An adventure marathon a year, keeps your mind clear

23 Feb 2020

The beauty of our marathons is not only the unparalleled landscapes through which you will get to run, but also the friendships you will forge. These friendships, cemented on deep roots, by your love for running, travel and adventures, are sure to last a lifetime. This, along with the desire to take on a new challenge, are the main reasons runners keep coming back for more adventure marathons. Don’t believe us? How about hearing it from one of our most recurring participants himself? Andreas, 33 years old, from Denmark has participated in 5 of our adventure marathons.

How did you get into running?

I got into running because I wanted to lose some weight and feel healthier, so at first it was not because I had any plans on running long distance. One of my young students didn’t think I could run a marathon so that was the reason I started running marathons. In 2012 I ran my first in Copenhagen. 

How many marathons have you run?

29 marathons in 16 different countries and hopefully more to come.

Andreas with all of his Albatros Adventure Marathon medals
Andreas with all of his Albatros Adventure Marathon medals

How did you find out about Albatros Adventure Marathons?

I had heard about the Great Wall Marathon on TV many years ago so I googled it to try and see if it was possible for me to do it and I had always dreamt of seeing the Great Wall so that was the perfect combination for me. 

Which Albatros marathons have you run? Which have you enjoyed the much?

I ran the Great Wall Marathon in 2014, Polar Circle Marathon in 2015, Big Five Marathon in 2016, Petra Desert Marathon in 2017 and Bagan Temple Marathon in 2018. I love all the races in different ways, the best run was probably the Great Wall because it was so hard with all the steps and the heat. I think the biggest adventure is the Big Five, it’s very unique to see the animals the way you do on that trip. The Polar Circle is all about the beauty of nature and how the freezing cold and wind attempt to kill your energy while you’re running. Jordan and Petra City is a place where you are surrounded by wonders of mankind, I loved the stone city, the heat and the challenging run. The Bagan Temple Marathon was not a marathon I did for the time as I was not very fit, so I did it purely for fun and enjoyed the beautiful temples and balloons. 

What keeps you coming back for more adventure marathons?

The reason I keep coming back is of course the challenge of the races, on a more personal level, the people on the trips are also a big part of my decision to do more races. I’ve met a lot of very nice and inspiring people from all over the world.

If you could choose any destination for an adventure marathon, what would it be?

My dream destination is Machu Picchu and Antarctica, I would love to try a marathon in a jungle as well.

Andreas after completing the Great Wall Marathon in 2014
Andreas after completing the Great Wall Marathon in 2014

What do you think is the key in completing an adventure marathon, under such unique and challenging conditions?

For me, the key is to enjoy myself and not think about the time. I only did that on the Great Wall Marathon, and it took one year of training beforehand, with a lot of stairs climbed in that year. So, with the right motivation you can go a long way in the races. 

What has been the toughest moment during one of our marathons?

The steps on the Great Wall the second time you hit the wall are insane and you can’t train for that. The hill in the Big Five Marathon is very crazy to run/walk up, I had no idea it would be so steep.

You have successfully completed the Polar Bear Challenge, what tip could you give to someone who is interested in doing it? 

Yes, I have. I didn’t know about the Polar Bear challenge before I arrived in Greenland, so I made the decision the day before the marathon. My best tip is to do it, I was lucky enough to see the ice cap in three very different ways; on the expedition trip the ice was covered in deep snow, on the marathon race day there was almost a storm and it was extremely cold, and on the half marathon race day it was sunny and the wind had blown all the snow away so the ice cap was clearly visible and stood crystal blue. 
 

Andreas taking on the Polar Bear Challenge in Greenland in 2015
Andreas taking on the Polar Bear Challenge in Greenland in 2015

Do you train differently for a regular and an adventure marathon? 

For the Great Wall Marathon I did, but not for the other races.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

These are some of the best trips I have been on, everything is well planned and the guides are so helpful and nice no matter where you go.