, 23 minutes, 37 seconds. Hawker also managed to finish 16th overall, marking the first time ever that a woman finished in the top 20.

Congratulations to the winners and all the runners of the race. It's a shame the weather reared its guly head once again, but the event still went off well and the top finishers remain tremendous athletes.

Speaking of the North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, I received this inforgraphic that helps to put the event into perspective. The race kicks off later today and will run through the weekend, although the fastest runners will hit the finish line tomorrow. Follow the race live at Ultratrail.tv and on the UTMB Facebook page.

As I mentioned on Wednesday, today marks the start of the 2012 North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc in France. Some of the best endurance runners in the world have gathered in Chamonix, where they'll soon set out on a 168km (104 mile) run around Mont Blanc, the tallest peak in western Europe. Now in its tenth year, the race has become one of the biggest and most well know ultra-marathons on the planet.

All told there will be more than 6000 runners, from 73 countries, who will be attempting the UTMB this year. Amongst them will be American Mike Foote, who finished in 11th place in 2011. Mike recently sat down with National Geographic to share his gear list for the race, which was posted on the NG Adventure Blog yesterday. If you ever wondered what an ultra-runner carries with him when he hits the trail, you'll definitely want to give this story a look.

As you can probably tell from the image, Mke actually won't be taking a lot of stuff with him. In addition to his trail running shoes, shorts and a couple of t-shirts, he'll also have a  North Face Featherlite Rain Jacket, a Black Diamond Icon headlamp, hydration bladder, a variety of nutritional options, gloves and a sun visor. All of which he'll carry in a lightweight backpack designed specifically for this race.

The UTMB is known for being a grueling event for the milage alone but the weather tends to be unpredictable and fickle as well. It is not uncommon for the runners to experience scorching heat, howling winds, rain and blizzards all on the same day. Considering the trail wanders up and down the mountain, giving the runners a total of 9600 meters (31,496 ft) of vertical gain, its little wonder that they need to carry extra clothing for the event.

For the first time ever, this year's UTMB is being broadcast live onto the web. To follow the race simply click here.

One of the toughest endurance races on the planet will take place this weekend with the start of the North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, which officially gets underway on Friday. The course begins and ends in Chamonix, France and crosses into Switzerland, as it covers 168km (104 miles), of tough mountain terrain, completely circumnavigating around Mont Blanc in the process. Oh, and it also happens to feature 9600 meters (31,496 ft) of ascent too.

This year, for the first time ever, the event will be broadcast live on the web. Considering the coverage kicks off tomorrow and runs for 84 hours straight, that's an impressive feat of endurance as well. The live broadcasts start Thursday, August 30 at 06:00 local time and will continue with 15-minute news briefs through Sunday, September 2.

At the start of the event, more than 6000 runners from 73 countries will take the line. How many of them actually finish remains to be seen. This is one of the largest and most difficult tests of endurance on the planet and isn't for the faint of heart. We'll probably get to witness some of the suffering first hand on these live broadcasts over the next few days.

Good luck to all the runners!



The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc® by UltraTrailMontBlanc

Located in Canada's Nunavut territory, Baffin Island is a remote and wild place. It also happens to be the fifth largest island in the world and a fitting place for an adventure. This morning Ray Zahab and Ferg Hawke have set out to run non-stop across the island, covering roughly 100km (60 miles) in the process. Their route will take them through Akshayuk Pass, a breathtaking valley that is the remains of an ancient riverbed and is surrounded by the Baffin Mountains.

You can track their progress on BaffinRun.com and catch updates via Ray's Twitter Feed and Facebook page. Reports are also being posted to the impossible2Possible Facebook page as well.

While this will be a good challenge for these two ultra-runners, it is merely a warm-up for what lies ahead. Next year they intend to run across the Gobi Desert at it's widest point, an expedition that will cover approximately 2000km (1242 miles) through some of the most remote terrain on Earth. Because of that remote nature of the Gobi, they'll have limited opportunities for resupply which will alter the logistics of the run to a degree.

We'll learn a lot more about the expedition in March of 2013 when Ray and Ferg are expected to set out. You know we'll be following it closely.

One of my favorite pieces of gear that I saw at Outdoor Retailer a few weeks back was an innovative set of eyewear from a company called Switch. They've come up with the ingenious idea of developing a pair of sunglasses with interchangeable lenses that can provide excellent performance in a variety of light conditions, something that adventure racers and other endurance athletes are sure to appreciate.

The designers at Switch have developed what they call the "magnetic interchange" lens system. In doing so they've incorporated strong, high-energy magnets into both the frames and lenses themselves, allowing those lenses to quickly be changed out with a different set. This allows a single pair of glasses to be used across an entire day, starting with the pink glow of morning light, continuing through the harsh brightness of the day and finishing up with the flaming skies of dusk. Swapping out the lenses is a breeze, snapping into place with a satisfying click and staying firmly locked into the frames no matter what activity is on the agenda.

