2025
Spring
Summer
Edition
Marcin Aslanowicz
Marcin has completed 55 marathons and 24 ultramarathons (including Antarctic Ice Ultra 80 km in November 2024 and Comrades in June 2025) and is a proud member of the 7 Continents Marathon Club since 2018. A Six Star Marathoner, he achieved his final star at the Boston Marathon in April 2024. Outside of running, Marcin is a practicing attorney and academic based in Warsaw, Poland.
Gurmeet Bhalla
Gurmeet has been running for the past 15 years, completing over 20 full marathons and 6 ultramarathons, including the iconic Comrades Marathon. Her personal best for a full marathon is an impressive 3:54. As a member of the Seven Continents Marathon Club, she is now looking forward to the North Pole Marathon to complete the prestigious Marathon Grand Slam. Beyond running, Gurmeet is also passionate about scuba diving and embracing new adventures.
Arun Bhalla
Arun has completed more than 10 full marathons and numerous half marathons across India and internationally, including the 2018 Antarctic Ice Marathon. His personal best for a full marathon is 4 hours and 38 minutes. In addition to running, he enjoys playing golf and is now looking forward to taking on the unique challenge of the North Pole Marathon.
Yingjie Chang
Yingjie started running marathons in 2014 and, by 2017, had already completed the World Marathon Majors. To date, she has finished over 30 marathons, including the 2018 Antarctic Ice Marathon. She is now excited to take on a new challenge at the North Pole Marathon in 2025.
Sihan Chen
Xiaohui Chen
Named one of China’s Top 10 Marathon Figures (2018), Xiaohui has completed more than 100 races - from half-marathons to 100K ultramarathons - including all World Marathon Majors. As President of Cheers Publishing, he has championed China’s running culture by introducing 20+ authoritative titles like The Running Bible and Daniels’ Running Formula, while publishing bestsellers such as The Value and Shoe Dog.
Min Chen
Min Chen, a seasoned Chinese mountaineer and outdoor adventurer. Originally from Qinghai Pleateau and now based in Chongqing, she has climbed 17 high-altitude peaks since 2010, including Mount Everest. In 2024, at age 55, she completed the Seven Summits, becoming the oldest Chinese woman to do so. Her adventures have taken her across Lop Nur, the Altun Mountains, and the uninhabited Hoh Xil region, as well as to the South Pole, where she completed a 114 km trek in 2023. Min is also a passionate advocate for outdoor exploration and has inspired thousands through motivational talks across China.
Siyu Chen
Laurie Copeland
Laurie is 65 years old from Florida. Running and Triathlons have filled her life with wonderful friends and adventures. She has completed 15 Ironman, including Kona twice. She has run over 70 marathons, including all 7 majors, Boston and several Ultras. One of the greatest adventures was to join Runbuk this year and complete the World Marathon Challenge, 777. Running 7 marathons in 7 days in 7 continents is a life highlight. The day after finishing the seventh race in Miami she had a cancerous soft tissue tumor removed from her leg. Unfortunately, she didn’t make her margins and needed a total of 4 surgeries. So she jumped at the opportunity to run the North Pole Marathon to force her to get back in shape after 3 months of rehab. She is looking forward to being a Grand Slam member.
Scot Davis
Dawn Doucette
Dawn lives in Tennessee with her wonderful and supportive husband of 15 years. She began running marathons in 2011 with the goal of completing a marathon in each of the 50 states. After achieving this milestone in 2021, she set her sights on the World Marathon Majors and running marathons on every continent, which she completed in 2024. Dawn is now looking forward to completing the Marathon Grand Slam on this trip. She loves to travel and enjoys being outdoors—preferably in cooler weather—and is excited for the upcoming North Pole Marathon.
David Dudek
David Dudek became a member of the 7 Marathons Club® in 2016 after completing the Men's 100K in Antarctica, and he has been pursuing the prestigious Marathon Grand Slam Club® ever since. Based in Hong Kong, David continues to travel the globe in search of exotic and challenging races. He’s excited to return to Svalbard—this time with the goal of finally completing the North Pole Marathon and achieving a milestone years in the making.
