Kilometers of madness or five of the coolest "marathons" from Christian Schister

Schister's starting point for today's lifestyle was a visit to the doctor in 1989. He was 22 years old, spent most of his time on the couch, smoked 40 and sometimes 60 cigarettes a day, drank heavily and weighed over 100 kg. The doctor's diagnosis sounded like a sentence: if Christian does not change his lifestyle, then he is unlikely to be able to meet his 50th birthday. Since that moment, the life of the young man has changed dramatically: he quit smoking, gave up alcohol and started running.

At first, Christian was very difficult: his old way of life constantly reminded of himself. Shister lost his first race of 7 kilometers with a bang: he came to the finish line last, leaving the 72-year-old runner ahead. However, after two years of hard training, the athlete took part in the New York Marathon and won his first half marathon in Australia.

Notable achievements of Christian today:

2003 - Marathon in the sands, 243 km, 12th place
2004 - Himalayan stage race, 162 km, 1st place
2006 - Jungle Marathon, 202 km, 3rd place
2007 - Antarctic Race, 100 km, 1st place
2009 - Atacama Crossing, 250 km, 6th place

And now his personal TOP!

North Pole Marathon

This race has been running for 12 years. This is the coldest marathon on the planet. The length of the distance is 42, 195 km, you can also run a half marathon. The competition is attended by men and women aged 18 and over.

As for preparing for a marathon at the North Pole, no special conditions are needed: you can train in the same way as for a regular asphalt race. But it is better to start 15-20 weeks before the start. In cold conditions, physical endurance is important and, of course, the right clothes for running in winter.

The history of the race began on April 5, 2002, when the Irishman Richard Donovan alone covered 42 kilometers of the North Pole. Since then, the race has been popular, but not many can afford to participate. The participation price is too high: 11,900 euros in 2014 for a flight from Norway to the North Pole, accommodation at the North Pole, an entry fee, helicopter flights around the vicinity of the Pole, T-shirts, medals, certificates, souvenirs, professional photo and video shooting, medical accompaniment. Not many can afford such a sum, so the number of participants in the marathon at the North Pole does not exceed 50 people. In just 12 years, about 300 people from 40 countries of the world took part in the race.

Marathon des Sables / Marathon in the Sands

For me, this is the greatest race in the world. And not only because in 2003 I came 12th to the finish line, but also because this is one of the physically and mentally hardest routes on the planet. But, despite the difficulties and dangers, the number of participants exceeds a thousand.

The Marathon in the Sands takes place in the south of Morocco under the patronage of the country's king. In six days, the athletes will have to overcome 250 kilometers of desert. Every day you need to walk a certain distance and meet a certain time. The hardest day is the fourth. It is 82.2 kilometers non-stop, when you need to go at night as well.

Throughout the route, the organizers supply the runners only with water, the rest - food, a sleeping bag, a rocket launcher, salt tablets, a whistle, a signal mirror - all the time you have to carry on yourself. The permissible weight of a backpack with equipment is from 6 to 12 kilograms. Believe me, after 10 kilometers under the scorching sun, the feeling is that you have a boulder on your back. It is no coincidence that the organizers recommend adding jogging with a 3-10 kg backpack to the training cycle.

Running on the sand is a separate pleasure. It is better to approach the choice of shoes in this matter with special care. I chose ASICS GEL-FujiTrabuco. These are special off-road running shoes. The shoe takes into account all the features of running in harsh off-road conditions and the peculiarities of loads on the foot when running on uneven surfaces. After all, a desert is not only kilometers of sand, but also rocky wastelands, dry river beds. The outsole of the shoe must be strong enough to prevent injury from impacts from rocks, twigs and other sharp objects. The GEL-FujiTrabuco has a molded plate that protects the foot from impacts against hard objects, this additional protection does not affect the lightness of the sneaker. Often, the results in the race directly depend on the weight of the equipment: the lighter the shoes, the easier it is to run, the less fatigue is felt and there is more strength left for a victorious spurt.

I will look forward to the Marathon stratum in the sands.

www.marathondessables.com/en/

Everest Marathon / Marathon Everest

The highest mountainous distance, which requires the participant to concentrate all forces! The start of the marathon is located in the village of Gorak Shep at an altitude of 5184 meters above sea level, and the finish line is in Namche Bazar, 3446 meters. Despite the fact that the race lasts only one day, for the participants the competition begins two and a half weeks before the start. This is necessary for acclimatization. Arriving in the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu, runners rise to new heights every day.

Experienced marathon runners cover 42 kilometers of asphalt in a little over two hours. However, in conditions of high mountains and specific terrain, men rarely run out of four hours, and women - out of five.

The world's highest marathon has a fixed date of May 29.

Badwater 135 Race

The organizers claim that this is the hardest super marathon in the world. Since 1987, the race has been held in the California Valley of Death. The competition got its name from the lowest point in North America - the Badwater Depression - 86 meters below sea level. From there, a start signal is given annually in July.

Not everyone is allowed to cover 217 kilometers of the route. The organizers admit athletes who have experience of participating in two races of 80 kilometers, or one of 160 kilometers to a non-stop race in 60-degree heat. At the same time, each participant must have an escort group by car.

There are not many who want to test themselves in this super marathon. Every year 70-80 people go to the start, and less than half reach the finish line, located on Mount Whitney, which is 2548 meters above sea level.

If anyone has a desire to go to the very heat of the Earth this year, then Badwater 135 Race this year will be held from 21 to 23 July.

Jungle Marathon

In my opinion, this is the most extreme and hardest race in the world. I say this because in 2006 I walked 245 kilometers of the Brazilian jungle. 40-degree heat and 100% humidity make you work at the limit of your capabilities. In a week, you need to overcome rivers and swamps, wade through the forest thickets of the Amazon. The jungle fauna - scorpions, tarantulas, snakes - adds to the extreme race. And no one is safe from collisions with wildlife.

It took me 40 hours to cover the distance. When I got to the finish line, my feet were bloody. I became the third in this race, and this is one of the victories dear to me. Not many will dare to rush through the jungle: every year there are no more than a hundred such daredevils, and only half reach the finish line.