WORLD'S COOLEST MARATHON®

NORTH POLE
MARATHON®️

World's Coolest Marathon®

about the event

Welcome to the running experience of a lifetime. In 2025, we'll offer two unique opportunities to runners like you to participate the North Pole Marathon, so you can make history as a continuing new breed of Arctic adventurer: the spring race with flights to the North Pole, and the summer race via an icebreaker to the North Pole. By competing in the World's Coolest Marathon®, the North Pole Marathon®, you can become one of a truly select few to race at the top of the world - at the Geographic North Pole. And you will feel on top of the world when you manage to overcome the extreme sub-zero temperatures to finish 42.195km (26.2 miles) in one of the remotest parts of the planet.

North Pole Adventure

First you must ask yourself if you have got the nerve and drive to travel to the North Pole and run on Arctic ice floes, with 3 to 12 feet separating you from 12,000 feet of Arctic Ocean? Can you handle the cold? Are you fit enough? Do you want to push yourself to the edge? If the answer is yes, then you are ready for the North Pole Marathon, a trip of a lifetime. Remember, this marathon is not run on land - it is run 'on' water, frozen water, in the high Arctic Ocean. You will never have a greater adventure marathon story.

The North Pole Marathon will also feature an exciting team challenge, with the title decided by the cumulative time of a team's first three finishers. This amazing race will additionally offer athletes who have completed a marathon on all seven continents the opportunity of joining the exclusive Marathon Grand Slam Club by also completing this marathon on the Arctic Ocean.

Don't let this once-in-a-lifetime experience slip away. Register for the event and join like-minded runners from around the world at the North Pole Marathon.

The North Pole Marathon 2025

On July 6, 2025, runners from around the world will embark on Le Commandant Charcot for a unique mission to run at the top of the world. Navigating through sea ice, this French icebreaker will transport Runbuk runners and their companions to the geographic North Pole for an extraordinary marathon experience.

Be among the few people in the world to go in search of the Geographic North Pole!

Embark on the unforgettable experience of running a marathon on top of the world!

Join the North Pole ForumTM, a platform for meaningful discussions on global sustainability and environmental initiatives.

Experience the rich biodiversity of the Arctic.

Enjoy exciting activities including kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing, and even a thrilling polar plunge.

Culinary Excellence

Experience the unique blend of sophisticated gastronomy and polar exploration. Located on Deck 5, the restaurant Nuna (“Earth” in Inuit) is the only Alain Ducasse gastronomic restaurant at sea. It offers a fine à la carte menu specially designed by the Michelin-starred chef, as well as some of his signature dishes, suitable for voyaging to extreme environments. In addition to this fine gastronomical offering, there is also a second restaurant and a grill serving a range of deliciously healthy and refined cuisine in the buffet restaurant, Sila (“Heaven”), located on Deck 9.

Enjoy Arctic Activities

Encounter the mesmerizing wildlife, including polar bears, Northern fulmars, ivory gulls, seals, and whales, while indulging in brand-new activities such as kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing, and even a thrilling polar plunge. Join us for an unforgettable journey into the heart of the frozen wilderness, where every moment is a discovery.

Activities

Forum

The 2025 North Pole Forum is a world-class event that brings together adventure, sports, environmental and scientific research, global collaboration, and innovative initiatives. It is a groundbreaking gathering of visionaries, scientists, entrepreneurs, and leaders on an extraordinary journey. This transformative expedition aboard the icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot, traveling from Svalbard to the Geographic North Pole and back, serves as the perfect setting for this dynamic and intellectually stimulating summit.

running

Running across the top of the world, with an endless expanse of white in every direction, the Arctic air crisp and sharp, and the snow crunching beneath your feet. The sub-zero temperatures, unpredictable ice, and remote isolation push you to your physical and mental limits. It’s more than a race; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, where every step is a testament to human endurance and resilience.

KAYAKING

You will make the most of the sailing opportunities and weather and ice conditions to glide along on the clear waters or between the ice floes and get as close as possible to the immaculate nature of the poles. Supervised by licenced expert guides, you will try your hand in a kayak- a craft favoured by the Inuits for at least 4,000 years. The kayak was initially used for hunting and fishing; for you, it will be a means of making the most of your adventure on the White Continent or in the Far North.

POLAR PLUNGE

Let yourself be seduced by the unrivalled sensations of being surrounded by cold water. Weather and ice conditions willing, you will have opportunities to undertake a unique experience during a polar plunge wearing just your swimming costume, in the middle of the ice. You will be be filled with intense emotions and will fully appreciate the energy boost when warming up after the swim!**with limited places available

HIKING OR SNOWSHOEING

During shore landings, depending on the ecological resilience of the biome, we will propose hikes at different levels, in the company of your experienced naturalist guides. From a simple stroll along the coast to walks lasting several hours to reach particular viewpoints or historical sites, you will make the most of the opportunities provided by the weather and ice conditions. When the itineraries allow, you’ll put on snowshoes* to set off like the explorers of old and discover areas that have barely known Man.*with limited places available

travel

Cruise & ACCOMMODATION

Before embarking on the journey to the North Pole, the group will gather in Paris and then fly to Longyearbyen, the capital of the Svalbard Islands situated in the Arctic Ocean.

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PREPARATION

GEAR & TRAINING

A layering system is necessary to keep you warm while being light enough to enable you to undertake a physical challenge at the top of the world.

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gear

official gear

North Pole Marathon official technical jacket.

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TESTIMONIALS

I've been at the Pole before but this was pleasantly different in that I didn't have to haul a sled there! The race is a unique combination of two things I enjoy: polar challenges and marathon running. It's a great test of fitness and stamina. Well done.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes, UK (Polar Explorer)

"Nothing quite compares to the surreal experience of the North Pole Marathon. It's a priceless adventure."

Steven Seaton, UK (Editor of Runner's World Magazine)

"The whole experience of arriving at the top of the world and competing in the marathon was absolutely amazing. Fantastic fellow competitors and tough conditions gave the PizzaExpress team a truly unique adventure at the Pole and the genuine challenge we were looking for."

Harvey Smyth, UK (CEO PizzaExpress)

THE WORLD'S COOLEST MARATHON®

NORTH POLE
MARATHON