Valerie Dumont
Valérie proves that it’s never too late to start running, or to do something mildly crazy like signing-up for a marathon on a whim! She only laced-up her first pair of running shoes in her 40s when she realized that turning 42 and running 42 km almost felt like a cosmic sign, or at least a perfect excuse to register for the New York marathon without overthinking it. Since then long-distance running has become her go-to recipe for staying as grounded, energized and mentally sharp as possible amid the family and career demands. She’s definitely not breaking any world records with a personal best of 4h 16’ and she doesn’t consider herself a real athlete but her determination, enthusiasm and increasing interest in mental health are the true inner drivers. Now that she’s in a new decade of life Valérie is turning things up a notch by going all the way to the North Pole. To celebrate the passing years, why not choose to run surrounded by ice and snow with possibly polar bears in the distance! For her this isn’t about finish times but it’s all about doing something unforgettable, wildly uncomfortable and certainly human. If she can run on the floating Artic ice, clearly pushing hard her comfort zone, she believes that anything else could be possible…
James Elliot-Square
James is an accomplished sportsman with a strong background in high-level team sports. His fitness achievements include completing 24-hour rowing sessions, marathons, burpee miles, and earning podium finishes at HYROX competitions. He enjoys long-distance rowing and running as personal pursuits. Most recently, James successfully completed the 2025 World Marathon Challenge - running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.
Alex Filippenko
Alex Filippenko is a Distinguished Professor of Astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley. An elected member of both the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he is one of the world’s most highly cited astrophysicists. His scientific accomplishments, documented in nearly 1200 research papers, have been recognized with numerous prizes. He was the only person to have been a member of both teams that revealed the accelerating expansion of the Universe, a discovery that was honored with the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics to the teams’ leaders, as well as the 2007 Gruber Cosmology Prize and the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics to all team members. Winner of the most prestigious teaching awards at UC Berkeley and voted by students the “Best Professor” on campus a record 9 times, in 2006 he was named the Case/Carnegie National Professor of the Year among doctoral institutions, and in 2022 he received the American Astronomical Society’s Education Prize. He has produced 5 video courses with The Great Courses, coauthored an award-winning astronomy textbook, and appears in more than 120 television documentaries. He will be giving a series of lectures on astronomy and other science topics during the North Pole Forum. An avid tennis player, runner, hiker, skier, whitewater rafter, snorkeler, and scuba diver, he enjoys world travel and experiencing total solar eclipses (20, so far). He ran the Honolulu Marathon twice about two decades ago, and he is looking forward to running the North Pole Marathon.
Xiaoyan Fan
Xiaoyan is a multi-sport enthusiast who enjoys cooking and traveling. She loves extreme and unusual activities that push her beyond her limits. Endurance sports have become an integral part of her life in recent years. After completing the Kona Ironman World Championships in 2023, she has completed the 2025 World Marathon Challenge/777 journey. Triathlons and marathons are a fantastic healthy excuse to indulge her love of travel.
Michael Girard
Michael Girard is a retired emergency physician who lives in Colorado. He and his wife Susan enjoy travel, typically with a run or other event as an added bonus. Michael took up running later in life and is constantly trying to work his way up from the back of the pack. For this reason he prefers running events in the mountains or in challenging environments.
Susan Girard
Susan Girard is a nurse who lives outside of Denver, Colorado. She and her husband Michael have traveled a great deal. Susan has finished two Ironman events and multiple half Ironmans in the United States. While not a huge fan of cold weather, she understands that there is no such thing as bad weather, just inadequate clothing.
Benjamin Grinnell
Ben's main sport has always been squash but in later life has completed 5 marathons, 5 Ironman Triathlons, 3 Dragon Devil Rides and 24 hours rowing a concept II. This year he will be running Sydney (his 3rd of the 7 stars) and Preparing for the World Marathon challenge in 2026. Outside of sport he is a father of 4 with wife Yioula, a Digital and AI entrepreneur, and a vegan who lives in an ecohome they built in London.
Yan Han
A passionate marathoner and a Six-Star finisher, Yan completed the World Marathon Majors in 2019 with the Boston Marathon, joining then 340 Chinese runners to achieve this milestone. Beyond the finish line, she is the Founder and Chairwoman of Cheers Publishing, a leading Chinese publisher with six National Library Wenjin Book Awards to its name. With 30+ years in publishing, she has curated 2,000+ influential titles and authored Make Thinking a Habit, sharing insights on reading, reflection, and growth.
Huiwen Hao
Huiwen Hao was born in Beijing, China. In the last more than 20 years, she has been working as a psychiatrist in California. As a busy mother of 3 boys, she did not start her running journey until the kids were older and she turned 50. Running opened a whole new world for her. With the inspiration from her coaches, fellow runners in her club, as well as runners from all over the world, she has proudly earned the prestigious medals of 6 majors and 7 continents. She ran several events with the wonderful Runbuk, Inc. Her journey will continue soon at the top of the world, the North Pole.
