Getting In · Pilgrimage race
Antarctica Marathon
There is no cheap way and no fast way. Running a marathon in Antarctica costs more than most people's cars, requires booking years ahead, and is the only way to complete the Seven Continents Club. Everyone who has done it says the same thing: worth it.
- Distance
- 26.2 mi
- Cost
- $15,000 to $25,000+
- Lead time
- 2 to 4 years of waitlist
- Field
- ~100
- Temperature
- Around 0°C, with wind
- Purpose
- The seventh continent
There are two genuinely different Antarctic marathons and runners conflate them constantly.
The Antarctica Marathon, run by Marathon Tours & Travel since 1995, is ship-based. You sail from Ushuaia across the Drake Passage, anchor at King George Island in the South Shetlands, and run a multi-lap course between research stations on gravel, mud, and snow. Penguins are present. It's the original, and the waitlist has historically run several years deep.
The Antarctic Ice Marathon is a different animal: flown into the interior near the Ellsworth Mountains, run on snow at altitude in genuine Antarctic cold. It's more expensive, more extreme, and a shorter waitlist.
How to get in
- Tour operatorExpedition booking
Both events are sold as full expeditions. You are buying a ship berth or a flight into a private ice camp, not a race entry. Deposits are substantial and refund terms are strict.
- ApplicationThe waitlist
For the ship-based Antarctica Marathon, expect a genuine multi-year wait. Get on the list years before you intend to run, and treat the deposit as a long-term commitment.
What running there is actually like
- The course is multi-lap and rough. Gravel roads, mud, snow, and steep short climbs between research bases. Times are slow.
- The Drake Passage is real. Two days each way across some of the roughest water on earth. Bring seasickness medication and expect to lose training days.
- Weather dictates everything. Landing windows shift. The race can be moved by days. Build slack into your travel on both ends.
- Gear matters more than fitness. Wind is the danger, not temperature. Layers, face protection, and trail shoes with grip.
Questions runners actually ask
How much does the Antarctica Marathon cost?
Budget $15,000 to $25,000 or more all in, depending on which event and which cabin. Flights to Ushuaia or Punta Arenas are on top.
How far ahead do I need to book?
The ship-based Antarctica Marathon has historically had waitlists running several years deep. The Antarctic Ice Marathon is generally shorter notice but more expensive.
Do I need polar experience?
No. Both events are fully supported expeditions. You need marathon fitness, appropriate clothing, and tolerance for cold, wind, and rough seas.
Go to the source
Entry rules, dates, standards, fees, and odds change every single year, and the interesting races change them the most. Use this guide to build the plan; use the official site to confirm the details before you book anything.
If this is your kind of thing
Need the races in between? The hard part of a bucket list year is everything else on the calendar: the qualifier, the tune-up, the long run with a bib on.