June 15, 2004

By: Debra Beale
Website: http://www.1st-in-fitness.com

Fitness Expert Sean Burch Wins North Pole Marathon in World Record Time

Sean Burch, a 33-year-old physical fitness expert and high altitude mountaineer from the Washington D.C. area has just won the 2004 North Pole Marathon in a remarkable world record time of 3 hours 43 minutes.

Burch’s effort in the 2004 North Pole Marathon, which bettered the previous winning time by nearly 1 ½ hours, is especially remarkable since it was his first attempt at a marathon.

The race included some of the most accomplished endurance athletes in the world. Finishing closest to Burch in second place was Sir Ranulph Fiennes, referred to as the greatest living explorer by Guinness World Records.

The marathon, which began at midnight on April 10th after competitors endured a daylong travel to the North Pole from Norway via a Russian cargo carrier, is considered to be the most extreme marathon event on earth.

Racers battled severe winds, sub-zero temperatures, frostbite and hypothermia, while finishing the 26.2-mile course, which was characterized by rough, unbalanced and hilly terrain, with pressure ridges and heavy snow.

Burch, who is well known in mountaineering circles and who, in 2003 reached the summit of Mt. Everest in a solo effort during which he used minimal supplementary oxygen, is new to the world of competitive ultra running events.

When asked why he chose this particular marathon as his first competitive event, Burch responded, I never enter races because I generally prefer to test my skills on adventures which are more mountain-oriented, whether it is going for a record speed ascent or trying to summit a particular peak. I had no idea what to expect considering this was my first marathon, especially in these extreme conditions.

However, this is the type of challenge I thrive on. I trained for this marathon in a gym using the same fitness programs which many of my students use in striving to reach their individuals goals. My success in this race is just another example of how my fitness programs can help anyone accomplish extraordinary things.

Author Notes:

Debra Beale contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.1st-in-fitness.com.  A source of information and helpful tips on various types of fitness equipment.