Xiangyu He
Xiangyu, a lawyer from Shanghai, China, is a proud Abbott Six Star Finisher and successfully completed the Antarctic Ice Marathon in 2022. In 2025, she accomplished the extraordinary World Marathon Challenge - running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. Now, she aspires to take her achievements even further by completing the North Pole Marathon.
Nahila Hernandez
Nahila Hernández San Juan is a Cuban-Mexican ultramarathon runner, born in Azerbaijan to Cuban parents. She later emigrated to Mexico and now resides in Chile. With decades of experience, Nahila has taken on some of the world’s most extreme endurance challenges. She is a finisher of the World Marathon Challenge and is currently pursuing the Marathon Grand Slam. Her accomplishments include completing the Badwater 135, the Triple Crown USA, the Marathon des Sables, and ultramarathons in the Himalayas and Brazil 135. She has also finished the 4 Deserts 250K self-supported stage race and achieved the 5 Continents Grand Slam by completing 100-mile races on five continents in just six months. In addition to her racing achievements, Nahila has proudly served as a World Vision Ambassador for over 20 years.
Paul Holborn
Paul Holborn grew up immersed in sports like football, tennis, and boxing, developing a deep-rooted passion for fitness from an early age. That passion led him to a professional boxing career, which he pursued until the age of 27. After nearly a decade away from competitive sport, Paul found himself missing the purpose and intensity that athletics once provided. That drive led him back—with a bold new goal: the World Marathon Challenge. Over 18 transformative months, he completed two marathons and five trail races in preparation, rediscovering not just his physical endurance, but also the joy and clarity that come with pushing limits. Paul completed and won the 2025 World Marathon Challenge, running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days. Now, he’s excited to take on the North Pole Marathon and connect with fellow athletes.
Sophie Jackson
Sophie Jackson began running later in life and completed her first half marathon at the Antarctic Ice Ultra in 2024. In February 2025, she achieved another milestone by finishing her first full marathon in Miami. She now has her sights set on the North Pole Marathon.
Reisa Jiang
Reisa is an investment manager, winery owner, and a student in the Master of Wine program. She has completed three marathons and numerous half marathons, and also enjoys skiing, golfing, and mountaineering. Her climbing achievements include summiting Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, and Mont Blanc. With the world’s southernmost race - the Antarctic Ice Marathon - already under her belt, Reisa is now aiming for the world’s northernmost: the North Pole Marathon.
Xunhua Jin
Jin Xunhua, born in 1952, from Shanghai, China. He worked in real estate sector before retirement and holds an EMBA from Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management, also an avid photographer. He began running in late 2013 after retiring. By spring 2014, he embarked on his half-marathon journey. In 2017, he completed his first full marathon in Shanghai, and in 2018, he achieved a Boston Qualifying (BQ) time at the Wuxi Marathon. That same year, he set out to conquer the Six World Marathon Majors, finally earning his Six-Star Finisher Medal in 2023. In December 2024, he successfully finished the Antarctic Ice Marathon, and in 2025, he is set to embrace the North Pole Marathon—wishing himself good luck!
Håkan Jonsson
Håkan is a retired radiologist from Sweden and a proud member of the 7 Continents Marathon Club. At nearly 75 years old, he continues to take on extraordinary challenges, having completed races such as the Ironman, Great Wall Marathon, Kilimanjaro Marathon, Sydney Marathon, Buenos Aires Marathon, Petra Desert Marathon, Antarctic Marathon, Mount Everest Base Camp Marathon, and the Ladakh Marathon. He also works closely with “Children Of The World” (Världens Barn), a Swedish charity dedicated to improving the lives of children around the globe.
Ram Gopal Kothari
Ram Gopal Kothari is a passionate traveler from India with a lifelong mission to explore the extraordinary. Having visited 69 countries across all 7 continents, his adventures have always pushed boundaries. While he’s completed 25 half marathons to stay fit for his travels, he never planned to run a full marathon—until now. This summer, Ram will take on his very first full marathon at the geographic North Pole, running on the frozen Arctic Ocean at 90° North. Representing India in this iconic event, he may become the first Indian to complete a marathon at the top of the world. For Ram, this challenge is not about speed, but about resilience, exploration, and stepping beyond fear. To him, the North Pole Marathon is more than a race—it’s the ultimate journey beyond the edge of the map.
