Running for seals, penguins & melting glaciers

Kolkata man Piyush Jaju completed the adventurous & testing Antarctica Marathon. Here’s a diary of his eventful eight days to reach an epic finish line

Three years ago, I hit 100 kilos — unfit, exhausted, out of breath. The gym bored me, but I loved to dance, so I started there, adding strength training. A wild idea led my wife, Shweta, and me to Everest Base Camp, turning fitness into a lifestyle. I tackled a Half Ironman, then set my sights on the Antarctica Marathon. To prepare, we ran the world’s highest snow marathon in Lahaul, HP, in March 2024. I’m no natural athlete, but mindset is everything. Big goals need big prep—this took 1.5 years. A marathon, like life, teaches one thing: keep going. Every step leads to something greater.

Day 1: Setting Sail from Ushuaia
It began with a four-hour flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, the southernmost town on Earth. Dubbed the ‘End of the World,’ it felt like a gateway to another planet. Boarding the expedition ship, reality sank in. Antarctica has no residents, time zones, or government.
Protected under the Antarctic Treaty, it bans military activity, mining, and sovereignty claims — hence, no visa required. Despite its ice, it’s technically a desert, drier than the Sahara. Aboard, we ran safety drills and met our crew.


Day 2: Surviving the Drake Passage
The Drake Passage is where the Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern Oceans collide, whipping up waves as high as 40 feet. Sailors call it Drake Lake when it’s calm, Drake Shake when it’s chaos. Luckily, it was a good day. We spotted whales spouting, albatrosses gliding, and penguins. That evening we found out due to an incoming storm, our marathon was moved up to March 14.

Day 3: Race Day – 42.2 km of Ice, Wind & Willpower
We reached the Antarctic Peninsula earlier than expected. By noon, we reached King George Island (KGI). With five litres of water, electrolytes, snacks, and a lucky charm from my daughter – I started the race.
Day 4: Penguins and Climate Change
We reached Brown Bluff, a volcanic cliffside on the Antarctic Peninsula. Antarctica has 100+ volcanoes, some still active. Brown Bluff’s fossilized pillow lava was a rare clash of fire and ice. Landing was a truly a thrill.

Day 5: Deception Island
We had planned to visit Pendulum Cove for a rare geothermal bath in Antarctica, but roughweather forced a detour to Deception Island. The moment we stepped ashore, sulfur filled the air, and jet-black volcanic sand made the landscape feel almost alien.

Day 6&7: drake shake hits hard
With worsening weather, the captain and organisers cut the expedition short by two days. As we re-entered the Drake Passage, we got waves 40+ feet high, the ship lurching like a roller coaster.
Day 8: The Grand Finale
As our ship entered the Beagle Channel, the wild ride was finally behind us — it was time to celebrate. The day was filled with felicitations and reflections. My wife and daughter were arriving in Ushuaia. After this life-changing journey, I couldn’t wait to hug them, share stories, and start planning the next adventure.

What went down on Day 3 aka the anticipated race day

The rules were no seeds, no wrappers — even energy gels had to be pre-packed. We vacuum-cleaned clothing as no foreign dirt was allowed. And, to stay 5m away from penguins — we’re the guests here.
There were 98 runners who started, 10 dropped to the half. The first lap was survival — learning where shoes sank, where wind hit hardest, and how to handle the slush. At 25 km, my legs begged to quit. The wind howled, slush sucked at my feet—mental strength took over. I told myself: One step at a time. Keep moving. With 5 km left, I eased up, soaked in the moment, and took pictures. Final time: 6h 24m. That night, we celebrated—battle scars, stories, and the magic of Antarctica.

This trip was about pushing beyond physical, mental, and emotional limits. It was about embracing nature’s unpredictable forces

I sprinted into 0°C water in a swimsuit which felt like getting punched in the chest. Only after a hot shower did the feeling return to my ears, fingers, and toes
– On taking the Polar plunge on day 5

Extreme racing conditions:
Course:6 loops of a 7km stretch (total: 42.2km) filled with gravel, ice, snow patches, puddles, and mud.
Temperature: -1°C to -3°C, but felt like -10°C due to wind.
Winds: 40 km/h—like running into an invisible wall. Elevation Gain/Loss: Gain/Loss: Over 2,000 feet