Why January 8 is the best day of the season for Michiel! (Marathon!!!)

I have completed my first marathon ever!

For a very long time, I have had a latent desire to run (at least once in my life) a marathon. Knowing that there was a marathon in Antarctica facilitated both my decision to come and to run a marathon. Training in Alaska was an adventure because of possible wildlife encounters but training in Antarctica was an adventure because of the weather. Dressed with long underwear, gloves, hat, sunglasses and vaseline on my face I would set out on my daily run to Scott base, a 4 mile round trip with some little hills and one steep hill. Once or twice a week I would go for a long 14 mile run towards the airfield out on the sea ice. Sometimes I would run in the middle of the night because we are on nightshift and have constant sunlight anyway.

The race was organized by the Recreational Department and was open to skiers or runners. Along the course were several (unmanned) aid stations with water and some food. Seeing as this is Antarctica the racers were advised to also bring their own water as the water from the aid stations could freeze. In view of these changeable weather conditions there were also a couple of support vehicles which stored our extra clothing and several people from the Rec department who cheered us on. To our great fortune it couldn't have been a better day; not much wind and temperatures around freezing. Fortunately these last few days have been cold and that stopped the sun from making the snow all mushy.

I ran with 2 women who went for the same slow starting pace as I did and who also opted for the Jeff Galloway Walk Break method; 10 minutes of running interspersed with 30 seconds walking breaks. We had lots of fun, felt great and reached the finish in a leisurly time of 5:21 with a big smile on our faces and no pain in our legs. Even now, one day after the race, I still have no pain whatsoever in my legs and feel great (and still can't believe that I actually ran a marathon).

A big "thank you" goes out to Sheri who has been very supportive and who even came out to run with us for the last 10 miles of the world's most southern marathon and to Pam for telling me I could do it.

MAAG

The McMurdo Alternative Art Gathering (MAAG) occurs every summer in the Science Support Building. Each year, the coordinator chooses a theme and invites the community to create artwork from anything they can find on station. The space is decorated to feel like a gallery opening and guests are encouraged to dress like gallery-goers.

Some of the highlights of this year's alphabet theme MAAG were
1. The 26 days of invitations featuring a letter of the alphabet.
2. An evening gown made out of cargo straps.
3. The Screw Ewe
4. Other excellent outfits featuring duct tape or items from gear issue.
5. The chandelier made out of cigarette cartons

Why January 1 is the best day of the season!

ICESTOCK!!! The six-hour outdoor music festival that occurs every year at McMurdo on the 1st of January or the first Sunday of January (this year, they coincided).

The dirt area next to the galley building is cleared and a stage, bleachers and lots of millvans are carted in. The millvans serve as serving and cooking areas for the chili cook-off contestants.

Every year, there is an eclectic group of musicians and styles represented in the eleven twenty-five minute acts. This year, there was also the final judging of the beard contest. Contestants had their beards shaven off by the station's barber earlier in the season and photos were taken after they had viewed a short film about Donegal beards (leprechaun style).

The Beard Contest Finalists



The woman in the finalist group won for the "Most Disgusting Beard". She had saved all of the hair from her hairbrush since the contest started and glued it onto her face on the day of Icestock.


Musical acts ranged from reggae (our band) to punk, from Ramones-covers to throat singing from the Tuva region of Mongolia and from straight ahead rock and roll to a marching band dressed in bunny boots.



Every good outdoor festival needs hula hoops - these were made from pvc pipe.



The highlight (NATURALLY) was our performance....we were very warmly received and our rasta outfits (I had borrowed a friend's Jamaican soccer team jersey and Michiel braided my hair) got us feeling irie.

The Album Cover....


With our biggest fans...


One more...from the bleachers...