Marcel Kotrady
Marcel is a former basketball player who, 13 years ago, discovered his passion for running and triathlons. He has completed 21 marathons, each in a different part of the world (including the Six-Star Finisher), such as on the frozen Lake Baikal, from Everest Base Camp, in Antarctica, and under Kilimanjaro. In 2023, he also completed the Ice Marathon in Antarctica. His full list of achievements can be found here: https://www.behej.com/bezecke-tabulky/zavodnici/58532. Marcel has embraced the world of triathlons, completing 8 full Ironman races, including one in the XTRI World Tour. His thirst for adventure extends to open-water long-distance swimming, having fearlessly swum races in the Bosphorus, Lake Baikal, and the cold Barents Sea. Marcel's sporting goal is to join the prestigious 7 Marathons Club, fully discover the world, and enjoy life.
Nicole Las
Nicole Las first discovered the North Pole Marathon through a news story and was instantly intrigued. Although she didn’t start running regularly until after college, she has since completed 11 marathons along with numerous half marathons, 10Ks, and 5Ks. She’s been preparing for this adventure since 2019 and is excited to finally experience the summer edition of the race and cross it off the top of her bucket list.
Jianan Li
Dr. Jianan Li is a leading expert in rehabilitation medicine. A specialist in cardiovascular and spinal cord rehabilitation, he is a foreign member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and a professor at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Remarkably, he began running marathons at the age of 64, and by 73, had completed 106 full marathons—including the extraordinary feat of running seven marathons in seven days. This summer, he will take on the North Pole Marathon, and in 2026, he plans to pursue the World Marathon Challenge: seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.
Nina Lin
Nina Lin is a former Fortune 500 executive turned communications and fintech investor. She holds a BA in International Trade and an MSc in Marketing Management from the United Kingdom. An Abbott Six Star Finisher, Nina has completed marathons on all seven continents. As a passionate adventurer, she has also hiked some of the world’s most iconic routes—from the Camino de Santiago to Japan’s Kumano Kodo (earning Dual Pilgrim status), and from Machu Picchu to Mount Kilimanjaro. Her journey spans boardrooms and mountain trails, guided by her personal 3R Compass: Read to illuminate, Run to transcend, Route to discover.
Mengfei Liu
Mengfei Liu is a remarkable 13-year-old student at International School of Beijing(ISB), whose passion for running and heart for helping others have taken her on incredible journeys. What started as a pandemic-era discovery inspired by her mom has blossomed into a commitment to challenge herself and support causes like preterm infants care. She’s hiked the grueling Gobi Desert 3 times for charity (2022-2024), completed demanding hikes like the Tour du Mont Blanc at 12, and became the youngest finisher of the 777 World Marathon Challenge (2025). She also shares her Gobi experience as a youth coach and helps promote charity work as a youth charity ambassador. Beyond the trails and tracks, Mengfei loves expressing herself through the saxophone, writing, and art, enjoys getting lost in books, and thrives on adventures like skiing and travel. She’s aiming for the North Pole Marathon next, hoping her story encourages others – especially young people and preterm babies – showing that with spirit and perseverance, anyone can make a positive impact and embrace life’s adventures.
Ying Liu
Ying Liu (Jackie) - Global business Leader, Lifelong Learner and Marathon runner an EMBA from CEIBS (China Europe International Business School) Since beginning her journey in May 2020, Ying has run over 10,000 kms, completed five of the six World Marathon Majors. She recently have completed 2025 777 World Marathon Challenge successfully with her daughter Mengfei and established Fastest Mother & Daughter Duo in Half Marathon world record, aggregated time 40:44:07 hrs. As a parent and a global leader, Liu Ying is passionate about inspiring the next generation to embrace diversity, pursue excellence, and make a positive impact in an interconnected world
Lars Madsen
Lars has participated in several major marathons, including the London Marathon in October 2022, the Boston Marathon in April 2023, the Tokyo Marathon in March 2024, and the Cape Town Marathon in October 2024. He also completed the Antarctic Ice Marathon in 2024, which marked his fifth continent completed.
Paul Maree
Paul is a proud South African with an impressive record of endurance achievements. He has conquered the Cape, Swiss, and 4Islands Epic mountain bike challenges, is a multiple Comrades Marathon finisher, and has completed Ironman South Africa, the 100km Sky Run, the Andalus Ultimate Trail in Spain, and two 100-mile trail running events. In 2023, Paul added another milestone to his journey by completing the world’s southernmost race - the Antarctic Ice Marathon. He continues to embrace new challenges, from running in the desert at the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon to now heading to the top of the world to take on the North Pole Marathon.
