World’s Deepest Marathon
55 runners in Sweden broke the world record for a marathon run at the greatest depth underground. They jogged along at a total depth of 3,669 feet and 10 inches. To put that in some kind of perspective, that is deeper than two Empire State Buildings stacked on top of each other, or more than twice as deep as the Baltic Sea. The elevator ride down into the depths took the runners three minutes. You might expect the deep underground to be a nice and cool environment to run, but you’d be wrong. The runners faced a hot and difficult run, yet each one finished nonetheless. “Marathons are hard in temporary environments. You go into this environment, you clock in the fear and the adrenaline, the intimidation of the environment — it definitely takes it up a few notches,” Bear Grylls told Guinness World Records who certified their achievement.
But where on earth would you find a suitable location for this super-deep marathon? Well, not on earth, if we’re being specific. The venue for the run was the Garpenberg Mine in south-central Sweden. Mining in the area dates to prehistoric times, but the current mine was started in the 13th century as an iron mine. It has only expanded downward ever since. Garpenberg’s mineshafts stretch down to a depth of nearly 4,600 feet underground. Those deepest parts aren’t suitable for running a marathon, though, as running requires a somewhat flat surface. Instead, the marathon took place closer to the surface where the mine had fewer steep changes and fewer stairways. They found a suitable set of corridors that formed a loop. The runners had to jog through the route 11 times. And even then, the route wasn’t completely flat. There were some stairs and ramps that the runners had to navigate, which added another layer of challenge to the route planning, as the organizers needed to account for verticality when calculating the distance. The temperature down in the mineshaft was a steady, balmy 75 degrees. Meanwhile, the ambient humidity stood at 72%. What’s more, the runners faced what’s known as “cave silence.” There’s absolutely no light or sound down there.
The marathoners had to prepare mentally for running in a completely silent environment with only the headlamps of their helmets piercing the pitch-black darkness. Oh yeah, they had to run with helmets on, too. The group trounced the previous deepest marathon, which was completed at a measly 1,640 feet below sea level. At the same time, they set a second record. While they were at it, they were also doing some good. A fundraiser organized during the marathon raised more than $1 million for Gryll’s BecomingX Foundation, which provides education for youth in South African mining communities, and the Wild at Heart Foundation, which funds animal welfare projects around the world.
Run Down Feeling
I was exhausted after work today. I delivered a roll of bubble wrap. The lady said just pop it in the corner.
It took me 7 hours.
I met a guy recently who was a really good runner, but could only win races in wet weather.
They call him the Raining Champion.
What is a marathon runner doing when he starts a marathon in Russia that ends in Finland?
Russian to the Finnish.
Who were the fastest runners ever?
Adam and Eve. They were first in the human race.
April 3rd Birthdays
1987 – Amanda Byrnes, 1971 – Picabo Street, 1992 – Hayley Kiyoke, 1922 – Doris Day
1924 – Marlon Brando, 1961 – Eddie Murphy, 1964 – Nigel Farage, 1944 – Tony Orlando