Men of Action: Racing At The Top Of The World

The North Pole Marathon took place this Easter weekend, which combines polar adventure with marathon running - the perfect environment for Men of Action.

Now in its eighth year, the UVU North Pole Marathon is the only run to take place entirely on water (the frozen water of the Arctic Ocean). The circular route is 26.6 miles and competitors must run this ten times.

Irish novelist Michael Collins, a past competitor describes the course:

'It's the most amazing extreme marathon I have ever run. It brought runners to the limits of their endurance and lived up to its billing in every respect, affording athletes a chance to run and feel on top of the world'

This year proved to be an exciting challenge for all competitors involved. This year's Men's winner, Andre Murray finished in an extraordinary time of 4 hours, 17 minutes and 8 seconds. The fastest woman in the race was Demelza Farr, who finished with a time of 6 hours, 6 minutes and 36 seconds.

This year's winner describes the event:

'The North Pole Marathon is an experience of a lifetime. Whilst running, the views and the shapes of the ice are the best painkillers'

'What the race encapsulates is the sheer determination of everyone to succeed'

Most of the competitors have already returned home. Average temperatures can reach -35C, but the views that competitors were lucky enough to see counters this to some degree. This is a marathon that combines the harsh environment with natural, undisturbed beauty and completing this is a remarkable achievement.