Canadian Runner Becomes First Woman To Complete Antarctic Ice Ultra Race In Record Time

Canadian ultra-runner Stephanie Case has become the first woman to complete a 100-mile race in Antarctica. The 43-year-old finished the challenging Antarctic Ice Ultra in 17 hours, 31 minutes and 39 seconds, securing second place overall despite extreme weather conditions, according to BBC.

The race took place in the Schirmacher Oasis in Queen Maud Land, East Antarctica. It required runners to complete 38 rounds of a 4.2-kilometre course while facing strong winds and temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius.

The race was moved forward to 1 am on Sunday because of the harsh weather conditions. Case said that completing the challenge was as much about survival as it was about running.

She explained that spending 20 minutes in such conditions was manageable, but staying outside for more than 17 hours could seriously affect the body. Runners had to use a lot of energy just to keep themselves warm.

Case also said that runners had to maintain their speed without sweating because sweat could make their bodies cold very quickly.

The race is considered extremely difficult, and only a few people attempt it each year. This year, only four of the eight runners who started the 100-mile race managed to finish.

The Antarctic Ice Ultra had previously been attempted only by men. Case was among three women who started the race, but she was the only woman to cross the finish line.

She also spoke about the difficulties of taking bathroom breaks during the race. As runners were not allowed to leave anything behind in Antarctica due to biosecurity rules, managing such breaks became difficult.

She explained that removing gloves even for five seconds could put her hands at risk of frostbite because of the extreme cold.

Case said she felt relieved and emotional after crossing the finish line. She was proud of completing the challenge in a time she was happy with.