Congratulations. You’re going to Antarctica. (Part I)
Recently, I received an email with the subject line: “Vibram is sending you to Antarctica!” Thinking it was spam, the email came dangerously close to deletion. The email read:
Congratulations!
You’ve won our Vibram Antarctica Marathon trip for two! Please confirm you are still interested and I can send you the rest of the details!
Thanks again for your interest and support!!
I was being trolled, clearly. I wondered if they’d ask for my bank account information next and drain my savings. I pinged Ryan, the fiancé:
9:59:43 AM Lindsay: Hmm, I entered this contest a week or so back: http://www.vibramantarcticamarathon.com/. They just sent me an email saying I won a trip for two to Antarctica. They may be trolling me…
10:00:55 AM Ryan: Sounds miserable.
10:01:04 AM Lindsay: We could go to Antarctica! Penguins!
(Since this conversation, I’ve found the majority of people think running a marathon in arctic conditions sounds miserable.)
In the hopes of dethroning a possible trolling, I backed up a bit. I did enter a contest eight days ago. My friend Jake shared the link with me after discovering the contest on Twitter. Evidence from January 21:
10:41:29 AM Jake: Found your next marathon: http://www.vibramantarcticamarathon.com/
10:42:06 AM Lindsay: Positive: run with the penguins. Negative: frozen ground, freezing temperatures. Do you know someone who did this one?
10:42:36 AM Jake: I just saw that this guy from Google entered the contest: https://plus.google.com/+IanLake/posts/LwRuzYQhr4U
10:50:40 AM Lindsay: OH A CONTEST! I’ll enter a contest
10:51:45 AM Lindsay: submitted
10:51:51 AM Jake: nice and crazy
To enter the contest, I didn’t have to write an essay — just submit my name, email address, age, and the number of marathons I’d previously completed.
But who wins a trip to Antarctica?
So, after receiving the congratulatory email from Vibram, I researched/stalked the sender. He had a legit online presence; Linkedin and Twitter showed he worked for Vibram in their marketing department. I emailed him back and set up a call. By the end of our first phone call, I still wasn’t convinced all of this was real, (and wouldn’t until we were let onto the plane to Houston en route to Buenos Aires.)
Because, again, who wins a trip to Antarctica?
Over the next few days, I had calls with Vibram and New Balance (New Balance would outfit me with all the gear I needed) to learn more about the trip. I had to let them know by Monday — three days away — whether Ryan and I could go to Antarctica in four weeks for three weeks.
I was in disbelief and attempting to deal with the shock by making pro/con lists. Ryan was processing in his own way by endlessly researching Antarctica and Marathon Tours, and whether we would have internet and cell phone service.
But things aligned. We were given the trip of a lifetime, and we’d make it work. On February 2, the decision was made. We were going to Antarctica, and I’d be running a marathon in four weeks.
— —
I’m including the press release incase one day it disappears from the internet:
Journey To The Bottom Of The Earth: Vibram® To Send Two Lucky Runners To Compete In 2015 Antarctica Marathon™
CONCORD, Mass., Jan. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Would you travel 6,500 miles to the coldest, windiest and most remote continent on the planet? What about to run a marathon — 26.2 grueling miles — in a sub-zero degree climate? Interested? Good.
Vibram®, the world’s leading high-performance soling brand, today announced, that it will be sending one lucky winner with two all-expenses paid excursions to compete in the 2015 Antarctica Marathon™ presented by Marathon Tours, March 2–15, 2015 — literally and figuratively, at the bottom of the Earth. The winners of the Vibram Antarctica Marathon Sweepstakes will join an exclusive field of approximately 200 participants, who will have the opportunity to join the Seven Continent Club™ by competing in a marathon on all seven continents.
Entry to the Vibram Antarctica Marathon Sweepstakes will kick-off Wednesday, January 14 at VibramAntarcticaMarathon.com. There are no race qualification requirements; however, entrants are strongly encouraged to have marathon and endurance race experience. The winner will be announced via Twitter (@Vibram) and other Vibram social channels at the 2015 Winter Outdoor Retailer Expo on January 22, 2015 at 4:30 PM PT.
“As Your Connection to the Earth, Vibram is thrilled to offer our fans the opportunity to compete in one of the most adventurous marathons in the world,” said Allon Cohne, CMO, Vibram. “With more than 70 years of trusted technology and quality behind Vibram soles on their feet, we look forward to being an integral part of our winner’s journey to conquer the treacherous terrain of the Antarctica Marathon.”
The 26.2-mile Antarctica Marathon course transverses hilly gravel roads of King George Island on the Antarctica Peninsula, where runners will encounter ice, mud and slush. Held at the tail end of the Antarctic summertime, race-day temperatures can range from 15 to 34 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind gusts that can easily reach 40 mph. While exploring the most pristine corner of the planet, runners will come face-to-face with Antarctic gems such as icebergs, penguins, seals and whales.
“The opportunity to compete in the 2015 Antarctica Marathon that Vibram is providing is not only extremely rare, but currently priceless, as our expedition has sustained success over the past 16 years and is presently sold out through 2017,” said Thom Gilligan, Marathon Tours. “Once-in-a-lifetime is often an overused term, but this experience is a truly unique opportunity for any passionate runner who wants to challenge themselves both mentally and physically while visiting one of the most amazing places in the world.”
Added Gilligan, “We too trust Vibram-soled shoes to provide the support and protection need for such a unique and challenging course.”
The winner will receive an all-inclusive trip for two to run in the 2015 Antarctica Marathon, March 9, 2015, including being outfitted with Vibram-soled shoes. The package will include all hotel and transportation, including three days in Buenos Aires, Argentina, transfer flights to Ushuaia, Terria del Fuego, the world’s most southernmost city, and two days at sea crossing the Beagle Channel and Drake Passage, some of the roughest seas in the world. Following the race, the winners will spend three days exploring King George Islandbefore returning home. A full itinerary can be found via tour provider Marathon Tours.
Vibram is proud to be the Presenting Sponsor and Official Footwear Sponsor the 2015 Antarctica Marathon, literally bringing its “Your Connection to the Earth” mantra to life. Full sweepstakes terms and conditions can be found on the entry form at VibramAntarcticaMarathon.com. All travel accommodation to be provided by Marathon Tours in partnership with Vibram.