I tested the Switch Avalanche frames and found them to be durable, good looking and well suited for running and cycling in particular. They are designed to stay firmly in place yet still provide plenty of ventilation when working up a sweat. I found them to be lightweight and comfortable, while providing plenty of coverage over the eyes.



Like all of Switch's offerings, the Avalanche frames come equipped with two sets of lenses – one pair of standard polarized and one pair tinted Amber that are designed for low-light conditions. The standard kit can be expanded with other lenses from the Switch line-up as well and there are plenty of alternatives available on the company's website.

The concept behind these sunglasses is so simple and elegant I couldn't help but wonder why someone hadn't thought of it before. Those who expect good performance out of their eyewear will love the versatility and flexibility that Switch lenses and frames provide. Triathletes, adventure racers and ultra-runners will particularly appreciate the fact that they can compete while carrying just a single pair of glasses for all light conditions.

Prices for frames and lenses vary depending on style. The Avalanche frames I test run $169 with two pairs of lenses. Additional lenses start at $40.

Way back in February I shared an early look at an ambitious and potentially awesome new television show called Run The Planet. The premise of the show is that New Zealand ultra-running legend Lisa Tamati would take Australian ultra-running newbie Chris Ord under her wing and show him the ropes of long distance running. The two would then visit some of the most iconic places on Earth and run across them.

At the time of that story, Lisa and Chris were preparing to run a famous route across Australia that was followed by an indigenous stockman named Hezekiel Malbunka back in 1922 in order to deliver a telegram. The route is more than 125km (77.6  miles) in length and runs through some of the hottest environments on the continent. The two runners took on that very route and as a result we now have a pilot video of what the show would be all about. You can watch that video below and judge for yourself.

Lisa and Chris a now hoping to take the show into full production and as such they're hoping to connect with some partners and television networks who may be interested in helping get Run The Planet off the ground.  For those interested, full details, including production notes, are available at RunThePlanetTV.com.

Judging from what I've seen in the video here, this looks like it would be a fantastic show. If you don't think running across remote landscapes can be a compelling television show, just watch the fourteen and a half minute screener below. Excellent work by all involved.

Ryan Sandes is a South African ultra-runner who is the first person to win all four of the 4 Deserts ultramarathons. That means that he is really, really good at running long distance in inhospitable environments. One of those environments that has eluded him is the Fish River Canyon in southern Namibia. The canyon is the second longest in the world and the landscape is challenging for anyone to cross, let alone someone trying to run it. Sandes returned to the canyon to attempt to cover 84km (52 miles) in five days, which doesn't seem like a lot for an endurance runner. But when you get a look at the wonderfully crafted video below you'll understand just exactly what he dealing with. The canyon is a beautiful, yet very difficult place.

The Beauty of the Irrational from The African Attachment on Vimeo.

The Leadville Trail Run is one of the toughest races in North America. Covering more than 100 miles (160km) and ranging in elevation between 9200 and 12,600 feet (2804 - 3840 meters) it is a pure test of endurance and determination.

This year, two-time Olympian Michael Aish will test his mettle in the legendary "Race Across the Sky." After spending much of his career competing at the 5000 and 10,000 meter distances, this will be his first ultra-run and he plans on winning it. GoDu Productions, the same folks that brought us the awesome Ski The Himalayas series, are documenting Aish's preparation and Leadville run. They're producing a series entitled Crushing Hope which will consist of eight half hour long episodes for broadcast television. You'll find a fantastic trailer for the show below.

Incidentally, the title refers to Hope Pass, the highpoint of the Leadville 100, which the runners must pass through at both the 45 and 55 mile point in the run.

Can't wait to see this!

Crushing Hope Trailer from Godu Productions on Vimeo.

Over the past couple of years I've written on more than one occasion about Jesper Olsen and his World Run II, the epic follow-up to the World Run, which Jesper completed in October 2005. On that test of endurance Olsen ran around the world, east to west, covering 26,232km (16,300 miles) in the process. For World Run II, the Danish endurance athlete wanted to set the bar even higher, aiming to cover nearly 40,000km (24,854 miles) as he ran from the northernmost point in Europe to the tip of South Africa before hopping across the ocean to South America and running north to New Foundland in Canada. A few days ago he reached his finish line at last, bringing an end to the longest fully documented run ever.

As I write this, Jesper is already back home and no doubt enjoying some much needed rest. But on July 27 he ran the final 200km (124 miles), mostly in rain and fog to reach the tip of Cape Spear along the Atlantic coast. His final GPS reading for the run? A staggering 36,896.8km (22,926.6 miles). That number is likely to be well off the mark however as his tracking device wasn't capable of handling more 99km at a time. That means the final tally is likely to exceed 37,000km (22,990 miles).

