Angelo Northpole Marathon http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog Angelo Henry's attempt in completing the Northpole Marathon for charity Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:58:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 en Worst Airline by far……. SAA WINS AGAIN http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/12/worst-airline-by-far-saa-wins-again/ http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/12/worst-airline-by-far-saa-wins-again/#comments Sun, 12 Apr 2009 15:45:49 +0000 Angelo http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/12/worst-airline-by-far-saa-wins-again/ In all my travels to all over the world I have yet to experience the utter lack of service,poor attitude and the extreme unwillingness to go the extra mile,from any airline which can outshine SAA.Yet again SAA have not let me down and continue to be the worst ,by some distance than any other airline I’ve used.From their telephone enquiry system,on line booking facility,check in staff and cabin attendants. Now that I have gotten that out of my system ,I list hereunder some useless/useful trivia on the GRAND SLAM 1st International marathon          London 2005Favourite marathon                      New YorkToughest marathon                       North Pole marathon(and coldest -37 degrees)Most scenic marathon                  Rio de Janeiro(running along copacabana,Ipanema etc.) Toughest to travel to                     Antarctica Toughest terrain                             (except for the ice at The North Pole)The wall on the                                                                Great Wall of China marathon Shortest rest between marathons Between Great Wall and Melbourne marathons 1 week Most scenic ultramarathon          The 2 Oceans marathon Cape Town  Greatest supporter                         Sheridan Jayne  Cheers for now.Preparing for my last flight to Cape Town from Heathrow(my tenth flight in 2 weeks) Angelo   

]]> http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/12/worst-airline-by-far-saa-wins-again/feed/ Race Report Live From The North Pole http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/09/race-report-live-from-the-north-pole/ http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/09/race-report-live-from-the-north-pole/#comments Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:39:09 +0000 Angelo http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/09/race-report-live-from-the-north-pole/ Howzit Cape Town!!! Hello everybody from a freezing cold Arctic Circle.Today I feel literally on top of the world(where I am of course) as I have become the 1st South African and African to complete The Grand Slam as well as the 1st South African and African to run a marathon at or in close proximity to both the North and South poles. The race itself was held at Camp Barneo,a Russian base camp situated on the floating ice flows of the frozen Arctic Ocean.The camp was at 1 and a half metres above the ocean and will dissapear in 4 weeks time when the ice becomes to unstable. The race was conducted in near - 40 degrees (est temp was -38 deg celsius according to the Russian camp commander,Viktor Peronofsky).I saw him outside once going for a pee in minus 33 degrees with no shirt on whistling to himself.Crazy!! The course consisted of soft snow in most places and at times your legs would just give way and you would sink into the snow.Some ran in snowshoes,others trail gore-tex shoes with yaktrak grips(such as I did). Whatever the case nothing made navigating the extremely challenging  course any easier.Some competitors finished in way over 12 hours,which is ok in terms of the daylight as it is daylight for 24 hours.2 competitors withdrew due to the severe weather conditions. A press release will be released by Reuters through the organisers shortly and their are some awesome photo’s on flickr mikeking northpole marathon 2009. A further report will follow.Just a bit tired at the moment and wanted to get the results posted.Sorry, by the way I finished  5th in my worst ever marathon time of 5 hours 35 minutes. Cheers for now from a cold,beautiful, white Spitsbergen in Svalbaard(Norway) in the heart of the Arctic Circle.It’s busy snowing at the moment.Angelo 

]]> http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/09/race-report-live-from-the-north-pole/feed/ -30 degrees and rearing to go http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/30-degrees-and-rearing-to-go/ http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/30-degrees-and-rearing-to-go/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:48:45 +0000 Angelo http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/30-degrees-and-rearing-to-go/ Well I’m here in Spitsbergen in Svalbaard in Norway within the Arctic Circle 2 and a half hours flying time away from The Top of The World,The North Pole.Wow!!!It’s all systems go and I just want to get there now and run to the best of my ability against some of the world’s most interesting and talented people(see their profiles on the northpole marathon website).  The next blog you will read will hopefully be about me making history.Hold thumbs. Watch this space.Bye for now from a cold and chilly Spitsbergen where the sun never sets in Summer. Angelo 

]]> http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/30-degrees-and-rearing-to-go/feed/ Go for it! http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/go-for-it/ http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/go-for-it/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:34:38 +0000 Angelo http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/go-for-it/ Hi Angelo,

Best of luck and strength tomorrow, we’re all rooting for you back here, enjoy the challenge and GO FOR GOLD! :-)

Vicki

]]> http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/go-for-it/feed/ The pole beckons http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/the-pole-beckons/ http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/the-pole-beckons/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:26:10 +0000 Angelo http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/the-pole-beckons/ I am sitting at Oslo Int’l airport waiting for my flight to Longyearbyen,in the Arctic Circle and nervous and excited about the marathon tomorow.I fly to the pole tomorrow and run soon after we land.I’ve spent a lovely week(with little if any training)visiting with my children in the UK(son Kenny and daughter Carla) and now it is time for the serious stuff. Well done to all those who competed in Ironman South Africa yesterday,it is one of my all time favourite events,although I did not think so on the day. I’ll keep you posted cheers for now Angelo 

]]> http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/06/the-pole-beckons/feed/ Cold off the press http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/01/cold-off-the-press/ http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/01/cold-off-the-press/#comments Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:25:15 +0000 Angelo http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/01/cold-off-the-press/ Well I’m in the UK and it’s a Chilly start to Spring here with average morning temp’s of 3 degrees.Still not nearly as cold as The North Pole.

I must say I am not looking forward to the cold and am freezing in anticipation.

 I haven’t done any training whilst over here as my sinus has been playing up,which is invariably the case when I travel as I struggle with the dry air and central heating. That was also the case in Antarctica in December and I had a respiratory infection until just before the marathon.

 I’m hoping the weather at the Pole will not be to bad and the course runnable with my trailshoes and yaktraks(steel mesh which attaches to the shoe for better traction) as I don’t want to wear snowshoes.Looking forward with a bit of trepidation to the marathon. 

Thanks once again for all the support and the donations to Reach for a Dream. 

Cheers for now 
Angelo 

]]> http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/04/01/cold-off-the-press/feed/ Mallow RIP http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/03/25/mallow-rip/ http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/03/25/mallow-rip/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:52:47 +0000 Angelo http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/03/25/mallow-rip/ MallowThis is my first post and is dedicated to my border collie of 14 years who I had to put to sleep today as he was in a poor state of health.He was my best friend.RIP Mallow.It’s 2 days until I fly to the UK enroute to Norway and finally the North Pole.It’s going to be quite a swing in temperature,seeing as we have been enjoying beautiful weather here in Cape Town.Temp’s in the late twenties and early thirties are the norm.I’ll soon be swapping that for sub zero.Thank you all for the many emails and sms’s of support it is much appreciated and of course for your donations to Reach for a Dream,keep them coming in. Watch this space for updates. Cheers for nowAngelo

]]> http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/03/25/mallow-rip/feed/ Good luck Angelo! http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/03/23/good-luck-angelo/ http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/03/23/good-luck-angelo/#comments Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:19:09 +0000 admin http://angelo-northpole-marathon.com/blog/2009/03/23/good-luck-angelo/ Angelo runs the North Pole Marathon on 7 April 2009 –a marathon over the ice! Good luck Angelo!

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