Karin Maree
Fernando Mendez
Fernando ran his first marathon at the New York City Marathon in 2010 and has since completed over 60 marathons, including all six World Marathon Majors. He has also run marathons on seven continents more than once - including the Antarctic Ice Marathon at Union Glacier in mainland Antarctica and another on King George Island in the Antarctic region. His personal best is 3:18, achieved at the Valencia Marathon in 2019. Now in his mid-60s, Fernando is heading to the top of the world this summer to take on the North Pole Marathon - continuing his passion for adventure and endurance running.
Yusheng Ni
Yusheng has completed over 450 marathon and ultramarathon races, including more than twenty 100k races and four 100-mile races, spanning all seven continents and over 80 countries and regions. He has achieved over 130 sub-3-hour marathons, with a personal best of 2:42. Yusheng has also completed the World Marathon Majors more than five times, participating in 31 races with an impressive average best time of 2:45 across the six majors, and securing 30 championship titles. In the summer of 2024, Yusheng completed the North Pole Marathon, famously known as the “World’s Coolest Marathon.” Just three months later, in November, he triumphed in the 100km race at the 2024 Antarctic Ice Ultra, finishing in 10 hours and 42 minutes. In December, at the 2024 Antarctic Ice Marathon & 100k, he set a new event, course, and continental record for the 100km with an extraordinary time of 9 hours, 20 minutes, and 28 seconds. Beyond his exceptional achievements as a runner, he is the Chairman of Shenzhen Yuanteng Investment and Development Company, a leader in real estate construction and financial investment.
Tianyi Ni
Tianyi, a 16-year-old student from Beijing, began his running journey while living in Canada from age 7 to 10. During that time, he completed 49 races - including 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, and two full marathons. His first marathon was completed in 3:47 at age 9, and his second in 4:02 at age 10. After returning to China, Tianyi took a break from racing but made a strong comeback in 2024, completing 10 half marathons. Most impressively, he completed the World Marathon Challenge this year, running half marathons on all seven continents in just 6 days!
Dennis Ougrin
Dennis is Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Global Mental Health at Queen Mary University of London. He uses sports, nature, and arts-based activities both clinically and personally.
Shawn O’Grady
Shawn O’Grady, 61, from Minnesota, USA, has been running since 1997 and has completed 20 marathons, including major races like New York, Boston, and Chicago, as well as smaller ones like Notre Dame and Lake Wobegon. This will be his first marathon outside the U.S. mainland. Shawn spent 35 years at General Mills, where he led Sales, Marketing, and Food Service, and now serves on several boards, including as acting Chair of Feeding America, the nation’s largest anti-hunger organization. He’s excited to make the North Pole Marathon his final race.
Tina Pang
Tina has completed nine marathons in Australia, mostly while wearing Vibram FiveFingers, embracing the minimalist running style. When she's not running, she enjoys swimming to stay active. Living in Western Australia, she faces geographic isolation but still manages to ski once a year, fueling her passion for cold and snowy environments. In November 2024, she completed the Ice Ultra at Ultima Base in Antarctica, gaining firsthand experience running on snow and in extreme conditions. Now, she’s preparing to take on the North Pole Marathon, eager to embrace another icy adventure and proudly declare, "Veni, vidi, vici."
Karime Pinera
Karime is a lifelong endurance athlete who ran for over 20 years, completing races on all seven continents—twice—as well as the North Pole and all six World Marathon Majors. After decades of running, her knees could no longer take the miles, and doctors advised her to stop. In December 2024, she walked the Antarctic Ice Marathon as a powerful farewell to competitive running, determined to cross one final finish line. But while her running chapter closed, her spirit for adventure did not. Karime now seeks out extraordinary places to walk—and what could be more spectacular than trekking across the frozen sea at the North Pole? She looks forward to this next extreme challenge and to meeting fellow adventurers along the way.
Becca Pizzi
Becca Pizzi is the first female polar marathon director and a two-time winner of the World Marathon Challenge. A lifelong runner, she has completed marathons in all 50 states and all 6 World Marathon Majors. Becca recently won the Volcano Marathon on Easter Island and has competed twice in the Ironman World Championship—once in Nice, France, and once in Kona, Hawaii. In December 2024, she completed the Antarctic Ice Marathon, and now she’s preparing to take on the North Pole Marathon, continuing her pursuit of the world’s most extreme and iconic races.
