Marathon Man Seeking Just Deserts From Ultra Trek Across The Antarctic
Newcastle Herald
Wednesday January 18, 2006
FOR Matthew Chapman, running up to 250 kilometres through some of the world's most inhospitable places is all about achieving balance in his life.
The former Muswellbrook resident, who is employed in Singapore by international recruiting firm Hudson, is preparing to swap his pinstripe suit for polar woollies when he takes on the Last Desert race in Antarctica.The event, which is due to start next Tuesday, will mark Mr Chapman's personal completion of the Four Desert series of ultra-marathons run by private company Racing the Planet.Mr Chapman, 29, has finished the event across Chile's Atacama desert in 2004. Last year, he conquered the Gobi Desert, in China, and the Sahara in Egypt.The races are divided into stages of about 80 kilometres each and competitors carry a 10 kilogram pack of provisions over the journey.Mr Chapman chose running as a way of establishing a balance between work and recreation.He has been based in Singapore for 31/2 years, after working with Hudson's Melbourne operations.The adventurer finds similarities between ultra-marathon running and forging a career."I felt that surviving a career was a bit like surviving an ultra-marathon in a desert," he said."To cover 250 kilometres in some of the toughest environments in the world, it was important to balance fluid intake with food consumption and pace, not running too fast and burning out. "Similarly in careers, if the start and finish of a person's working life could be likened to an ultra-marathon, keeping work in check with life and not sprinting too fast at various stages and burning out, was important in ensuring career success."The Antarctica race will provide a contrast to the previous three, going from baked wastelands with temperatures pushing 50 degrees to ice-bound courses where it will be minus 30 degrees.The race, with 15 people taking part, will be contested on three courses, on King George Island, Deception Island and Iceberg Alley.Mr Chapman said mental determination was important.MATTHEW'S FOOTSTEPS? Courses already covered have been Chile's Atacama desert in 2004, and the Gobi desert in China and the Sahara in Egypt last year? The Antarctic race will be run on King George Island, Deception Island and Iceberg Alley? Races are divided into 80-kilometre stages
© 2006 Newcastle Herald