In his dispatch announcing the completion of the run, Jesper said that he is looking forward to getting back to his "normal" long distance running routine, namely 10k's and marathons. He also announced his retirement from these kinds of long distance endurance runs. His resume includes the first east-west run around the world and the first north-south run as well. He's also the first person to complete two runs around the world, racking up a mind boggling 63,000+km (39,146 miles) in the process. Whew! My legs are tired just thinking about that.

Huge congratulations to Jesper on this amazing achievement. I do hope he arrived home safely and is enjoying some time in an easy chair in front of the telly. He's definitely earned it.

As always, major thanks to Darrell Raubenheimer for keeping posted on Jesper's progress. Much appreciated mate!

A month back we were treated to a fantastic video called Wild Love which featured Jake Norton and wife Wende Valentine. That video showed how the couple balanced a life filled with travel and adventure while still remaining close and connected. Now we have a new video in the Wild Love series, this time with ultra-runner Krissy Moehl as the subject.

Krissy is one of the top runners in the world but having success on the trail doesn't always mean things are so well balanced in the rest of her life. She talks about the importance of personal connections with friends and family and what it means to share the experiences of her life.


Wild Love: Krissy Moehl from Andy Maser on Vimeo.

This is one that doesn't usually sneak under my radar but I missed the start of the 2012 Badwater Ultramarathon and have spent part of the day catching up on the news. For those unfamiliar with the event it is an annual sufferfest during which some of the top ultra-runners in the world run 135 miles (217km) non-stop from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney in California. Along the way they rack up an incredible 13,000 feet (3962 meters) of vertical gain and battle the legendary heat that earned Death Valley its name.

The race got underway yesterday and the top finishers are already completing the course. The 2012 winner is Mike Morton who managed to complete the entire 135 miles in just 22 hours, 52 minutes, and 55 seconds. Defending champ Oswaldo Lopez claimed second place at 23:32:28" and Zach Gingerich is home in third at 25:49:40". Other ultra-running legends like Dean Karnazes and Pam Reed are still out on the course at this time.

Why on Earth would anyone enter a race like this one? If you have to ask, you'll probably never understand. But the pre-race video below gives a bit of an introduction to some of the runners, who share their inspirations for entering the Badwater.

Kilian Jornet is easily amongst the best endurance athletes in the world. He is a prolific ultra-runner and mountaineer who has set speed records on numerous peaks, including Kilimanjaro and Mt. Olympus, and has even won the Western States 100. All of that was just a tune-up for his next project however as he has now charted a four-year plan to take on some of the most iconic peaks on the planet.

According to Kilian's website SummitsOfMyLife.com, over the next few years he will be attempt to climb Mont Blanc (several times!), Elbrus, the Matterhorn, Aconcagua, Denali and Everest. He'll bring his own unique style to those climbs (read: light and fast) but he insists this isn't about setting records or going fast, but more about delivering a message of values and simplicity.

The journey will be a very personal one and intends to share it through video as well. The trailer for the project can be found below and it looks amazing.

Thanks to Lou-Phi for the tip!

I haven't posted an update on Jesper Olson and his World Run II expedition since January, which was when he was starting the North American leg of the journey. Now he's nearing the end of that leg and has passed a major milestone along the way.

For those who aren't familiar with Jesper's epic undertaking, back in 2005 he completed the first fully documented run around the world, which for most of us would be enough of a challenge for a single lifetime. But in 2008 he decided to hit the road once again, this time running north to south and back again. He dubbed this second challenge the World Run II and starting from the northernmost point in Finland Jesper started running south. The route took him all the way across Europe, through the Middle East and down down Africa, before reaching the tip of that continent. From there he hopped a flight across the Atlantic and resumed running again, this time heading north through South America and eventually North America as well.

Currently Jesper is running through Maine and quickly approaching the U.S.-Canadian border, where he'll soon cross over and start the final leg of his journey, which will eventually end on Prince Edward Island. He still has a few more weeks of running before he reaches that point, but he is most definitely closing in on the finish line at long last.

A few days ago Jesper crossed a major milestone on World Run II. On May 15 he crossed passed the 35,000km (21,748 mile) mark. Thats an impressive distance to have run and eclipses World Run I by a considerable margin. On his original run around the world, Olson managed to cover 26232km (16,300 miles), but he passed that mark a long time ago and has passed into uncharted territory.

Recently Jesper lost part of his support crew so now he's also being forced to run while carrying a backpack. That added weight has changed his approach some, but he continues moving forward at a surprising pace. On the day that he crossed the 35,000km mark he covered 51km (31 miles), which is very impressive considering he's been running long distance nearly every day for four years.

As always, thanks to Darrell for keeping me updated wit Jesper's progress. It is such an amazing accomplishment that he is closing in on, although it sure makes my nightly five mile runs seem pretty insignificant.