Oleg Polyntsev
Oleg Polyntsev, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK, was born in 1978. He is a mechanical engineer with a PhD in aerospace engineering and an MBA. Oleg has worked in international companies across aerospace, oil and gas, and civil engineering, and now manages a company that supplies materials for power generation projects. A passionate traveler, he has visited all seven continents. Oleg is also an avid long-distance runner, having completed eight marathons—including four of the World Marathon Majors—as well as numerous half marathons, 10Ks, and 5Ks.
Kavitha Ponduri
Kavitha Ponduri is a passionate runner and hiker from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Alongside her husband Vasu, she has taken on adventures like Kilimanjaro, Acatenango, and Everest Base Camp. Together, they’ve completed the Abbott Six Star Marathon and run across five continents, including Antarctica. Inspired by the Antarctica Ice Marathon, Kavitha is drawn to unique races—making the North Pole Marathon, run on a drifting ice floe in extreme conditions, a perfect fit. For her, the true reward of running is sharing these stories with her patients to inspire them to stay active.
Srinivas Ponduri
Srinivas Ponduri is a dedicated runner from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He began as a casual half marathoner and has since completed the Abbott Six Star Marathon series, running on five continents. He’s set to run the Sydney Marathon in August and is planning for Cape Town in 2026. Alongside his wife, he also enjoys hiking and has taken on challenges like Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp. Connecting with runners from around the world and hearing their stories continues to fuel his passion for the sport.
Mark Ravaglia
Mark is a happy runner who enjoys running distances from 5K to 100+ miles. Having dashed, run, and stumbled through a fair number of races, including the Boston Marathon, Ironman Kona (once with a broken hand), and the H.U.R.T. 100, Mark is now excited to get his feet wet in the North—and hopes to keep almost all of his toes. A math teacher and cross country coach in Hawaii, Mark is looking forward to a long run in the distant North.
Tiffany Ravaglia
Tiffany unfortunately discovered her love for running at an early age, completing her first 50K at ten, before her first marathon. Since then, she has continued to enjoy running, most recently competing in a 50 mile race. She also enjoys swimming and running cross country. Additionally, she has accidentally become a triathlete and is excited to compete in the Age Group World Championship this fall. She hopes that this North Pole visit will not end with her being enlisted by Santa Claus as an elf.
Rolf Rødven
Peter Sage
Peter is a mindset coach and expert in human behaviour who also likes to test his mind against physical limits. He first ran the Marathon de Sables in 2003 and has run 2 London Marathons (including one wearing a Rino suit) and the Vancouver marathon (on 2 weeks training). While he has not run a full marathon in over 15 years, in January he did complete the World’s Toughest Row, across the Atlantic which took 49 days.
Maria Sahota
Maria was born in Pakistan, raised under Norway’s vast skies, and now calls Singapore home. Driven by an unyielding passion for testing her limits, she made history as the first Norwegian woman to complete the Antarctica Marathon, a feat that marked her resilience and determination. She thrives on both mental and physical challenges, seeing each as a chance to push her boundaries and strengthen her mindset—something she believes is the cornerstone of all achievement. True to her adventurous spirit, she conquered the Aurora Marathon in Norway, a race she fondly calls ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ where the dazzling northern lights meet the brutal cold of her homeland. Now, she is setting her sights on her next great challenge: the North Pole Marathon, where the icy wilderness will push her endurance to new extremes.
Robert Schimek
Rob enjoys the physical and mental challenge of extreme events. He is a three-time competitor in the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii (‘15, ‘17, and '22); three-time competitor in the World’s Toughest Mudder, a 24-hour endurance event in Nevada (‘14, ‘16, and ‘17), and he has completed the World’s Major Marathons—London, Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin and Tokyo—along with Philadelphia, Singapore and Hong Kong. In addition to these races, Rob has taken on marathons in extreme conditions, including Antarctica 2023 and the Aurora Marathon 2025. Now, he’s looking forward to his next adventure—the North Pole, where the challenge will be unlike any he has faced before. He currently lives in Singapore, where temperatures range between hot and hotter, but he has prepared for cold weather over the years by tailgating at Philadelphia Eagles games and drinking ice-cold beer with his friends.
Jingbiao Shan
Jingbiao Shan is a global wine trade entrepreneur based in Tokyo. He completed the Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2018 and has run on all seven continents, including the North Pole and the Mount Everest Base Camp Marathon. As one of the earliest members of the Seven Continents Marathon Club, this marks his second time participating in the North Pole Marathon. Passionate about fitness and drawn to challenging races, he’s especially excited to share this experience with his 5-year-old son.
