Irish runner sets record at Antarctic Ice 100K

ice marathon antarctic

Keith Whyte, a 33-year-old runner from Country Clare, Ireland, won the Antarctic Ice 100K and set a new course record of 9:26:02.

The ultra race ran last week in temperatures that hit -30C: summer conditions in Antarctica. Whyte outdistanced the second-place runner by four hours and, despite the frigid conditions, managed to finish the race only suffering from windburn on his face.

This Irish runner from the town of Ennis is no stranger to ultrarunning; he has ran several 100K races in Ireland and around the world. In November, he competed in the World 100K Championships in Qatar, though a stress fracture in his pelvis hindered his performance.

Whyte was invited to compete in last week’s race after another athlete cancelled. At first he was intimidated by the abnormally cold conditions (especially for a runner coming from Ireland’s mild winters). Though he set the record, he says that it was the slowest 100K he’s ever ran.

His personal record is 7:03:53 and he hopes to go under the seven-hour mark.

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