Runner heads to Antarctica for next marathon

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. | By the time we reach our eighth decade, some of us may find the true meaning of life in a Lay-Z-Boy recliner watching Hawaii Five-0 reruns, but not so David Bruce. On March 15, he and his wife, Susan, head to Argentina, launching point for his next — and fourth — continental marathon: Antarctica. For years, the now 81-year-old former farm boy from Moriah has been on a mission to run marathons in all seven continents of the world. He started "small" when he joined the 50 States Marathon Club. Having run in all 50 of the United States, Bruce then joined the Seven Continents Club and set his sights on Europe (Greece) and Africa (Limpopo Province), where in 2021 and 2022, respectively, he knocked the next two continents off that list. Noting the irony of becoming a world runner after growing up on a farm in rural upstate New York, Bruce said until age 17, he hadn't traveled more than 50 miles from home, when he ventured out to Ithaca's Cornell University representing the 4-H Club. In Ushuaia, Argentina, Bruce and his fellow marathoners will board the Ocean Victory for the two-day journey to Antarctica. The voyage itself involves some risk, as it involves going through Drake Passage, widely acknowledged as the most treacherous waters a vessel can navigate. On March 22, the runners will prepare for the big race by running 26.2 miles, dressing strategically to accommodate temps ranging from zero-degrees F to 32-degrees F. On March 23, 100 runners will split up into two groups, each with different start times. Bruce will be part of the first half and will take off at 7 a.m. In contrast to the hot, sandy gravel of the African marathon, this route will be strewn with ice, snow, and mud — at times a mix of all — over a varied elevation with a rise and fall of more than 3,000 feet. Because of the danger of hypothermia, maximum time is limited to 6.5 hours on the full marathon, and four hours on the half. After the marathon, runners will live on board the Ocean Victory for three days of kicking back as they hop in Zodiacs for close-up views of humpback, blue, right, sperm and killer whales. Those at risk of becoming bored will have the option of taking a real polar plunge. Bruce said these experiences are really not just about running. He hopes to encourage young people to pursue whatever it is they believe in, whatever their dreams are, just as his Aunt Mary Meachem Tubbs supported his own dreams years ago. To that end, he is available for inspirational PowerPoint presentations and can be reached at dvbruce20@gmail.com. Meanwhile, this former small-town farm boy will be dreaming of Australia.

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Runner heads to Antarctica for next marathon

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