Chunyu Shao
Chunyu is the director of an investment and real estate development company in Shenzhen, China, specializing in real estate construction and financial investment. New to running, she has completed 12 half marathons and an 8-day, 8-state, 8-5K challenge in the United States. In November 2024, she completed the half marathon distance at the Ice Ultra at Ultima Base in Antarctica, followed by finishing the Antarctic Ice Marathon in December. Now, she’s excited to return to the top of the world and take on the North Pole Marathon in July 2025.
Molly Sheridan
Molly Sheridan is an ultramarathon runner, speaker, coach, and author of Running Past Midnight. Molly has run over 85 ultramarathons including Marathon des Sables, and the Badwater 135. She was the 1st American women to complete 222 kilometers at 5400 meters in the race La Ultra The High in the Himalayas. Molly completed the World Marathon Challenge, 7 marathons, 7 continents in 7 days February 2025. She is a Global Ambassador for the non-profit Swataleem Foundation, supporting underprivileged girls in India. And she is the owner of Desert Sky Adventures a race management company dedicated to helping people run, walk, and move for health and adventure.
Cristian Sieveking Vera
Cristian Sieveking Vera is a Chilean ultrarunner with over 50 years of experience and more than 160,000 kilometers logged—equivalent to circling the globe over four times. He is a finisher of the World Marathon Challenge and is now pursuing the Marathon Grand Slam. Cristian has completed Brazil135 (217 km) to qualify for Badwater and became the first and only Chilean to finish Badwater135. He was also the first Chilean running for Chile to complete the Marathon des Sables. Cristian has run the Atacama Crossing 250K three times, winning his age group once, and was the first Chilean to complete a race over 160 km—200 km in Israel’s Sovev Emek. He also ran 162 km at the Berlin Wall Ultramarathon. In a remarkable expedition, he crossed the Atacama Desert—1,233 km in 23 days—for a medical research project. In 2023, he celebrated his 70th birthday by running 70 kilometers on a racetrack in 10 hours and 25 minutes.
Rimantas Simaitis
Professor Dr. Rimantas Simaitis, MCIArb, is a partner, the head of the Dispute Resolution Department at Pan-Baltic Law Firm COBALT and teaches at Vilnius University’s Faculty of Law. He also chairs the Arbitration Commission of the Lithuanian Bar, contributing actively to the legal and academic communities. Outside of law, he’s an avid endurance athlete, having completed multiple Ironman races, marathons and ultramarathons, including in Antarctica.
Renee Sobrino
As an avid runner from a young age, Renée is excited to complete her first marathon at the top of the world. She figures she’ll start with some of the most difficult running conditions in the world and then her next marathon will seem like a walk in the park. Renée is a second-year university student from Canada, who is doing a joint Arts-Science degree in recognition that the world’s biggest challenges are complex and we need to draw on many different knowledges to find solutions. This will be her first trip to the Arctic, but certainly not her last.
Jennifer Spence
Scott Stewart
S. Scott Stewart is a dedicated endurance athlete and member of the prestigious Seven Continents Club, having completed marathons on all seven continents. He is also a five-time Ironman triathlete, known for pushing physical and mental limits. Outside of racing, he shares his passion for performance and discipline as an adjunct professor and business leader.
Emil Sumarlidason
Huaming Sun
Huaming has completed over 150 marathons and earned the prestigious World Marathon Majors medal in 2017. In 2018, he and his wife took on the world’s southernmost race - the Antarctic Ice Marathon. Now, they’re heading to the top of the world together for their next great adventure: the North Pole Marathon.
Scott Swanberg
An avid runner for the past 14 years, Scott has completed 129 full marathons, including 50 states, five continents, and the Marathon Majors. He also completed Ironman Texas in 2019. When not running, Scott enjoys international travel (over 150 UN countries), decorating his new townhome, and playing fetch with his toy poodle, Lucky.
An Tang
An will be celebrating his 18th birthday by attempting the North Pole Marathon.
Yi Tang
At just 15 years old, Yi will be traveling with her mother and brother to the top of the world, where she will take on the challenge of running a half marathon at the North Pole Marathon.
Saskia van der Drift
Saskia van der Drift began running in 2018 after accepting a bet to complete a marathon within one year, despite having no prior experience. She achieved this goal without injury, sparking a passion for running. Since then, she has completed the Everest Basecamp Marathon at 5,300 meters, the Patagonia Marathon, and several standard marathons. A lover of cold climates and mountaineering, Saskia's enthusiasm is unique for someone living below sea level in the Netherlands.
Nolan Wang
Nolan is heading to the North Pole for the third time this July, now aiming to complete the full North Pole Marathon. After finishing the 10 Miler in 2023 and the Half Marathon in 2024, he’s ready to return to the top of the world and circle the planet once more - this time going the full distance, all before starting his junior year of high school.
Hua Xi
Hua is a female marathon and cross-country runner who has been actively participating in these events for the past ten years. With a personal best of 3 hours and 25 minutes in the marathon, she has demonstrated her exceptional endurance and competitiveness. As a representative of Universal Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd. in Shanghai, China, Xi feels privileges to run the North Pole Marathon. This extreme challenge aligns with her personal goals of exploring the unknown and pushing the boundaries of her physical capabilities. Through this race, she aims to not only test her limits but also contribute to scientific research and raise awareness about the importance of environmental conservation. Xi's participation in the North Pole Marathon represents a combination of her personal passions and the values of Universal Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd. She hopes to inspire others to pursue their own dreams of exploration and adventure, while also promoting the company's commitment to innovation and progress.
Xiucheng Xu
Xiucheng is the Chairman of Shanghai Huanyu Qiankun Aerospace Technology, Shanghai’s first commercial rocket company and China’s first focused on industrial-scale aerospace production. The company provides integrated manufacturing, testing, and system solutions for both state-owned and commercial aerospace enterprises, supporting the development of industrialized rocket systems and facilities. A passionate runner and fascinated by the North Pole, Xiucheng sees the North Pole Marathon as the ultimate way to reach the top of the world.
Saga Yutaka
Yutaka is a specialized Labor and Social Security Attorney based in Tokyo, Japan. Born in 1972, he is the second son of a sporting goods store owner and a lifelong athlete. A father of two sons and a daughter, Yutaka embraces both professional and personal challenges. He rises at 5 a.m. each day to train before work, dedicating himself to judo and mixed martial arts. In his school days, he was an avid yachtsman - winning a yacht competition in Saitama Prefecture in 1993 and going on to compete nationally. His endurance achievements include completing the Ultra 100km Marathon in Hokkaido in 2011 and the grueling 250km Sahara Desert Marathon in 2015. Most recently, in 2023, Yutaka conquered the world’s southernmost race: the Antarctic Ice Marathon. Now, he’s setting his sights on the top of the world - the North Pole Marathon.
Min Zhang
Wenbiao Zhang
Wenbiao Zhang has completed a few 5K races while traveling with his wife, Huiwen Hao, to support her half and full marathon goals. Inspired by her passion, he traveled to Antarctica in 2021 to check off a personal bucket-list item: running his first 10K on ice at the Antarctic Ice Marathon. It was a big milestone in his running journey, combining adventure and shared purpose. He’s now excited to join his wife for the upcoming North Pole Marathon as they continue this meaningful journey together.
Jing Zhu
Jing Zhu is a passionate runner who has completed the Abbott World Marathon Majors, the Antarctic Ice Marathon, and numerous other global races. This July, she will take on the North Pole Marathon, continuing her pursuit of the world’s most extreme running challenges. Beyond her athletic pursuits, Jing is the Founder, Chairperson, and CEO of the China Hospitality Technology Alliance (CHTA). With over 30 years of experience in IT and telecommunications across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, she is a visionary leader in global hospitality innovation. Under her guidance, CHTA connects Eastern and Western ecosystems through cutting-edge technologies, fostering collaboration and setting industry standards. She was inducted into the HITEC/HFTP International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame in 2018 and named one of China’s Most Innovative Industry Leaders. Jing holds degrees in Telecommunications Engineering and a DBA certificate in Fashion Design.
Junsong Zhu
Yufei Zhu
Yufei Zhu is an amateur runner living in Tokyo. She completed all six World Marathon Majors before turning 30 in 2019 and joined the Seven Continents Marathon Club in 2024 after completing the Antarctic Ice Marathon. In June 2019, she trekked 14 days to Everest Base Camp and completed the marathon there, followed by the Machu Picchu Marathon later that month. The North Pole Marathon is her first race since the pandemic, and she’s proud to participate alongside her 5-year-old son.
men's Marathon
women's Marathon
team competition
men's half Marathon
Men's 10 Miler
men's 5K
women's 5K
Wheelchair Marathon
Handcycle Event
ski Marathon
dog Marathon
men's 50k